The production of high‑performance vehicles requires advanced machining technologies capable of handling complex components and ensuring high‑quality finishes, while also providing the flexibility needed to move seamlessly from prototyping to small‑series manufacturing.
These needs are well known to Kimera Automobili, an independent Italian company specializing in the design and production of limited‑series cars born from the reinterpretation of Italian motorsport icons through a contemporary approach that blends design, advanced engineering, and top‑level craftsmanship.
THE CONTEXT
Every Kimera project is developed in‑house, from concept to final assembly, with extensive use of composite materials and modern technologies. The intentionally limited production allows total control over the process and guarantees customers an exclusive, highly customized, and technically refined product.
Producing cars like the Kimera EVO37—an updated reinterpretation of one of the most iconic protagonists of the World Rally Championship, the last Group B2 wheel drive vehicle to win the world title—requires appropriate technologies for machining carbon fiber and advanced composite materials.
THE SOLUTION
To sustain these high standards, Kimera Automobili selects top tier technological partners capable of making a tangible contribution to the efficiency and quality of the entire production process. This is the foundation of its collaboration with Belotti, whose FLU 2617 machining center plays a pivotal role in manufacturing complex composite components. Specifically, the main production needs include machining moulds and complex parts, ensuring flexibility when shifting between prototyping and small‑series production, and integrating the machining center into an artisanal yet technologically advanced production workflow.
The Belotti FLU 2617 machining center perfectly embodies these requirements: as soon as it was installed at Kimera’s production plant, it was used to manufacture models and components for the Kimera EVO37 “Penelope”, an evolved tribute to the legendary car of the 1980s. As proof of the extraordinary technical and qualitative level of this Restomod project, the Kimera EVO37 was named Performance Car of the Year 2026 by BBC Top Gear, one of the most authoritative publications in the international automotive landscape.
The Belotti FLU 2617 machining center installed at the Kimera plant features a monolithic structure with X axis strokes of 2600 mm, Y axis strokes of 1700 mm, and Z axis strokes of 1300 mm. It is equipped with a Performance head with an electrospindle delivering 15 kW power (S1) and 18 kW (S6), direct drive encoder, and a pneumatic locking system for the rotary axes.
Fitted with a steel table with T slots and rear dust extraction grids, the Belotti FLU CNC center is the ideal solution for machining advanced composite materials—from series trimming of composite components to milling resin models.
In addition, high speed machining reduces cycle times while ensuring excellent surface finish quality.
The machine is equipped with the following additional accessories/software:
- 18 position carousel tool changer
- Angle head
- Air blow system on the tool
- SDS measuring cycle
- Belotti MyB IoT Suite with BES module
- Numerical control: Siemens One
THE BENEFITS
The integration of the Belotti FLU 2617 machining center has delivered clear, measurable improvements across the Kimera production workflow:
- Shorter lead times for molds and components
- Enhanced surface quality
- Greater consistency between prototype and final product
- Faster project development responsiveness
- Direct control over every critical machining phase
“The Belotti FLU 2617 machining center was selected by Kimera Automobili for its ability to machine composite materials with precision and stability, for its kinematics suited to complex geometries, and for its reliability in maintaining consistent quality and service for the customer. The chosen configuration allows Kimera to manage in‑house the development phases of carbon components and moulds, reducing lead times and increasing direct control over quality and component development,” says Costanzo Rinaudo, Head of Production at Kimera Automobili.
“The integration of the Belotti machining center has significantly improved the efficiency of the development process for style models and tooling used for carbon‑part molding, reducing the time required to produce moulds and components and increasing machining quality,” Rinaudo continues. “This results in faster project development, higher surface quality, and greater consistency between the prototyping phase and final production. The outcome is a more responsive and controlled production flow, fully aligned with Kimera’s quality standards and technical approach.”
The collaboration between Belotti and Kimera Automobili demonstrates how the evolution of CNC technologies for composite machining has become a strategic asset for the automotive sector. When mechanical precision, expertise in advanced materials, and a strong product culture come together, the result is not just a machine tool but a production system capable of supporting iconic, engineering‑intensive projects.
For more information on Belotti FLU machining centers, please refer to the FLU Series CNC centers page.
