Italian coachbuilder Kimera Automobili has taken a major step beyond its celebrated Lancia-inspired creations by unveiling the K-39, the company’s first model engineered entirely from the ground up. Unlike the Evo37 and Evo38 that paid tribute to the legendary rally-era Lancias, this latest machine pushes much further into modern supercar territory and comes armed with a twin-turbocharged V8 sourced from Koenigsegg producing a staggering 986 hp (735 kW).
After building its reputation on reimagined interpretations of the iconic Lancia Rally 037, Kimera has now created something far more radical. The K-39 takes inspiration from the wild Group 5-era Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo and still carries over several familiar styling cues associated with the company’s earlier projects, including the signature Y-shaped grille and four-headlamp front end.
Aerodynamics have clearly become a central focus this time around. Kimera says the bodywork has been developed to generate levels of downforce comparable to current race machinery, while an aggressive S-duct system helps pull the nose closer to the tarmac as speeds increase. The result is a car that looks deeply rooted in motorsport history but engineered with far more modern performance targets in mind.
Although the K-39 will be fully road legal, the project has been conceived with competition use high on the priority list. Kimera is also preparing a stripped-out Pikes Peak specification complete with a high-downforce aerodynamic package and finished in the famous Martini Racing livery. That version is expected to tackle the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
Just 10 customer examples of the Pikes Peak-inspired version will be produced for early supporters of the project, and despite its track-focused appearance, it will still retain road-legal status.
Power for both variants comes from the Koenigsegg-derived twin-turbo V8, although Kimera says it has been recalibrated extensively to suit the K-39’s character. The setup reportedly uses smaller turbochargers than those found in Koenigsegg’s own hypercars, improving throttle response and making the car easier to exploit on both road and track.
Another interesting touch is the inclusion of over-the-air software updates. That means Kimera could potentially introduce further performance upgrades remotely once customer cars are already in circulation.
Production numbers will remain extremely limited, with more than 20 units already spoken for before deliveries have even begun.
