Latest news with #MotorValley
Telegraph
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Why every car (and food) lover should take a road trip through Italy's Motor Valley
Few places are more exhilarating to car enthusiasts than Motor Valley. Spread across northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, this fabled stretch of road is home to some of the world's most prestigious car and motorcycle brands – including Ferrari, Lamborghini and Ducati. Steeped in automotive tradition, Motor Valley links the cities of Piacenza, Parma, Modena and Bologna, extending east to Rimini on the Adriatic coast. Little more than 150 miles long, it forms the spine of what remains a manufacturing and exporting powerhouse. Along with factories where you can watch master craftsmen at work, Motor Valley boasts four internationally renowned racetracks and a dozen motor museums. With an array of iconic names symbolising luxury and speed – Bugatti, Maserati and Pagani are also local – this region is the beating heart of Italy's deep-rooted love for mechanical artistry and style. But the broader Emilia-Romagna region is a food-lovers' paradise too. The three-Michelin-star Osteria Francescana in Modena is consistently ranked among the world's best for its innovative take on regional cuisine; as is Franceschetta, its more casual sister restaurant nearby. Tucked away in Motor Valley's backstreets, though, are countless humble osterias and more formal trattorias serving simple and affordable yet superb local dishes – lasagne, tortellini en brodo (meat-filled pasta in broth), cotechino (a slow-cooked pork sausage, often served with lentils) and piadina and crescentine (hot flatbreads and filled muffins). From tagliatelle al ragù bolognese (the original dish that's worlds apart from the spaghetti bolognese often found abroad), to prosciutto di Parma (delicate cured ham) and torta barozzi (a dense, fudgy, subtly spiced chocolate cake, often paired with mascarpone cream), regional specialities are served with pride here and often washed down with lashings of lambrusco – Emilia-Romagna's ubiquitous sparkling red wine. So, amidst the supercar test drives and tours of vintage classics, car lovers can enjoy food-related adventures as well. Whether it's watching artisan producers make Parmigiano Reggiano in centuries-old dairies, touring acetaie vinegar lofts where thick sweet-tart balsamic matures like fine wine, or taking fresh pasta-making lessons with smiling nonnas who've done it their entire lives, Motor Valley will supercharge your culinary senses too. My Motor Valley journey began where many do: in Bologna, via a flight from London Stansted. A marvellous medieval centre, with a thriving university (thought to be Europe's oldest, dating back to 1088), this is a true gastronomic capital, with atmospheric restaurants, colourful markets and bustling bars. The first night I stayed at the reasonably-priced Hotel Touring. Smart, centrally-located and family-run, it has a fabulous top-floor terrace offering views of Bologna's medial towers and terracotta rooftops. Dinner was at Salumeria Simoni – a downtown deli stuffed to the rafters with all kinds of cheese and hams, including a celebrated local delicacy of lean pork speckled with lumps of lard, made in Bologna using a method legally codified by the papacy in 1661. Whether ground into meatballs, grilled with aged balsamic or eaten simply in slices, mortadella is melt-in-mouth fantastic. My first stop the next morning was Piazza Maggiore and San Petronio Basilica – Bologna's largest church, which dates back to 1390. Famous for its music chapel, with a still-functioning organ built around 1470, San Petronio also boasts the world's longest sundial. I then took a stroll along the vast Portico di San Luca, which, more than two miles long, and featuring 666 arches, took me out of the city and up the hill to San Luca Basilica for elevated views of Bologna from the church dome. Then it was time to drive. With winding country roads, vine-covered hills and charming medieval towns dotting the landscape, the entire Emilia-Romagna region is perfect to explore by car. I took a short trip to Sant'Agata Bolognese and Museo Automobili Lamborghini, a shrine to the daring design and extreme engineering of classic models like the Miura and Countach. Tours here include a walk along the production line, where you can see Lamborghini's famously throaty V10 and V12 engines being hand-assembled – a testament to the precision and care that goes into every car with the raging bull emblem. Then it was on to Borgo Panigale for the Ducati Museum and Factory tour. Showcasing its origins from 1926, dozens of Ducati's famously red motorbikes are displayed, with interactive multimedia providing technical insights into each model – from the legendary 916 to the adventure touring Multistrada and the liquid-cooled Monster. Even if you're not a motorcyclist, the engineering prowess is impressive. After one night downtown, I shifted to Palazzo di Varignana, an elegant health and gastronomical resort nestled in the hills outside Bologna, which worked well as a base for the rest of my visit. Among several superb meals in the resort's various restaurants, dinner at Il Grifone stood out. Faced with three separate tasting menus – Sea, Land and Garden – I chose Sea. The old-style squid, wild herb ravioli and tuna belly was sensational, as was the sommelier's choice of Collio, a premium pinot grigio. A particular highlight of my Motor Valley stay was a day trip to Modena. Even using the more scenic, single-lane route via Castelfranco Emilia, it's less than an hour's drive from Bologna. Modena's Ferrari Museum is built around the restored house where Enzo Ferrari was born in 1898, combined with a futuristic exhibition hall designed by architect Jan Kaplický. Packed with historic models, from the first late-1940s pro-types to modern-day supercars, alongside engines, memorabilia, and trophies, the museum is superbly curated. I spent three hours but could easily have spent far longer. And while my budget wouldn't stretch to Modena's most celebrated restaurants, I was delighted to have a late lunch at Trattoria Pomposa al Re Gras, a short walk from the very charming Piazza della Pomposa, the heart of Modena's historic centre. The owner's daughter recommended a wonderful gramigna (wheat pasta) with sausage, which didn't disappoint. Another day trip from my billet just outside Bologna was to Rimini – where Motor Valley meets the sea. Famed for miles of sandy beaches, Rimini has a festive vibe as well as a rich Roman heritage, including the Arch of Augustus and the well-preserved Tiberius Bridge, along with the Malatesta Temple showcasing Renaissance art and architecture. Rimini is no culinary slouch, either. With countless options, I wandered into Il Re Dei Mari, just inland from the seafront. I had pulled up at the wheel of a Ferrari, and yet despite this lofty bar, the highlight of my trip was the mixed grilled seafood, followed by the traditional tiramisu that arrived at my table – worth the journey not just from Bologna, but from London. Essentials Liam was a guest of Ducati. Hotel Touring has doubles from £145 per night, including breakfast. Palazzo di Varignana has doubles from £245 per night, including breakfast.
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
New Italian V12 Hypercar Brand Debuts With More Than 2000hp
Italian hypercar newcomer Giamaro Automobili has debuted a rolling version of its Katla. Photo: ... More Giamaro Automobili Italy's Motor Valley has given birth to another high-horsepower, high-cost protagonist with the launch of the Giamaro Automobili brand. The same region that gave the world Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Dallara and Pagani has just seen the unveiling of the four-turbo, 7.0-liter V12 Giamaro Katla hypercar with more than 2126hp. Weighing a claimed 1450kg, the Giamaro Katla is based on a carbon-fiber chassis, with all of that power driving only the rear wheels via an seven-speed gearbox, with an 11-speed, paddle-shift transmission also under development at Cavezzo, near Bologna. A four-turbo V12 powers the rear-drive Katla hypercar. Photo: Giamaro Automobili But Giamaro also revealed an upcoming second model, the Albor, which will share the Katla's V12 engine and carbon-fiber tub, but use them in a different way, with a different philosophy. The unfortunate-looking Giamaro Albor will share its engine and carbon-fiber chassis with the Katla, ... More but has a more crossover SUV stance. Photo: Giamaro Automobili Named after the Albor Tholus volcano on Mars, the Albor will follow the Katla into production after at least a year's wait, with a slightly more crossover-SUV stance than the inaugural Giamaro model. The Giamaro Albor looks even more confused from the rear, but will be quick. Photo: Giamaro ... More Automobili So far, the Giamaro brand, founded by Italian bedding specialists Giacomo and Pierfrancesco Commendatore, has launched only one model and has focused on its incredible V12. After developing an astonishing two-stroke V12 just to see if it could be done, Giamaro turned its attention to a more conventional four-stroke V12, with four turbochargers nestled inside the 120-degree hot vee between the cylinder banks. The quad-turbo V12 shares nothing with any other internal combustion engine on sale today, and even a 7.0-liter capacity is enormous by Italian standards. The engine revs to 9000rpm and Giamaro insists it doesn't need electric boosting because its 1481 foot-pounds of torque is more than enough to propel its light chassis towards the horizon. The schematics show the 7.0-liter V12 barely squeezing in to the carbon-fibre tub of the Giamaro ... More Katla. Photo Giamaro Automobili. It's so powerful that Giamaro promises to deliver the Katla with three keys: a white one for between 396hp and 790hp, a black key to deliver up to 1647hp and a red key to punch out the maximum of 2126hp. Giamaro has yet to make performance claims for the Katla - named after Iceland's most potent volcano - but the two-seater is expected to easily top 250mph. 'This engine represents everything we stand for — a passionate love letter to pure engineering ,' Giacomo Commendatore said. 'There's a spirit in the V12 that no other configuration can replicate. It speaks a visceral language, straight to the heart. It doesn't just move — it takes hold of you, ignites your senses, and leaves a lasting impression." Giamaro has gone for an interior of conventional design but high-quality materials. Photo: Giamaro ... More Automobili. Beneath the Katla's body is a carbon-fiber monocoque that weighs 170 kg and Giamaro claims it delivers over 40kNm/deg of torsional rigidity and more than 16 kN/mm of flexural stiffness to put it on a par with neighboring Pagani. It runs custom Bridgestone Potenza Sport tires and all the significant suspension components, from the double wishbones to the uprights and arms and the rear suspension supports, are machined from solid 6062 T6 aluminium alloy. It uses both active aerodynamics and active suspension, with electrically adjustable dampers that continuously fine tune the road holding, and it also constantly adjusts its ride height to match the aerodynamic targets at every speed. Each axle has its own central third spring to deliver almost infinite suspension adjustment and fine tuning. It stops with 420mm carbon-ceramic front brakes and 10-piston calipers, while the rear is anchored by 410mm carbon-ceramic discs with four-piston calipers. The Katla will be 189 inches long, 79.8 inches wide and just 46.8 inches high, riding on a 108.3-inch wheelbase. 'We founded Giamaro Automobili to create something rare, authentic, and unrepeatable — something with soul, courage and clarity of purpose,' Giacomo Commendatore said. '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. Our goal was never to chase trends or numbers, but to create machines that evoke feeling, provoke thought, and leave a lasting mark. "Giamaro is for those who believe a car should move the heart before it moves the wheels.' The company is based around its R&D center in Cavezzo, but is officially in Castelfranco Emilia, within 30 miles of Maserati, Ferrari and Lamborghini. It is also restoring the decrepit 17th-century Villa Pietramellara to house the ambitious Palazzo Giamaro as a welcome space for clients.
Top Gear
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Here's everything you need to know about the 2,137bhp Giamaro Automobili Katla
Like you, TG couldn't believe the claims of an unknown hypercar startup, so we went to the reveal event in search of answers Hopefully you've read the news about the 2,137bhhp Giamaro Automobili Katla by now. Heck, if that headline power figure didn't make you click on the initial story, we don't know what would have done. Of course, you'd be right to treat its claims with a healthy dose of skepticism given how regularly new companies pop up declaring that they're the next big thing in the world of hypercars. There are usually some renders of a car, outlandish performance figures and limited detail on who will actually build the thing or when deliveries to customers could feasibly begin. Yes, we're looking at you Dendrobium D-1, Devel Sixteen, Vencer Sarthe, TranStar Dagger GT etc. As a result, when an invitation landed in our inboxes to attend the launch of the latest 'thrilling new chapter in the annals of automotive excellence', we very nearly dismissed it without a second thought. Then we slapped ourselves on the wrists for not being giddy at 2,000bhp and jumped on the next plane to Italy. So yes, was there as Giamaro Automobili unveiled the Katla to the world. 'In Modena, at the heart of the Motor Valley,' said the invitation, which turned out to mean 'on a small industrial estate in Cavezzo, still in the province of Modena but roughly 40 minutes from the city's centre'. Still, the glitzy launch event was held in a genuine factory where the smell of fresh paint still lingered, and TG rubbed shoulders with local dignitaries (it wouldn't be an Italian event without the local police chief showing up), prospective customers and interested dealers. Given how little we knew about Giamaro from the initial press release, it was an enlightening evening. So, we're going to treat this like one of those Frequently Asked Questions sections that the internet seems to love. Here goes… Well, the claims are indeed wild, but the company's launch event did seem pretty legit. It turns out that Giamaro was actually born back in 2021 and is the work of father and son team Giacomo and Pierfrancesco Commendatore. Giacomo describes himself as an entrepreneur and seemingly made his money from a mattress company and through telesales in the 80s and 90s, but he was also one of the first investors in a little-known company called Pagani. Aha! 'This was a fantastic project,' he says. 'Horacio was an amazing man, but in the end, we had different ideas. He prefers aesthetics while I adore functionality.' Interesting. Commendatore Sr also tells TG that the reason we haven't heard of Giacomo until now, despite the company being four years old, is because 'we don't like to talk, we like to build cars'. And yes, he does have the perfect surname to be running a car company in Modena. Well, near Modena.
