Behold the limited-run Kimera EV037 Martini 7
Just 37 of these beautiful tributes to the Lancia 037 Group B icon will be made...
“Remember who we were.” These were the words of King Leonidas, leading the brave 300, who in Greece, at Thermopylae, following the law of Sparta, redeemed the world from mysticism and tyranny and accompanied it into a more radiant future than one could imagine.
It’s an unusual beginning to a press release, but I carried on ploughing through the Greek history lesson nonetheless, even though at times I felt like Sisyphus, only battling words rather than boulders. I did this because the accompanying pictures made the effort worthwhile. In 2021 we wrote about the Kimera Automobiles Kimera EV037. This was a reborn Lancia 037, the awesome Group B rally version of the Lancia Montecarlo. The car that took the manufacturer’s title in 1983 – the David that defeated the mighty Audi Quattro, all-wheel-drive Goliath. Blimey, from ancient Greece to the Bible – this is surely a first for PH.
Anyway, the 037 is famously the last ever rear-driven car to win the World Rally Championship, and it was always recognisable thanks to its oh-so-memorable Martini colours. Well, using the EV037 as a base, Kimera has produced this even more spectacular EVO37 Martini 7 to bring those colours back to life. Only 37 examples will be produced.
The EV037 has it has links to the original, thanks to input from men who were involved in creating the 037 in the early ‘80s. ‘Kimera Automobili has managed to bring the men of the past and those of the present to the same table. The unforgettable Claudio Lombardi, Sergio Limone and Vittorio Roberti have handed down their experience to the technicians who worked on the EVO37'.
On top of that Martini has officially sanctioned its name to go on the car. ‘Martini could not be missing: the brand from Turin which gave its name to the Martini Racing Team.’ And that team, of course, one seven World Rally titles in that eye-catching colour scheme. The links with the past don’t stop there. The Kimera EVO37 Martini 7 was launched last Friday at the Hotel Cala di Volpe, in Porto Cervo, where, in 1983, the 037 Group B in the Martini Racing livery was first shown to the world.
As with the Kimera EVO37, the EV037 Martini 7 features modern materials, including carbon fibre, Kevlar and titanium, as well as steel and machined aluminium. It weighs less than the EV037 (around 1,100kg) and has shorter gear ratios. The engine also has 50hp more, now reaching 550hp and delivers 406lb ft of torque.
And who couldn't love the ‘quick release’ system for the rear bumper? This allows the lower part to be removed, revealing the ‘splendid mechanics,’ as Kimera puts it. And by crikey, those cone-shaped, ceramic-coated exhausts either side of the gearbox casing do look splendid: phwoah. Those wheels, by the way, reference the ‘Delta Evoluzione’ era, but with ‘important lightening and refinement work on the spokes.’
There’s bare carbon fibre all over the interior, with the blue perforated Alcantara with red stitching on the seats recalling the S4, as does the fluorescent orange display for the instruments. Even each button is labelled ‘exactly as it was at the time.’ Those two knobs on the central console, by the way, are for adjusting the ABS and the traction control, so of course there are plenty more modern twists. A remarkable thing indeed.
Singer-esque attention to detail: check
Credible team: check
Not a 2 tonne EV: check
IYKYK factor: check
Looks F'ing cool: check
Can we please have an agreement that every time 'Behold' is used, it has to be for a more epic car than the previous time? So the next time it's used, it has to be for something even better than this, rather than a Lego set or an EV SUV?
Then we'll know that something is truly beholdworthy
I'm quite happy to drive one occasionally for any of the 37 buyers, you know, just to keep things running smoothly.....
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