New 536bhp V6 engine could power the next Nissan GT-R and Alpine A110
A new 536bhp V6, petrol-hybrid is part of a new engine and transmission package from Horse Powertrains, and the first cars could arrive in 2028
A V6 petrol engine with 536bhp that can rev to 8000rpm – that sounds like a flight of fantasy in today’s regulation-strangled car industry. But it’s very real, coming as the latest and so far brawniest offering from Horse Powertrain, the new company dedicated to combustion engines, part-owned by Renault, Geely and Aramco.
You might have heard of it through us as the company potentially supplying Caterham with an internal combustion lifeline for the Seven sports car. This new flagship powertrain meanwhile sounds like it could be perfect for the next-generation Nissan GT-R, or even an Alpine-branded supercar…
> Caterham Horse prototype review – new turbo engine keeps the Seven alive
The new V6 engine is designated the W30 and has been built and developed specifically for hybrid applications, whether mild or full-hybrid. The engine weighs just 160kg, which Horse claims is 10kg less than the next lightest V6 in production right now and produces up to 536bhp and up to 516lb ft. It displaces 3-litres and is twin-turbocharged with the turbos mounted directly to the cylinder heads in the middle of the V.
The engine also features integrated exhaust manifolds, to an end of maximising efficiency and economy. The cylinder banks are offset at 90 degrees to lower the centre of gravity of the engine to aid packaging – the turbochargers sitting in the V, as opposed to hanging on the other side of the heads, will certainly help to that end too. And yes, in spite of being turbocharged, Horse does claim the engine is good for up to 8000rpm.
The engine is only part of the package alongside a new transmission and electric motors. The 4LDHT gearbox is designed to be mated to the new engine, in concert with an integrated electric motor at the crank good for up to 402bhp, for aiding the engine and charging the battery, and also an external motor good for up to 603bhp.
No combined system outputs have been given as yet but expect an overall maximum figure that involves the engine and motors working in concert, that doesn’t simply add their individual numbers together… Also curiously, the transmission is a four-speed. That might sound a bit 1960s but shouldn’t be too surprising – Renault uses a four-speed transmission in its E-Tech hybrids, that works with the combustion engine in concert with a two-speed that works with the electric motor. We’ve asked for clarification on both the transmission and combined outputs and will update as and when.
The biggest and final question is, who is this for? Horse claims the package will first appear in models that are set for debut in 2028. Entering fantasy land for a moment, we know that Renault Group owns a 45 per cent stake in Horse. We also have it from Renault Group members Alpine and Nissan that combustion engines are now back on the table as options for their halo and supercar products.
Could this hybrid powertrain with a high-performance V6 be perfect for the next-generation Nissan GT-R? Or perhaps a full-fat Alpine sports car to properly rival Porsche’s 911, built off the APP platform that Alpine CEO Philip Kriefe himself has assured us, has been designed for flexibility? Entirely speculative maybe, but not beyond the realms of possibility.
The new hybrid V6 system from Horse is set for a reveal at the 2026 Beijing auto show, alongside a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that’s part of an ‘all-in-one’ hybrid powertrain. It’s designed for integration into what were dedicated BEV platforms, like in the case of the new Lotus Eletre X.
