Kimera K39 Has Retro Style, Koenigsegg PowerKimera Automobili (Kimera Automobili)Kimera revealed the K39 last weekend at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Italy.The K39 features a carbon-fiber monocoque and radical bodywork covered in vents and ducts.The 986-hp twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V-8 comes from Koenigsegg and is mated to a seven-speed manual transmission.If you follow the world of restomods, then you're likely familiar with Kimera Automobili. The Italian outfit burst onto the scene with the EVO37, a modern reinterpretation of the Lancia Rally 037, the last rear-wheel-drive car to win the World Rally Championship. Next came the EVO38, boosting horsepower and adding all-wheel drive. But the company's latest project, the K39, embarks into new territory, with radical bodywork and an engine borrowed from one of the fastest hypercars in the world.Kimera Automobili (Kimera Automobili)While the design still has a hint of Lancia 037, the K39 takes that wedgey mid-engined formula to the extreme, wrapping retro styling around a bespoke carbon-fiber monocoque. The design is eye-catching, but also functional, with a focus on aerodynamics. A deep duct carved into the hood routes air from the ginormous intakes in the front bumper up and over the roof of the car. The air eventually meets a tall rear wing, which has vents of its own built into the uprights.AdvertisementAdvertisementEven more aerodynamic trickery happens on the front fenders, where a series of slats cut into the bodywork release the hot, pressurized air from inside the wheel wells. Kimera is working with Dallara, makers of IndyCars and top-class prototype endurance race cars, to hone the aerodynamics. The K39 looks significantly wider than Kimera's past vehicles, the burly stance accentuated by gaping intakes ahead of the rear wheels.Kimera Automobili (Kimera Automobili)Those intakes feed the cooling system that keeps K39's pièce de résistance running smoothly. While the EVO37 and EVO38 were both powered by a twin-charged (both supercharged and turbocharged) 2.1-liter four-cylinder that used the original engine block from the classic Lancia, the K39 takes an entirely fresh approach. Here, a screaming twin-turbo 5.0-liter V-8 lives behind the cockpit, courtesy of the Swedish supercar wizards at Koenigsegg.The engine produces a whopping 986 horsepower and 885 pound-feet of torque in the K39. While that's down from the 1281 hp and 1106 pound-feet the Koenigsegg Jesko produces on pump gas (that figure leaps to 1600 hp on E85 fuel), Kimera is targeting a weight of just 2425 pounds, so it should still be brutally fast.Kimera Automobili (Kimera Automobili)The K39's version of the 5.0-liter engine features a unique software tune, a reworked intake system, and the more responsive turbochargers from the Koenigsegg Agera, the Jesko's predecessor. This is the first time Koenigsegg has let another company use its engines, and we hope it's not the last. Even better, the K39 pairs that engine with a seven-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive, although a sequential gearbox is also under consideration. Like the EVO38, the K39 uses an inboard pushrod suspension at the front and rear.AdvertisementAdvertisementKimera also developed an even crazier version of the K39 destined for the famous Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The K39 Pikes Peak has truly absurd aerodynamics, from the splitter that protrudes up front to the rear wing that dominates the rear end. Kimera plans to take this wild version of its supercar to Pikes Peak to compete, aiming for 2027, although that could be pushed back.Kimera Automobili (Kimera Automobili)Kimera will build just 10 K39 Pikes Peak models, while production numbers for the standard K39 are unconfirmed, but will be less than 100. There's no official word on price, but it will likely stretch well into the millions. But for a supercar as unique as this, wearing classic styling and packing a Koenigsegg V-8, a million-plus price tag doesn't sound that crazy.➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029
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