From Milan to London: KALMAR 9X9’s 3000km Real-World Test Across Europe

Join us on KALMAR 9X9's 3,000km real-world test from Milan to London.

We Test in Public

The end of November marked yet another milestone for the KALMAR 9X9, the next instalment in a journey that started three years ago.

At the genesis of the project Jan Kalmar had a clear target, create a usable tribute road car with hypercar performance, but also a one that turned heads for all the right reasons. Not an easy task but luckily not impossible either and the perfect challenge for the KALMAR team.

Nürburgring Baptism

In November the 9X9 broke testing cover at the Nürburgring during the industry pool event. Reams of data was collected, and with it the OIL (Open Issue List) grew, “slightly faster than the team hoped for, but the track is not called the 'Green Hell' for no reason”, states Jan.

Despite this, KALMAR’s Nürburgring driver Dennis Lind clocked multiple low 8-minute laps. At first glance, that is not Hyper car territory. However, a full wet track, strict instructions to Dennis of, “no curbs, no Karussell and max speed 300 km/h”, reduced engine power and 3.7 bar tire pressure puts these times in perspective. For those that pay attention to such details, the performance potential of the car is clear, and the team is confident that a 7-minute lap target is well within reach.

The Mission

Of course, laps of the Nürburgring alone are not the making of an ‘everyday hypercar’ and back in January, Jan had hatched a plan. Cover 3000km, across three countries, in three days… just two weeks after the first laps were turned on the ‘Ring (and with a near-production spec interior fitted in the intervening weeks). The drive should have no support team; so, Jan would be on his own.

The route was set from Torino Italy, via Paris (because where else do you take your freshly minted hypercar) then on to London for the European reveal and first official media test drive. On the way back Jan would return past KALMAR’s air-cooled engine builder Lorrtech in France, before his final destination, Ales in south of France where the 9X9 test program will continue. The route covered 2600 km in total with a few extra detours to hit the planned 3000 km.

Continent Crushing

With winter hitting the Alps and the Mont Blanc tunnel closed, Jan had to drive over the mountain passes, and to help keep things manageable, the ultra-high performance Michelin Cup 2 tyres were swapped out for the French firm’s Super Sports. Jan reports that, “minus 10 degrees Celsius and snowfall could have been quite a challenge with 930 hp under my right foot, but there were no alternatives. Thanks to an amazing all-wheel drive system and stability management system the drive over the Alps was uneventful”.

Cruise control, adaptive suspension and powerful LED lights meant that the 9X9 settled comfortably into its role as a continent eating hyper-GT. Though there were some challenges, as this remains a prototype, not least the lack of heating! Jan noting, “Gosh it was cold, and I felt so sorry for Goodwood’s videographer who bravely kept smiling — or maybe his face was simply frozen!?”.

Of course, the stop in Paris required a drive up the Champs Elysees with an extra lap around the roundabout at Arc de Triomphe having a symbolic feel to for the project. Paris, the home of the doyens of style provided the perfect “head turning test”, and the 9X9 did not disappoint. However, it was out on the Autoroute that the 9X9 probably left its most lasting impression. A poor, unsuspecting Lamborghini Huracan showed up, its driver thinking he had the most powerful car on that stretch of highway. It’s safe to say it took him quite some time to mentally recover, after being trounced by a beast he had probably never heard of, and almost certainly never seen in the flesh.

Mission Successful

Jan and the 9X9 arrived in London on a lazy Saturday to some classic British weather, lashing rain, successfully completing stage one of the mission, and in time for the official reveal event that evening. The next day, one lucky journalist took the KALAMR 9X9 on its first test drive; suffice to say they were suitably impressed.

Most other manufacturers would stop here, glossing over the teething problems. Not KALMAR. The cross-continent jaunt flagged up some issues; a rubbing water hose that gave up on London’s M25 orbital road -fixed with some good old Bush mechanic repairs by Jan. It also became clear that noise levels would need be reduced significantly. Then, just 22 km before the finish point it turned out the fuel level sensor had not been fully calibrated. Jan ran out of fuel. Fortunately, a phone call later five litres was delivered and the last KMs dispatched. The trip was a success. Yes, the OIL got longer… but that’s the point of real-world testing and all the issues identified are solvable.

“We test in public” remains the KALMAR ethos, and though the first customer cars are already in production, the team is happy with its decision to only reveal the car once a working prototype hit the track. As Jan says, “those never daring to reveal the issues which appear are simply not showing the full picture. KALMAR dares to bare all and appreciates all the social media comments, thumbs up and smiles along the road.”

Now, it is down to Roman Dumas’ team in Ales, alongside KALMAR works driver James Rossiter, to unleash the true performance of the 9X9 and cement its credentials as a true ‘everyday hypercar’.