About
The conviction, the name and the people behind Nilu27.
A vision, fulfilled
The first traces of the NILU appeared in Sasha’s student work at ArtCenter College of Design in California. In 2006 he published a 3D model on his Angrycardesigner blog alongside a form-follows-function manifesto.
The industry was moving in one direction. The manifesto pointed the other way. NILU was never invented. It was always out there, waiting.
What’s in a name?
“Nilu” does not exist in any language the founders speak. That was the point. In an industry where names carry decades of accumulated meaning, mythology, or someone’s personal legacy, the Selipanovs wanted a word that arrived empty. One that could only mean what the car made it mean.
At the same time, it is entirely personal. Nilu is formed from the names of their daughters, Nica and Lucia.
Why the 27?
Sasha has carried it since childhood, when he found a photograph of Gilles Villeneuve sliding his Ferrari, number 27, in full opposite lock. That image never left. The number is not branding. It is the memory of the exact moment a boy understood what cars could be.
Who we are
The Executive Team
Sasha Selipanov
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Over two decades at the leading automotive OEMs, Sasha has contributed to and helped shape cars that became legends. After completing his degree in Transportation Design from the ArtCenter College of Design in California, Sasha embarked on what became an 11-year journey with the Volkswagen Group. Following a multitude of internal projects for VW, Audi, Bugatti and Lamborghini, his efforts finally paid off with the release of the Lamborghini Huracán. Shortly after, Sasha was appointed Head of Exterior Design at Bugatti, where he led exterior design development of the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo and the Bugatti Chiron.
His career advancement took him to Genesis as Head of Advanced Design, where his team was responsible for the Genesis Essentia and Mint concept cars. Sasha’s next move was Head of Design at Koenigsegg Automotive, where he led design development of the Koenigsegg Gemera and Koenigsegg CC850. His own creative ambition led him to found Nilu27.
Inna Selipanov
Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer
Inna Selipanov spent two decades building deep expertise in brand strategy, storytelling, and business development across automotive and technology worlds. At Genesis, she played a key role in bringing the brand to Europe, setting up its first 6 showrooms across 3 markets as well as its European headquarters. At Koenigsegg, she headed the marketing team, reporting directly to the founding family.
She did not join a project. She built the company she always wanted to build, on the values she chose, with the tools she has spent a career mastering. Together, Sasha and Inna founded Nilu27 not as a compromise between two agendas but as the full expression of both.
Simon Wägner
Chief Technology Officer and Chief Operating Officer
More than 25 years in the automotive industry. Began at Porsche AG in 1999 as a systems developer and rose to Senior Project Manager, leading programs for the VW Group and other clients. At Bugatti, took charge of the program and project management through the launch of the Chiron. In 2022 joined Koenigsegg as VP of Engineering for Car Development Programs, leading the CC850 and Gemera programs and the start of production for the Jesko.
Alexander Hubbard-Ford
Chief Financial Officer
More than 25 years in finance and business development, in Europe and the US, managing investments for institutional investors, capital management companies, family offices and high-growth companies. Before Nilu27, responsible for financing and transactions for a leading project developer in Germany.
Locations
California and Germany
Development, prototype and production in one place. The operational headquarters of Nilu27 sit in Lahr, in the heart of Europe’s automotive landscape, close to the German OEMs and a dense network of tier one suppliers.
Los Angeles houses Nilu27’s showroom, which is open to visitors by appointment only.