Motor Valley in Italy is home to iconic automotive brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani and Ducati. And now there is a new player looking to add their name to this illustrious list: Giamaro Automobili. This start-up has wowed the world with its first product, the bonkers Katla hypercar.

Follow Double Apex on Facebook and Instagram, where we share more car content.

We don’t build cars for customers, we build them with them. That’s the only way to create the kind of authentic bond that transforms each vehicle into a personal expression an extension of who you are, and how you move through the world. For us, a car must be more than fast or beautiful. It must stir something deeper it must transcend. It must connect with the person who lives it, becoming an extension of their identity
– Giacomo and Pierfrancesco Commendatore, Giamaro Automobili company founders

Order from our online store and take advantage of free delivery in South Africa on orders over R349

Powerhouse

Many automakers have moved away from large engines, downsizing to keep regulators happy. The list of brands that offers a V12 seems to be shrinking yearly. At the moment we count Pagani, Lamborghini, Ferrari and Zenvo on the list. A list that Giamaro has now increased with its choice of powerplant. 

The Katla hypercar is powered by an in-house developed V12 that boasts no fewer than four turbochargers. The quartet of compressors is nestled within the vee of the 120-degree V12. The 7,0-litre engine has a few states of tune, each corresponding to a different key (a la Bugatti’s speed key). Full power is rated as 1 586 kW, yes, over 2 000 bhp developed at a dizzying 9 000 r/min. Peak torque is even more impressive at 2 008 N.m.

What’s even more insane is that all that power is delivered to the rear wheels only. For now, the company says it has a seven-speed AMT on offer to potential clients. An 11-speed dual-clutch transmission is in the works. Unsurprisingly, the company doesn’t quote a 0-100 km/h acceleration time as we suspect it isn’t that impressive considering it is just RWD.

Lightweight

Giamaro Automobili has developed a bespoke carbon-fibre monocoque for the Katla hypercar that weighs just 170 kg. As a result the total quoted mass is comparatively low at 1 450 kg. The lightweight superstructure has CNC-milled aluminum double wishbones all around and inboard coil springs with adaptive dampers. The car has massive, 420 mm composite discs front and rear, with ten-piston calipers acting on the front wheels.