The 1,000 hp Kimera K39 makes its first run at Goodwood… and loses a part along the way

Two months later his revelation At the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, the Kimera K39 leaves the static displays behind to tackle a completely different challenge: the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed hill climb. For the small Italian automaker, this isn’t just a demonstration. It’s the true baptism by fire for its new hypercar—and it certainly didn’t go unnoticed.

Back to Goodwood, where it all began

Goodwood holds a special place in the history of Kimera. It was here, in 2021, that the Italian automaker unveiled the EVO37 to the world—its modern tribute to the Lancia 037. Five years later, the brand is back with a very different goal: to show that the K39 is no longer just a spectacular concept car, but a vehicle currently in full development.

Unveiled last May at Villa d’Este, where it won the Best Design Concept & Prototype award, the K39 has now reached an important milestone. Since its unveiling, Kimera has assembled the first carbon-fiber monocoque chassis, and, most importantly, the engineers have completed the initial tuning of the twin-turbo V8 supplied by Koenigsegg, in a configuration now very close to that which will be used in production cars. It was this car, dubbed the K39 «Prototype 01,» that took the starting line at the famous Goodwood Hill Climb.

A 1,000 ch V8… and a little surprise

As expected, the new K39 turned heads. Its design, inspired by 1980s endurance race prototypes, its imposing rear wing, and above all the roaring sound of its 1,000 ch twin-turbo V8 made for one of the most memorable moments of the weekend.

But the demonstration also had a little surprise in store. Right in the middle of the run, the K39 lost the transparent panel on its engine hood—the very one that allows viewers to admire the Koenigsegg’s engine. It was a spectacular incident, but ultimately not a serious one: the car continued its climb, even offering spectators an even clearer view of its engine bay. This detail serves as a reminder that this Prototype 01 is, above all, a rolling laboratory designed to validate the latest technical developments.

This dynamic debut also marks the official start of the K39’s racing program. After Villa d’Este, Luca Betti and the Kimera teams traveled to Colorado with Koenigsegg engineers to conduct the first track reconnaissance of Pikes Peak, the arena for which this hypercar is clearly intended.

«Kimi,» his nickname

The photos taken at Goodwood also reveal a previously unseen detail. The driver’s seat features yellow embroidery spelling out the first name «Kimi.» This is an affectionate nickname given to Prototype 01 by the Kimera team, proof that this first car already holds a special place in the manufacturer’s history.

WhileThe first K39 Stradale Although it had already been spotted on the roads of Monaco, Goodwood confirms that the project has entered its most concrete phase. Production of the first units is still expected to begin early next year. In the meantime, Kimera has succeeded in its goal: getting people talking about its new creation, thanks as much to the roar of its V8 as to that small, flying window, which will likely remain one of the most unusual images from the 2026 Festival of Speed. A debut that, in the end, reflects the K39 perfectly: spectacular, brutal… and decidedly alive.