Giamaro Automobili Katla: the latest "volcano" from the new manufacturer of Italian ultra-luxury cars

The Italian supercar segment is like the universe: it's infinite and you don't know where to look. Behind the flagships of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati, a whole constellation of small manufacturers have sprung up in the Motor Valley, from restomod specialists (Modena Automobili, Officine Fioravanti, Totem) to designers (Kimera, Ares, Grassi, etc.) who generally draw on the references of the past, even if some offer original models, like Laffite with the LM. The latest addition is called Giamaro Automobili.

This new high-performance car manufacturer was founded by the family behind Italy's number 1 mattress manufacturer, Eminflex Materassi! And yet, the Katla doesn't do cozy. It was in Modena, the birthplace of Ferrari and Maserati, that the entity took shape, so to speak. And some things can't be invented, since the family behind this ambitious project is called...Commendatore! The project was born in Cavezzo, home of the research and development center, while production takes place in Castelfranco Emilia, along the historic Via Emilia.

Italian inspired by Iceland

Monsters of power, supercars vie for evocative names: apart from numerical nomenclatures, they draw on animal imagery (Venom, Viper, Lamborghini bulls), the glorious past and legendary names (McLaren Senna, Bugatti Chiron, etc.) or even nature (Hurricane, Folgore, etc.). The volcano is an unavoidable reference, but rather than calling it Etna, Vesuvio or Stromboli, to understand the origin of the name Giamaro Katla. Katla is an Icelandic volcano covered by the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap in the south of the country. It rises to over 1,500 meters and remains active, although the last known eruption dates back to 1918. The Giamaro brand uses the first three letters of the founder's name, Giacomo Commendatore, while the colors of the logo - a stylized yellow and blue G - are those of Modena.

This ambitious journey began with the vision of Emilian entrepreneur Giacomo Commendatore and his son Pierfrancesco. "Giamaro Automobili was born of the desire to create something authentic, unique, in which the customer can identify and feel at ease," explains Commendatore. "For us, a car shouldn't just be fast or beautiful, but should go beyond that, touching sensitive chords. It must connect with those who discover it, become an extension of their personality." Naturally, each car is created in collaboration with the customer. The price, exclusive of tax, reflects the excessiveness of this Katla: 2,470,000 euros.

An assertive but not revolutionary style

The hypercar's lines express the vehicle's "impetuous and visceral" character. Influences seem to cross Lamborghini for the sharp, aeronautical edge, Corvette for the muscular look and even Lotus with its futuristic rear end reminiscent of the Evija. It looks good, but without much originality. There's a definite air of déjà vu.

The design, handled by the Camal styling center in Turin, results in a drag coefficient of 0.33. The front air intakes and hood are resolutely sculpted by aerodynamic imperatives, while the rear is dominated by a variable-load mobile wing. The muscular rear end is characterized by a striking light signature, different from the minimalist light cuts of other hypercars. The "C"-shaped LED headlamps are inserted into rectangular openings at the end of the rear wings, linked by the spoiler. Like the Lamborghini or even theAlfa Romeo 33 Stradale, the world of aviation inspires the cockpit, with an internal architecture that envelops the driver. The center console is reminiscent of a fighter jet's instrument panel, and the materials used are exclusively carbon fiber, aluminum and fine textile fabrics.

A full range of technology

A new-generation carbon-fiber monocoque has been developed, weighing just 170 kg. Despite its generous dimensions (4.79 meters long and 2.02 meters wide) and enormous engine, the Katla is able to keep its weight under control, at a claimed 1,450 kilos. The supercar is equipped with everything the driver needs to exploit its volcanic potential: electronically-adjustable shock absorbers, an adaptively-variable ride height, an electronically-variable rear spoiler to act as an air brake, and 5 driving modes including a customizable "Individual". A 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, mechanical limited-slip differential and carbon-ceramic discs (420 mm at the front with 10-piston calipers, 410 mm at the rear with 4-piston calipers) are also on hand to tame the beast.

An in-house V12, no less!

The features are just as demonic. This 6,988 cm3, 120° V12 quad-turbo engine (installed in the V) was developed in partnership with Italtecnica, a Turin-based specialist accustomed to collaborating with supercar manufacturers in competition and series production. The engines for the Kimera 037 and Totem come from their workshops. To harness this power, you can choose between a "basic" variant with 1,670 hp, while the extreme variant opens Pandora's box and unleashes the volcanic soul of the Katla without filters, unleashing the 2,157 hp and 2008 Nm of torque available at 9,000 rpm. Yes, you read that right. And all at the rear, of course. You'll need to budget big for rear tires!

We're in Bugatti and Koenigsegg proportions. "It's a work of engineering born from a blank sheet of paper," explains Giacomo Commendatore, founder of Giamaro, "and it's the very essence of who we are, a declaration of love for the purest engineering, because the V12 embodies a spirit that no other configuration can evoke." But other than on the racetrack, how do you tame such a debauchery of power?

Space SUV already in the works

Alongside the Katla, Giamaro Automobili is already preparing a second monster, the Albor, a name inspired by Albor Tholus, a volcano on Mars, as Commendatore wants to give it a UFO identity. Still in the early stages of development but already confirmed for production, the Albor also features excessive styling that seems to draw from SF, with sculpted sides and a roofline crossed by large air ducts. This super-SUV is a sort of cross between the Mega Track and the Huracan Sterrato, using the same demonic V12.