A new V12-engined Italian hypercar has arrived, and it makes the Ferrari F80 look tame

Whatever you think of the latest wave of hypercars – Ferrari F80, McLaren W1, Aston Martin Valkyrie – there’s no denying that their performance levels have reached outrageous, possibly unusable levels. Opportunities to fully explore these 1000bhp+ hypercars on the road are vanishingly small. But what about one with 2127bhp? That’s a question nobody has asked, but Modena-based Giamaro Automobili has answered. 

Its first hypercar, the Katla, is one of mind-scrambling numbers. Fittingly, it derives its name from a dangerous volcano in Iceland – supposedly the ‘most feared in Europe’ – but thanks to being engineered from the ground up with a carbon chassis, aero-honed body and motorsport-style suspension, it’s designed to make its monumental performance accessible, and perhaps even enjoyable, to exploit. 

The company was founded by Giacomo and Pierfrancesco Commendatore in 2021, and the Katla is their vision of the ultimate hypercar – and it's very different to what the likes of Ferrari and McLaren have come up with. There are no electric motors in sight – at the heart of the Katla is a 7-litre quad-turbo V12 created from scratch for the project, designed with a ‘hot-vee’ configuration and delivering a colossal 1647bhp and 1148lb ft of torque to the rear wheels. If that wasn’t enough, the V12 kicks out 2127bhp at 9000rpm and 1481lb ft in its most extreme configuration, giving it almost 1000bhp more than an F80…

Thanks to a carbon monocoque, the Katla weighs a relatively modest 1450kg, although Giacomo doesn’t specify whether this is a dry figure. It also hasn’t provided any performance figures, but with so much power on offer, expect it to stretch what’s possible for a rear-drive hypercar. When you want to calm things down, the engine can be dialled back to between 395bhp and 789bhp by using a special key. Another key unlocks 1647bhp, with a red key unleashing the full output. The Katla comes with a choice of a seven-speed gearbox with either paddles or a ‘manual configuration’ – whether this means a Koenigsegg-style simulated H-pattern shifter remains to be seen. An 11-speed dual-clutch unit is also under development.  

The Katla’s low, flat bodywork and active rear wing gives it a drag coefficient of 0.33, and beneath the skin lies a carbon fibre chassis. To this, CNC-machined aluminium suspension components are attached, as well as electronic dampers that continuously adjust along with the car’s ride height to balance aero performance with road usability. The suspension is highly adjustable, including front-to-rear and side-to-side ride height, and there are five drive modes linked to the throttle mapping, gearbox calibration and damping. Braking is by enormous 420mm carbon discs and ten-piston calipers up front, and a 410mm, four-piston setup at the rear. 

The Katla will be produced at Giamaro’s facility in Castelfranco Emilia. There’s no word on build number or price, but given the bespoke nature of the project, it’s sure to be well into six figures.