Gumpert Apollo - 2005 - 2012

The Gumpert Apollo is a sports car produced by German automaker Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbH in Altenburg. Gumpert entered into Administration in August 2012, though production continues with the company attending the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.^[1]

History

The two Gumpert Apollo Prototypes with an F-4 Phantom II

Pre-production car

In 2000 Roland Gumpert proposed a new generation sports car. One of the first concerns of this car was that it was a street-legal car, ready for the race track. Gumpert returned to Germany at the end of 2001, after more than three years in China. There he was the head of sales and marketing, responsible for the development of the dealer network of the Audi-VW joint enterprise. Just after he returned to Germany, Roland Mayer asked him if he would assist him in building a prototype sports 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 a prototype, but a series product.^[2]
The company, located in Altenburg, 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 1:4 scale model of 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 have assisted with the constructional work, computer simulations, and wind tunnel tests. This research and development helped forming the blueprint for the first 1:1 scale model. Finally, two prototype Apollos were constructed.^[3] Production of the Apollo started in October 2005.^[4]

Motorsport

HHF Hybrid Concept Car

During April 2005 the Apollo made its racing debut in the Divinol Cup. This Apollo was driven by Belgian race driver Ruben Maes; he finished third on the Hockenheimring race track. Three years later Gumpert announced that they would enter a hybrid version of the Apollo in the 2008 24 Hours Nürburgring, driven by 2004 winner Dirk Müller and ex-Formula One racer Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Three months passed between the first discussions and the finished hybrid Apollo. The Apollo was driven in the 24 Hours Nürburgring in May 2008. The hybrid Apollo can deliver up to 519 PS (382 kW; 512 hp), powered with a 3.3 litre V8 twin-turbo engine coupled with a 100 kW (136 PS; 134 hp) electric motor. The car has the ability to recharge the battery under braking.
On July 27, 2008 an Apollo Sport was featured on the UK show Top Gear. Richard Hammond and The Stig drove the Apollo Sport.^[5] With a lap time of 1:17.1, the Apollo Sport was for a while the fastest on the 'Power Lap Board', but has been beaten by the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, the Lamborghini Aventador, the McLaren MP4-12C, Ariel Atom V8, Pagani Huayra and BAC Mono since then.^[6]

Design

The Apollo is a 1,100 kg (2,400 lb) to 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) (depending on options), street-legal race car. It is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive two-seater constructed on a tubular chromoly frame, with fiberglass or optional carbon fiber body panels. Gumpert claim the design of the Apollo is optimized so that the car could drive upside-down in a tunnel if driven at sufficiently high speeds (over 190 mph),^[7] but this has not been tested.

• 

  Rear view
• 

  Interior View
• 

  Salon International de l'Auto - Geneva

Engine

The Gumpert Apollo used the Leipzig-Altenburg Airport as a test track.

The Apollo uses a 4163 cc bi-turbo intercooled version of the Audi V8 engine.^[8] The 90° V8 has a closed-deck light metal crankcase with dry sump lubrication. The light metal cylinder heads have five valves per cylinder, four overhead camshafts, VarioCam Direct variable valve timing on the intakes, and hydraulic valve clearance compensation. The double-flow exhaust system has four oxygen sensors to monitor the gas mixture, and a 3-way catalytic converter. Modern controls include an on-board diagnostic system, eight-coil electronic ignition, sequential multipoint fuel injection, and an electronic (drive by wire) accelerator system.
There are 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 (650HP):

• Top speed is 360.4 km/h (223.9 mph)
• 0-100 km/h (62 mph) reached in 3.1 seconds
• 0-200 km/h (120 mph) in 9.1 seconds.

Dimensions

• Length: 4,460 mm (176 in)
• Width: 1,998 mm (78.7 in)
• Height: 1,114 mm (43.9 in)
• Wheel Base: 2,700 mm (110 in)

Weight

• Curb Weight: under 1,200 kg (2,600 lb)
• Total Allowed Weight: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb)