The striking Kimera Evo38 has been revealed in finished production form ahead of its debut at Monterey Car Week, bringing almost 600bhp, mild hybridisation and four-wheel drive.
A vision of “what would have been” if the legendary WRC-winning Lancia 037 had continued being developed beyond 1992, it is an evolution of the Italian firm’s debut model, the Evo37.
The most notable development is a move from the rear-wheel-drive set-up that defined the 037 – it having been the last such car to win a constructor’s title in the World Rally Championship – to four-wheel drive.
Power is sent to the front wheels through a Torsen limited-slip differential and the split of torque between each axle can be varied using a controller in the cockpit.
This notionally allows for greater traction on slippery surfaces or under high loads, although the driver can choose for all the power to be sent through the rear wheels if they so desire.
The driveshaft that links the front axle to the mid-mounted, turbocharged and supercharged 2.2-litre four-cylinder engine runs through the spine of the car’s cockpit and is encased in glass.
Power is up from 500bhp to 592bhp, thanks in part to the addition of a 48V mild-hybrid system and a trick exhaust, which is valved to allow drivers to swap between a road-friendly muffled set-up and a rortier straight-through one.
With the valve opened, the turbocharger can also be seen glowing through the car’s rear end, Kimera said.
That power is delivered through a six-speed manual gearbox with an exposed billet-aluminum linkage.
Join the debate
Add your comment
Pretty as a picture.
Pretty as a picture. If only Lancia had continued to evolve their car so it was available and affordable.
Maybe it's the color,but that's hideous!, it looks like a cheap badly fitted body kit.
This new model looks fabulous.