This beautiful V-12 engine will power De Tomaso’s track-focused P900 hypercar

• De Tomaso Automobili has unveiled new photos and information about its exotic V-12 engine.
• The 7.0-liter naturally aspirated mill produces 900 horsepower and redlines at 10,200 rpm.
• The magnificent V-12, developed under the leadership of ItalTecnica, will power the track-focused De Tomaso P900 hypercar.

Nowadays, many of the most powerful and exotic hypercars are equipped with turbochargers or hybrid systems, but that is not the case for the De Tomaso P900. The newly revived automaker’s new track-focused hypercar will be powered by a twelve-cylinder engine that eschews forced induction and electrification in favor of doing things the old-fashioned way. The naturally aspirated V-12 is not only an engineering masterpiece, but also a work of art.

De Tomaso’s magnificent engine was developed under the leadership of ItalTecnica, an Italian powertrain specialist, as part of the P900 project that began in 2022. While De Tomaso has since released details about the hypercar that is only intended to be driven on a race track, and shown photos teasing the engine with an alien 12-into-1 exhaust manifold, it has now revealed the final specifications for the production engine. In addition to producing 900 peak horsepower, the V-12 is rated at 10,200 horsepower.

The ItalTecnica x De Tomaso V-12 is equipped with banks of 65 degrees; each bank houses two double overhead camshafts and each cylinder has four titanium valves. The engine’s crankcase is machined from solid billet aluminum, with the billet also supporting the carbon intake system. Naturally, the connecting rods are forged and the pistons are ultra-light. Unlike most engines that use belts or chains for their distribution systems, De Tomaso draws inspiration from Formula 1, with its V-12 featuring a full gear-driven cascade. An eight-speed dry-sump system further ensures that everything stays lubricated during circuit sessions at the limit. It all culminates in an engine unit that is claimed to weigh less than 400 pounds

For now, we can only enjoy this old-school, albeit cutting-edge, V-12 from a distance. The next thing you look forward to is hearing it roar. Hopefully that opportunity will come sometime later this year, when De Tomaso says the P900 will introduce new visual and aerodynamic changes. While the upcoming hypercar is currently only intended for track use, its maker has strongly hinted at a future road-going version.

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Eric Stafford’s car addiction started before he could walk, and it’s fueled his passion for writing news, reviews and more for Car and driver since 2016. His childhood ambition was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno-esque car collection. Apparently getting rich is harder than social media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree from Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of essentially burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and driver hired him. His garage currently has a 2010 Acura RDX, a ’97 manual Chevy Camaro Z/28 and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.