Kalmar 9×9 Debuts as the World’s First Retro Hypercar
The Kalmar 9×9 is essentially a modern Porsche 959 with hypercar credentials and north of 900 horsepower.
These days, we tend to celebrate the few hypercars that do exist, given the fact that it’s unclear what the future holds in that regard. However, we’re used to seeing super high-end, exotic, pricey, and insanely powerful machines from the likes of established companies like Koenigsegg, Bugatti, and and Pagani, with very few coming from names we aren’t terribly family with. That is certainly the case with the all-new Kalmar 9×9, which is touted as the world’s first retro hypercar coming from a place most wouldn’t expect.
Kalmar Automotive certainly has some experience with fast cars, as the Denmark-based outfit currently competes at Le Mans and sells a line of Porsche 911-inspired models called the 7-97. However, the Kalmar 9×9 is a completely different animal that looks like a modernized version of the iconic Porsche 959, and it fits the bill in every regard in terms of what defines a hypercar. That starts on the outside with a carbon fiber body and loads of aero bits and pieces designed to generate massive amounts of downforce, plus magnesium wheels.
Underneath, one will find a double-wishbone pushrod suspension setup fitted with adaptive dampers and even rear-wheel steering, coupled with ceramic disc brakes with 3D-printed titanium calipers. There’s plenty of juice to move all that as well, with the car’s turbocharged 3.8-liter powerplant generating 930 horsepower, which flows to all four wheels via a dual-clutch gearbox.
Kalmar also plans to offer the 9×9 in a lesser guise with 650 horsepower and a seven-speed manual transmission, or as the lightweight rear-wheel-drive Leichtbau that tips the scales at 2,755 pounds and comes equipped with a naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter powerplant and six-speed manual. What the Kalmar 9×9 does lack is a boatload of amenities inside the cabin – you own’t find an infotainment system or even a radio, but rather, just a hidden roll cage and digital driver displays, because this car is all about creating a supreme driving experience.
In terms of pricing and availability, well, Kalmar hasn’t revealed any of that pertinent information as of yet, though it’s aiming to begin deliveries in June 2025. If nothing else, the 9×9 should appeal to folks that love vintage Porsche styling yet want a more modern driving experience and look – and given the sheer number of companies already building restomod 911s, there seem to be lots of them out there.
Photos: Kalmar Automotive
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