Kalmar 9x9's Epic 1800+ Mile Transcontinental European Dash Is Proof Of Its Real World Endurance And Capability

Kalamar Automotive tests cars the old-fashioned way

Unlike big car companies, Kalmar Automotive does not have large facilities or in-house test courses. Instead, the 9x9, like any other Kalmar sports car, is being tested on public roads, but not before rigorous simulation. *"We test in public” is the company motto. According to Jan Kalmar, “those never daring to reveal the issues which appear are simply not showing the full picture". He adds that he doesn’t want his cars to become "garage queens”. Instead, he wants to see them driven in the real world like they are meant to – often and hard. Testing the reliability and final finish in real-life conditions is especially important when reimagining one of the most historically significant Porsche models ever made.

“I think we drove this car 10,000 kilometers (approx. 6,200 miles) in a full-size simulator” - Jan Kalmar, Founder Kalmar Automotive

Jan expanded on this in more detail in a video by Goodwood Road & Racing, when referring to the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation. After that, the 9x9 embarked on a road trip across Europe, and many countries, and visited one of the most revered racetracks for a lap time.

The Kalmar 9x9 does not just cater to the Nürburgring

Some cars "wreak of the Nürburgring” as one former car presenter once said. But while the Kalmar 9x9 broke cover at the 2024 industry pool event at the Nürburgring, CEO Jan Kalmar is adamant that the car is primarily meant to be enjoyed on public roads. That said, Kalmar’s epic tribute to the Porsche 959 still went for a couple of casual laps around the ’Ring.

Kalmar’s Nürburgring driver, Denis Lind managed consistent low-eight-minute laps. Mind you the car was set up for long-distance cruising, which included tires inflated to 3.7 bar (53.6 Psi) and reduced engine output of the total 930 horsepower available on tap. The laps were also done without tackling the curbs or attacking the Karussell. The car still managed 186 mph without even trying. Moreover, the team is adamant that, when fully unleashed, a seven-minute time is well within reach of the car’s capabilities, putting it in the same league as some of the quickest production Porsches around the ’Ring. For some context, a 992.1 Turbo S has a Nürburging time of 7:18.

The Kalmar 9x9 is built to devour long distances at a great pace

The Kalmar 9x9 is not a track-focused racer you bring on a trailer. It is so much more. It is an exquisite, carbon-fiber everyday hypercar that has been reinvented for the road. Just like the Porsche 959 it emulates, Kalmar’s take on the German high-performance machine is a modern interpretation of that formula. It has been designed from the ground up to eat up the miles at a great pace, which is exactly what Jan Kalmar did to ensure the 9x9 is up to every task you throw at it. 3,000 kilometers, three countries, and three days, much of it across the Italian and French countryside, before ending up in Britain.

Out on the open road, the Kalmar 9x9’s adaptive suspension, cruise control, powerful LED lights, and sophisticated all-wheel-drive system ensured that the journey was as pleasant as it was exciting, even with 930 horsepower and 767 pound-feet under Jan’s right foot. It is worth noting that, because Jan had to drive the Kalmar 9x9 through European mountain passes in an icy November en route, he decided to switch the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires for the Michelin Super Sport. At around 3,080 pounds, the Kalmar 9x9 is 70 pounds lighter than the current-lightest Porsche 992 – the GT3 manual.

A highlight of the trip was a run down the iconic Champs Elysees with a loop around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which was a great test of the 9x9s in-town curb appeal. The rear-engine retro hypercar took it like a champ. All this in a prototype outfitted with just a near production-spec interior with no heating, and without a support crew. Jan was basically out on his own with just the videographer from the Goodwood team, joining him to document this epic road trip. He notes how a V-10-powered Lamborghini Huracan was left in the wake of the unassuming 9x9 on the French Autoroute. As for the bit about fixing issues that crop up in the real world, there was one instance in the UK where the 9x9 ran out of fuel, just 25 miles before the finish point, because the sensor hadn’t been fully calibrated. It is exactly these issues that Jan wanted to catch, and ensure they don’t make it to the production car.

What’s next for Kalmar 9x9 and founder, Jan Kalmar?

The target of 3,000 km (approx. 1,860 miles) across Europe was achieved. More real-life testing for the Kalmar 9x9 follows, including various driving conditions. With this, the car is heading to Ales, France, for high-performance testing. We are eagerly awaiting performance figures, which will undoubtedly be impressive. The Kalmar 9x9 is based on a 993 chassis, but features modern tech from the 992 Turbo S, including the engine and transmission.

There will be three different variants of the hypercar, with just 27 examples (9 of each), slated for production.

• 9x9: is the most powerful variant, focused on long-distance cruising.

• 9x9 Sport: It will be a less powerful, but more driver-focused variant, powered by a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo flat-six that will make 650 horsepower.

• 9x9 “Leichtbau” (Lightweight): A track-focused variant, powered by a 4.0-liter normally-aspirate high-revving, flat-six.

The three variants of the Kalmar 9x9 can be viewed as equivalents to the Turbo S, Carrera GTS, and GT3 RS models, but more special. Deliveries of the Kalmar 9x9 will commence in July 2025, with prices of this everyday retro-hypercar starting at $2.15 million.