Horse Powertrain unveiled the Horse W40 on Nov. 10, 2026, a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that produces more than 500 kilowatts, or over 670 horsepower, with no electric help at all. It will make its world debut in the Lotus Type 135 supercar. Lotus has said that car is due in 2028, and its combined hybrid output is quoted at over 986 horsepower.
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Horse is the engine company owned 45% by Renault Group, 45% by Geely and 10% by Saudi Aramco, and Geely also owns Lotus, which explains the supply line. The W40 is Horse’s first production-ready V8, and the company intends it for sports cars, pickup trucks and off-road vehicles as well as supercars.
Horse W40 hardware: hot-V turbos and a 441-pound block
In its launch release, Horse describes a longitudinal V8 with twin turbochargers mounted on top of the engine in a hot-V arrangement, a shortened turbo intake path, direct fuel injection and extensive lightweighting. The engine weighs about 200 kilograms, which Autoblog converts to 441 pounds, and it carries a peak of 800 newton-meters of torque, or 590 pound-feet, before hybrid assistance.
Horse says the layout delivers strong low-end torque but has not released rpm figures for either peak power or peak torque. Matias Giannini, the company’s chief executive, said the engine was designed for integration from the outset with the new HORSE 8LDCT transmission, the gearbox announced beside it.
The gap between the two output figures is informative. A system rating of over 986 horsepower against over 670 horsepower from the V8 implies the electric side contributes more than 300 horsepower, though neither company has published the motor’s own rating, and the quoted numbers are floors.
Eight-speed wet dual-clutch gearbox
The 8LDCT is an eight-speed wet dual-clutch unit built for hybrid use. Horse quotes a pre-fill time under 50 milliseconds, a shift response under 20 milliseconds and a peak torque input of up to 1,050 newton-meters, or 774 pound-feet. It integrates a silicon carbide control system and power module, and a variable-displacement mechanical pump.
The torque rating matters because the V8’s own 800 newton-meters leaves room beneath the gearbox’s limit for the electric motor to add its share.
Type 135 timing, price and the Esprit question
Horse’s release gives no on-sale or debut date for the Type 135. Dates come from Lotus-side reporting. What Car? says the car goes on sale in 2028 with more details due later this year, with an estimated price from £400,000 that is not confirmed, aimed at the Ferrari 849 Testarossa, which starts at £407,617. It is expected to be built in Europe, possibly at Lotus’s Hethel factory in Norfolk beside the Emira, and Lotus has confirmed ordinary hybrid power rather than plug-in, reportedly to limit battery weight.
The badge is unconfirmed. Autocar was told the car could wear the Esprit name, which last appeared on a V8 model that went off sale in 2004. Lotus’s reversal on combustion is notable: in 2024 it planned for the Emira to be its last gasoline car, and Top Gear’s report on the V8 plan notes that the Emira will stay on sale, with an update described as the most powerful and lightest Emira built.
Lotus chief executive Feng Qingfeng said the Horse technologies combine outstanding power and efficiency with the engaging driving experience Lotus is known for, and he described the partnership with Horse as a source of excitement for the company.
Power density puts the engine in context. At over 670 horsepower from 441 pounds, the W40 works out to about 1.5 horsepower per pound, and at 4.0 liters it yields roughly 168 horsepower and 200 newton-meters per liter, by division of the published figures. Those are figures for a turbocharged engine described as built for hybrid platforms, where the electric motor is expected to fill in low-speed response and push the system total past 986 horsepower.
The supply arrangement is also notable. Horse is headquartered in London, and its shareholders span a European carmaker, a Chinese group and a Saudi oil company. Lotus’s parent, Geely, holds the same 45% stake as Renault, so the Type 135’s powertrain comes from a joint venture its owner helps run rather than from a conventional outside supplier. Horse’s release says the V8 and gearbox were developed to go into sports cars, pickups and off-road vehicles beyond Lotus.
Autoblog’s account adds that a V6 hybrid is reportedly also in development for Lotus, though neither Horse nor Lotus has supplied output or timing for it. The 986-horsepower system figure is also quoted as 1,000 metric horsepower, a convention that explains why the round number appears in some coverage. Both figures are stated as minimums by the companies, so the finished car could land higher once calibration for production is complete.
Unanswered for now are the rpm figures, the Type 135’s final name and price, and the hybrid motor’s own output.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.
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