Skip advert
Advertisement

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

Modena-based Giamaro Automobili has launched the Katla – a bespoke, quad-turbo V12 hypercar with nearly 1000bhp more than Ferrari’s F80…

Whatever you think of the latest wave of hypercarsFerrari 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. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

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…

Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

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.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Ferrari F80 2025 review – near-1200bhp tech tour de force tested on road and track
Ferrari F80 review
Reviews

Ferrari F80 2025 review – near-1200bhp tech tour de force tested on road and track

Maranello’s latest hybrid hypercar and successor to the LaFerrari blends mind-bending capabilities with deeply intuitive character
10 Jul 2025
Lanzante 95-59 is a £1.2million custom McLaren supercar
Lanzante 95-59
News

Lanzante 95-59 is a £1.2million custom McLaren supercar

Lanzante’s celebration of its Le Mans win in 1995 has 850bhp and uses a McLaren 750S as its basis, revealed at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed
10 Jul 2025
Zenvo's 1850bhp Aurora hypercar is ready to run – look out Bugatti
Zenvo Aurora Tur
News

Zenvo's 1850bhp Aurora hypercar is ready to run – look out Bugatti

The production version of Zenvo's V12-engined Koenigsegg-fighter with 1850bhp, set to enter production in 2026, has been revealed
8 Jul 2025
Pagani Huayra Codalunga Speedster revealed – 852bhp hypercar gets a manual option
Pagani Huayra Codalunga Speedster front
News

Pagani Huayra Codalunga Speedster revealed – 852bhp hypercar gets a manual option

Pagani has chopped the roof off its lusty Codalunga hypercar and added a manual gearbox option. Hypercar perfection?
8 Jul 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

£15k off Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio super SUV
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
News

£15k off Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio super SUV

If you have to have an SUV, a Stelvio QV is acceptable. Now it's being heavily discounted.
8 Jul 2025
Ferrari F80 2025 review – near-1200bhp tech tour de force tested on road and track
Ferrari F80 review
Reviews

Ferrari F80 2025 review – near-1200bhp tech tour de force tested on road and track

Maranello’s latest hybrid hypercar and successor to the LaFerrari blends mind-bending capabilities with deeply intuitive character
10 Jul 2025
New cars at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed – all the debuts from Aston to Zenvo
Festival of Speed 2025
News

New cars at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed – all the debuts from Aston to Zenvo

The 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed is underway. Here’s what’s in store from the biggest British motoring event of the year
11 Jul 2025