Between innovation and ancient stories

Milano Autoclassica, the internationally renowned Classic and Sports Car Show now in its 13th edition, ended last November with important news. The key word is passion not only for cars but also for modeling and collecting, to which one pavilion out of three was dedicated. In addition to the quantity of mechanical and automotive history artefacts, there was no shortage of modern-day technical innovations. The Ferrari museums, in fact, brought to the show the winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans, the Ferrari 499p together with various GT3s, the cars that compete in the FIA WEC world championship.
Among the myriad of vintage cars, Italian brands such as Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Maserati, which have always been leaders in the production of high-end cars, made a fine display.
Speaking of innovation, Kimera Automobili stood out, a brand making its debut in the restomod sector, i.e. the art of "bringing back to life" cars that have written the history of motoring with technical updates such as chassis, engine and bodywork and technological updates such as safety and IT on board. Kimera in particular intervened on some Lancia models, the queen of rallying in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Their first project is based on the Lancia 037 called Kimera EVO37. The novice automaker is developing two more projects, which will be revealed during 2024.
To afford an artisanal gem of this level, the price starts from 600 thousand euros and uprise easily and reach more than 800 thousand with various customizations. Theirs is a hymn to successes of the Lancia of the past, to the quality, to the Italian style and to those much loved V4 petrol engines. "The engine derives directly from the Lancia S4 group B, precisely the Kimera EVO37 which is equipped with a 2-litre V4 which with a double turbo (volumetric + turbocharger) manages to deliver 505 horsepower in entirely rear-wheel drive", explain the brand's technicians . Despite looking at the electric motor market, the Kimera does not aim to electrify the range but remains faithful to the emotions that a petrol engine offers.
Still in the restomod sector, Scuderia Grassi was also present, bringing the myth of the Lancia S4 back to life, with a tribute that commemorates that car's victories in the Group B world rally. The car is the Grassi 044s , its style is unmistakable and, unlike the beautiful Kimera, the Grassi is often misunderstood because despite being based on the legendary Delta s4, the restomod is accentuated and the design differs dramatically from its ancestor. The Grassi 044s is equipped with a 4-cylinder in-line petrol engine, reaching 650 hp. A quality piece and a tribute to the history of Lancia and the entire world of rallying.
Finally, a look also at collecting. There was an auction that started from a few thousand euros up to cars of much greater caliber and price. There were also some one-offs, those cars of which only one example (or only one prototype) was produced. An example is the Alfa Romeo Vittoria, with bodywork designed by Castagna Milano, a historic manufacturer in the automotive design sector. The car has a particular and unique design, both on the front and rear. The mechanical basis is that of the Alfa Romeo 75, which was born on a noble platform and allows performance at the top of the category. The car is equipped with the well-known V6 Busso Alfa Romeo, with 255 horsepower and rear-wheel drive, as per tradition. Copyright Stefano Minelli redazione@deluxu.it