The Overview.
Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbH followed from the GMG Sportwagenmanufaktur Altenburg GmbH on January, 1st 2005. Repositioning the company was necessary in order to create a terse appearance that sticks in people’s minds and which is appropriate to the high-quality products.
Managing Director is Roland Gumpert. He worked for AUDI for over 30 years and held – amongst other high positions – the position of the director of AUDI Sport department. Under his management AUDI won 25 World Rallye Championship races and 4 World Rallye Championship titels.
The company is located in Altenburg / Thuringia (former GDR area). The main reasons for choosing this city were good economic surroundings, a big number of automotive suppliers around the near City of Leipzig, the availability of qualified and motivated employees, and finally the proximity to the Sachsenring race track.
Until the end of 2005 around 30 employees will assemble the first Apollos. In 2006 the number of produced cars is planned to rise to 60 cars per year. The number of employees will rise accordingly.
Success in motor sport is a defined goal for the Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur. Therefore, they are trying to receive the homologation for our cars in different race series. In March, the Apollo received the homologation for the French-GT-series (FFSA) and finished third place in its race debut at Hockenheimring entering the DIVINOL-Cup and competing against 40 other cars.
The currently available version of the Apollo is an uncompromising, street-legal super sports car. The base price for the car with its 4,2 Liter V8 engine with bi-turbo and 650 BHP is 198.000 EUR excl. VAT.
The Story behind.
The beginning - from idea to the first model
About three years ago there was a vision of a new super sports car: A car, which combined the highest dynamics with unmatched driving capabilities. It was supposed to be a street-legal car and ready for racing it on the track as well.
Last but not least, he wanted it to offer the best value for money you could get among the super sports cars.
Starting from there, the technical parameters to be met were defined and the first designs of the car were drawn by Marco Vanetta. At the end of this process the first 1:4 scale model of the car was produced in 2002 – Apollo was born.
From the model to pre-production
To develop a model into a real car is a long way to go and a lot of experience and even more know-how are needed to be successful in the end. So about two years ago Roland Gumpert took over the project management. Coming from AUDI, Roland Gumpert has a long and impressive track record in car development and motor sport. The Quattros from
Ingolstadt won 25 races in the World Rallye Championship and 4 World Rallye Championship Titles with him leading the AUDI Sport department.
The GMG Sportwagenmanufaktur Altenburg GmbH was founded and Gumpert pressed ahead with the development of the Apollo. With Uwe-Norbert Bleck, former director of the department Vehicle Dynamics, Simulation, Wheels and Tires at AUDI, another acknowledged specialist with a sound know-how in automotive development joined the
Sportwagenmanufaktur. In close cooperation with the Technical University in Munich and the University of Applied Sciences in Ingolstadt constructional work, computer simulations, and finally wind tunnel tests were done. All research and development activities formed the basis for a first 1:1 scale model and finally the two pre-production Apollos.
From pre-production to serial production
The model of Apollo created a very large interest in the public and with potential customers. To create an appropriate surrounding for the Apollo, GMG became the Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbH in January 2005 with Roland Gumpert as managing director. The griffin is the chosen symbol for the new and terse brand: This mythological creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle is a symbol for strength and velocity. Last but not least it is perceived as the symbol for ruling the earth and the sky. Under his sign the Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur starts off to compete with the established competitors on the market and on the race track.
The Apollo.
In the beginning there was the vision of a super sports car with outstanding road performance, combining style and functionality. A purist vehicle offering a unique driving experience on the road and the potential of succeeding on the race circuit. Furthermore a price that cannot be matched by any other car in this exclusive class. This vision of a
unique sports car was the hour of birth for the Apollo.
Its design and technology are shaped by unrestrained strength and dynamics.
The V8 turbo charged engine delivers strength and torque in abundance and provides the Apollo with breath-taking acceleration. The taut chassis and the extraordinary aerodynamics of the beautiful car body provide for ultra precise and predictable handling even at maximum speed.
As top performance requires top security, the road-authorized Apollo already fulfils international motor sports norms.
Tubular steel sub-frames and carbon monocoque provide double protection for the passengers. The Apollo safely offers both fun on the road and competition in motor sports.
Apollo – its name already describes its nature: Apollo – the son of Zeus and the God of light. In mythology he is the helper in the battle as well as the one who nominates the winner.
Technical data.
Body
Two seated sports car with mid-engine arrangement
monocoque carbon safety cage, chrome molybdenum framework
Transmission: Fully synchronized sequential six-speed gearbox with manually operated twin-disc clutch (diameter 2 x 200mm)
Chassis: Double wishbone axle with fully adjustable spring and absorber units operated by
pushrods, stabilizers on front and rear axles
Brakes: dual circuit ABS brake system with 6-piston callipers at front and rear axles (brake
disk diameter 380mm)
Wheels and Tires: Aluminium wheels with centre lock
255/35 ZR19 front
345/35 ZR19 rear
Unloaded Weight: Under 1,100 kg
Gross vehicle weight rating: 1,500 kg
Measurements: Length: 4460 mm
Width: 1998 mm
Height: 1105 mm (without air intake)
Wheel base: 2700 mm
Track gauge: 1670 mm front, 1598 mm rear
Fuel tank capacity: 120 litres
The engine.
Description: 4,2L Bi-turbo V8-Engine with 90˚ cylinder angle, 5 valves per cylinder, 4 overhead camshafts, hydraulic valve clearance compensation, double-flow exhaust system with three-way catalytic converter
Cubic capacity: 4163 cm3
Engine performance: 478 KW (650 HP) with 6000 rpm
Maximum torque: 850 Nm with 4500 rpm
Output per Litre: 114.8 KW/LITRE (156 HP/LITRE)
Maximum rev: 7500 rpm
Maximum Speed: 360 km/h (depending on aerodynamical configuration)
Acceleration Figures
0-100 km/h in 3.0 seconds
0-200 km/h in 8.9 seconds