Giamaro Katla has 2,127bhp from a quad-turbo V12

How well can you put power figures into perspective? You might think you have a decent grasp of what 100bhp, 300bhp and 500bhp feel like from behind the wheel. This new Italian hypercar, however, may thoroughly scramble that frame of reference, because it claims an extraordinary 2,127bhp.

No, that is not a misprint: it really is producing comfortably more than 2,000bhp. Nor is that output supplied by a pair of electric motors à la the Lotus Evija, or by a muscular V8 hybrid arrangement. Instead, this machine uses a quad-turbo V12 delivering 1,481lb ft of torque. Those figures make the 2,031bhp Hennessey Venom F5 Evolution and 1,775bhp Bugatti Tourbillon seem like golf buggies. Should it enter production, it would become the second most powerful production car in history, behind only the 2,269bhp hybrid V8 Koenigsegg Gemera.

Giamaro Katla: 2,127bhp from a quad-turbo V12

Named the Katla, the car has been revealed in Modena by a newly formed manufacturer, Giamaro Automobili. Katla is named after an Icelandic volcano - though not the one that disrupted everyone's holidays in 2010 - while Giamaro calls itself “a new force in the world of ultra-high-performance motoring – a brand defined by vision, soul, and technical audacity”. Understated, then.

That degree of self-praise may be justified if the car genuinely reaches full production. Giamaro says its dry-sump engine was “developed entirely in-house from the ground up”, with a 120-degree hot-V layout. Exactly how its four turbochargers will be packaged between the cylinder banks is still unclear. Keeping them cool presents another considerable challenge.

Three individual keys will provide access to different power levels. The white key restricts the Katla to between 395bhp and 789bhp, a setting Giamaro describes as being for “calm and confident driving”. ‘Calm’ may be stretching matters at nearly 800bhp, but it should be considerably less wild than the black key’s 1,647bhp setting. The final red key unleashes the full 2,127bhp.

At that stage, you may want to sign a waiver, make a will and appeal to whichever deity is available. The Katla channels its output exclusively to the rear wheels through a seven-speed CIMA automated manual gearbox and a mechanical limited-slip differential; an 11-speed dual-clutch transmission is also reportedly under development. Yes, this is a rear-wheel-drive car. Good grief. There is no confirmation yet of either its top speed or 0-62mph time, although its weight is just 1,450kg.

Carbon construction, active suspension and fighter-jet styling

Much of that low mass comes from its bespoke carbon-fibre monocoque, which weighs 170kg. Every suspension component is CNC-machined from solid aluminium, and Giamaro says the system is both “active and intelligent”. Not to boast, but that is rather like something on one of our school reports. In any case, the Katla receives adjustable dampers and ride height, as well as a heave spring at the front and rear. Carbon-ceramic brake discs are tasked with bringing it to a halt, while the active rear wing can become a vast airbrake.

It looks superb too, does it not? Its styling is loud and menacing enough to discourage anyone from taking liberties, yet it avoids appearing as though it has been reversed through a carbon-fibre factory. According to Giamaro, every element of the body and its design has been shaped around the engine, explaining the pair of enormous roof scoops. “Its proportions are deliberately rear-biased,” states Giamaro’s press release. There is still a traditional hypercar touch at the front, too: the square air intakes, which also incorporate the DRLs, are said to take their inspiration from jet fighters.

Aviation also influences the cabin, although Giamaro insists it is not “falling into imitation”. Is anyone else sensing the opening line of a rap? The centre console is reportedly modelled on a fighter jet’s control panel, while occupants get two screens alongside abundant exposed carbon fibre and aluminium.

A session on the configurator could easily occupy an entire day, as Giamaro intends for each Katla to be one of a kind. Buyers will select more than paint colour and interior trim: steering response, suspension setup and throttle mapping will also be configurable.

“We don’t build cars for customers - we build them with them,” said company founders Giacomo and Pierfrancesco Commendatore. “That’s the only way to create the kind of authentic bond that transforms each vehicle into a personal expression - an extension of who you are, and how you move through the world.

“For us, a car must be more than fast or beautiful. It must stir something deeper - it must transcend. It must connect with the person who lives it, becoming an extension of their identity.”

Giamaro Albor: an off-road hypercar

But what is this similar-yet-different machine hiding in the shadows above? Having unveiled one car, Giamaro chose to reveal its second simultaneously. Called the Albor, it takes its name from a remote Martian volcano. You can probably see the pattern now: yes, it is an off-road hypercar.

The Albor shares the Katla’s carbon tub and outrageous quad-turbo V12, but gains additional ground clearance and a more extreme appearance. There is no confirmation yet on whether it will use all-wheel drive. Things could become rather interesting if more than 2,000bhp still reaches the rear wheels alone over loose gravel.

For now, that is almost everything known about Giamaro. Keep an eye on TopGear.com as further details emerge, because a company whose entire vision is simply ‘Why Not?’ seems worth watching…