The 1995 Jimenez Novia Was The First W16 Supercar

This is the 1995 Jimenez Novia W16. It is powered by a 4.1 liter W16 engine and it was the first W16 supercar. 10 years before the Veyron would introduce its revolutionary quad turbocharged W16 powerplant, changing the supercar game as we know it, a French man named Ramon Jimenez would fuse 4 Yamaha motorcycle engines together into one and mount it in this, a one-off supercar of his own design. He would then drive the car to a verified top speed of 380 km/h (236 mph) at an airfield in Avignon, France.

Let’ start off with the crown jewel of the Novia, the engine. The Novia is powered by a 4.1 liter naturally aspirated W16 that makes 560 bhp at a whopping 10,000 rpm and 318.6 lb ft of torque at 7,500 rpm. The engine was made by combining 4 Yamaha FZR1000 4 cylinder motorcycle engines. Unlike the Veyron, it has 4 distinct cylinder banks which are connected to 2 separate crankshafts, and a total of 80 valves (5 valves per cylinder). As mentioned before the car reached a top speed of 236 mph and can reach 0-60 in around 3.0 seconds.

Ramon Jimenez was a professional motorcyclist and former champion who also had a love for four wheels. He built the Novia using many carbon fiber parts which he fabricated himself to save money. The bodywork was designed by Jimenez as well to achieve maximum downforce, although at the expense of rear visibility. The suspension is also very interesting as it uses a hydraulic lifting system that can adjust the ride height for different road and track conditions. The Novia also features scissors doors, a 6 speed manual and center lock wheels. Sadly only one Novia was ever made and its whereabouts are unknown. I urge you to watch the video above by the Discovery Channel about the Novia, the audio quality is bad but it gives a good history of the car as well as some W16 exhaust sounds.

So what do you guys think of the Novia? Put your thoughts in the comments below.