Car Chat

Luca Betti | Kimera Automobili - Rallying, Lancia Restomods And Building A Pikes Peak Car

Car Chat

Show Notes

Luca Betti, founder and CEO of Kimera Automobili, is a former professional rally driver who now specializes in creating exceptional restomod vehicles, reviving iconic rally legends through modern engineering and innovation.

Luca discusses his early career in rallying, sharing pivotal experiences from competing internationally and his transition into entrepreneurship. He reveals the inspiration and meticulous development process behind Kimera Automobili’s acclaimed Evo 37 restomod, designed to honour the legendary rally car with contemporary performance.

https://www.kimera-automobili.com

Luca also shares details about Kimera's latest projects, including the four-wheel-drive Evo 38 and the ambitious K39 project aimed at Pikes Peak. He emphasises his team's commitment to authenticity, combining classic motorsport heritage with cutting-edge automotive technology to deliver thrilling driving experiences.

Enjoy.

Show Notes

00:00 The Journey of a Racing Driver 02:54 From Rally Driver to Entrepreneur 06:07 Memorable Moments in Rallying 09:08 Transitioning to Team Management 11:53 Creating the Kimera Evo 37 15:05 The Evolution of Classic Cars 17:55 Engineering the Perfect Performance 20:57 Balancing Tradition and Innovation 24:13 Driving Experience and Daily Usability 28:46 The Evolution of Car Dynamics 32:19 Introducing the Evo 38: A New Era 36:57 The K39 Project: A Return to Motorsport 40:14 Challenges and Triumphs in Car Manufacturing 47:26 Memorable Journeys and Dream Cars Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More from Car Chat

Dec 25, 2025

Mike Fernie spent 8+ years at DriveTribe, became Head of Video, and helped build some of the channel’s most-loved nerdy engine deep dives — now he’s gone solo on his own YouTube channel. We talk Clarkson/Hammond/May behind-the-scenes, how YouTube actually rewards consistency, and what Mike’s building next (including a big-turbo XJS and the infamous V10 MX-5).

Oct 28, 2025

Petrol Ped joins me to talk hybrids, from plug-ins to Porsche’s new 911 GTS-T Hybrid. We dig into whether a hybrid is better than the same car without. What makes a good PHEV, why real-world MPG figures are nonsense, and how Porsche is bringing back the ICE Boxster / Cayman.

Sep 30, 2025

I sit down with Tiff Needell — racer first, TV legend second — to talk F1 beginnings, Le Mans nights, and how the airfield days birthed that trademark opposite-lock testing style. We get honest about what makes a car feel alive, the quiet magic of cheap manuals, EV tradeoffs, and Tiff’s forever garage from McLaren F1 to Morris 1000.

Sep 23, 2025

Al Clark is the founder of Outrun Films and one of the leading automotive directors working in the industry today. From Bugatti and McLaren to Aston Martin, Al’s career spans viral films, major commercials, and the evolution of CGI car production. We discuss his journey from grassroots filming to global campaigns, what goes into making hypercars look their best on screen, and how the industry is adapting to new platforms.

Aug 5, 2025

Miro Zrnčević is the Chief Test and Development Driver at Bugatti Rimac. We talk about his journey from Croatian car journalist to driving the most powerful hypercars in the world, what makes a great test driver, and how you balance engineering, feel, and feedback at 400 km/h. Enjoy.https://www.rimac-automobili.com/https://www.bugatti.com/

See all episodes →