TheGumpert Apollois a sports car produced by German automotive manufacturerGumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbHinAltenburg.Gumpertfiled forbankruptcyin August 2013, thereby ending the production of the Apollo.[2][3]
| Gumpert Apollo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Gumpert |
| Production | 2005–2012 (150 units produced) |
| Designer | Marco Vanetta |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car(S) |
| Body style | 2-doorcoupé |
| Layout | Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Doors | Gullwing |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 4.2 L (260 cu in) twin-turbochargedV8 |
| Transmission | CIMA6-speedsequential manual[1] |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,700 mm (106.3 in) |
| Length | 4,460 mm (175.6 in) |
| Width | 1,998 mm (78.7 in) |
| Height | 1,114 mm (43.9 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,100–1,200 kg (2,425–2,646 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Gumpert Tornante Apollo Intensa Emozione |
History
edit
In 2000, Roland Gumpert proposed a new generation ofsports cars.One of the primary criteria for this car was that it be street-legal yet ready for the racetrack. He returned to Germany at the end of 2001, after over three years inChinawhere he was the head of sales and marketing responsible for the development of the dealer network of theAudi-VWjoint enterprise there. Subsequently, automobile designer Roland Mayer asked him if he would assist in building a prototypesports car.Audi approved Gumpert's involvement in this project, on the condition that, if they did eventually develop a new sports car, it would not be aprototype,but a series product.[4]
The company, located inAltenburg,Germany was founded in 2004 under the name GMG Sportwagenmanufaktur Altenburg GmbH. The technical guidelines were defined and the first designs of the car were drawn by Marco Vanetta. Upon Vanetta's completion of this process, the first 1:4scale modelof Gumpert's car was produced in 2001.
Gumpert continued with the development of the Apollo, along with the Technical University of Munich and the Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences. They assisted him with theconstructional work,computer simulations,andwind tunnel tests.This research and development helped forming the blueprint for the first 1:1 scale model. Finally, two prototype cars were constructed.[5]Production of the Apollo started in October 2005.[6]
Soon after the first fully functioning road car made its way to Europe, the car became fully road-legal and was sold in various Gumpert dealerships. Very soon after, car reviewers praised the car's speed and cornering. During a review inAutocarmagazine, chief test driver Matt Prior stated that "the Apollo recalibrates the meaning of pure speed and driving feel." On Series 11 ofTop Gear,the Apollo lapped the Top Gear test track in a time of 1:17.1, setting a record that lasted for 2 years until surpassed by theBugatti Veyron Super Sport.
Design
edit
The Apollo weighs between 1,100 kg (2,400 lb) and 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) (depending on options), and is fully street-legal. It is a mid-engine, rear wheel drive two-seater constructed on a tubularchromolyframe, withfiberglassor optionalcarbon fibrebody panels. Gumpert claims the design of the Apollo is optimised so that the car could drive upside-down in a tunnel if driven at speeds over 306 km/h (190 mph),[7]but this has not been tested.
The Apollo set a 7:11.57 lap time at Nürburgring achieved by German car magazineSport Auto.
Engine
edit
The Apollo uses a 4,163 ccbi-turbointercooledversion of the AudiV8 engine.[8]The 90° V8 has a closed-deck light metal crankcase withdry sumplubrication. The light metal cylinder heads have five valves per cylinder, four overhead camshafts,VarioCamDirect variable valve timing on the intakes, and hydraulic valve clearance compensation. The double-flow exhaust system has fouroxygen sensorsto monitor the gas mixture, and a 3-waycatalytic converter.Modern controls include an on-board diagnostic system, eight-coilelectronic ignition,sequential multipointfuel injection,and an electronic (drive by wire) accelerator system.
There were 3 engine types available:
- Base version - approximately 650 PS (478 kW; 641 bhp)
- Sport version - approximately 700 PS (515 kW; 690 bhp)
- Race version - approximately 800 PS (588 kW; 789 bhp)
Speed overview (650 hp):[citation needed]
- Top speed: 360.4 km/h (223.9 mph)
- 0-100 km/h (62 mph): 3.1 seconds
- 0-200 km/h (124 mph): 9.1 seconds
References
edit- ^D, Nick (15 January 2016)."Gumpert Apollo".Supercars.net.Retrieved19 October2022.
- ^Hayward, Matthew (30 August 2013)."Gumpert goes bankrupt".Retrieved1 September2013.
- ^Ballaban, Michael (1 September 2013)."Gumpert Goes Bust With Bankruptcy".Retrieved1 September2013.
- ^"PR GUMPERT Dezember 2008_english"(PDF).Retrieved6 January2009.
- ^"Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur - History".Archived fromthe originalon 7 October 2008.Retrieved6 January2009.
- ^"Doc1280"(PDF).Retrieved6 January2009.[dead link]
- ^"GUMPERT Sportwagenmanufaktur GMBH".Archived fromthe originalon 9 March 2009.Retrieved26 April2009.Gumpert Homepage
- ^Meaden, Richard (31 October 2007)."Gumpert Apollo".evo.Retrieved19 October2022.
External links
edit