A running 5,000-hp Devel Sixteen prototype may appear at 2017 Dubai Motor Show

A super-mighty hypercar like the Devel Sixteen – boasting of a 5,000-hp engine as its crowning glory – is surely hard to miss and forget. But it seems that just as people have already begun to forget about the Devel Sixteen, the hellish hypercar is making a much-needed reappearance at the upcoming 2017 Dubai Motor Show.

The Devel Sixteen actually made its debut as a concept car at the 2013 Dubai Motor Show. It is a creation of designer Majid Al Attar, who called the Devel Sixteen as the most powerful vehicle ever built, combining power, technology and sophistication. At first glance, the Devel Sixteen looks like a fusion between the Lamborghini Veneno and the Lamborghini Egoisa. Deep inside, however, the Devel Sixteen is several times more powerful than both Lamborghini supercars combined.

On paper, the Devel Sixteen is a sophisticated demon that is powered by a 12.3-liter quad-turbo V16 engine that could deliver around 5,000 hp (3,728 kW) of nerve-wracking output. That would be equivalent to the power of around 10 supercars, or, more accurately five examples of McLaren P1. But there have been questions whether a real Devel Sixteen -- or at least a running prototype -- exists.

As far as the V16 engine is concerned, this remarkable mill does exist. Apparently, a number of videos showing the 5,000-hp V16 engine have already sprouted. This 12.3-liter quad-turbo V16 engine is designed and created by Steve Morris Engines of Michigan. One of those videos even shows the engine being dyno-tested, cranking up around 4,000 hp (2,982 kW) in max output.

As for the Devel Sixteen, the hypercar has yet to show itself. It is possible, however, that it would show up. As indicated by Road & Track, the Devel Sixteen would be shown as a running prototype at the 2017 Dubai Motor Show – the same event where all started four years ago.

As part of its efforts to make the Sixteen a reality, Devel has announced that it has tapped the services of Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT). MAT, an Italian motorsports and manufacturing company, will be a big boost to Devel’s dream to realize the Sixteen considering the fact it was the same firm tapped by Jim Glickenhaus to build the Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG 003 carbon fiber supercar. Apollo has also partnered with MAT to build the new Apollo Intensa Emozione.

There are a few boxes that MAT needs to check to make the Sixteen dream come true. First, the Devel Sixteen needs to deliver around 5,000 hp of power output. Likewise, the Sixteen needs to be able to move faster than 310 mph (498 km/h). Of course, despite the monstrous power and speed, the Devel Sixteen has to remain as an easy daily driver with all the expected refinements.

Whether these goals could be fully achieved remains to be seen, but first, we need to see a running prototype of the Devel Sixteen at the Dubai Motor Show that’s set to open on November 14.