Gumpert
The Gumpert sports car manufacturer is a sports car manufacturer based in Altenburg, Thuringia.
History
The factory opened by the cooperation of the car tuner MTM - Motoren Technik Mayer and the race car supplier Nitec Engineering. The aim was to develop a racing car for the road. The project began in 2002. End of the year, there were already the first model of the super sports.
In 2003, the former Head of Audi Motorsport boss Roland Gumpert project management, a year later, the GMG Sportwagenmanufaktur Altenburg was founded. The production of the first series vehicle, the sports car manufacturer should start as early as autumn 2004, but there were technical and financial problems. Only after new partners were found and the company was renamed Gumpert sports car manufacturer, the production of the Apollo started off. First, the sale was exclusively channeled through the head office in Altenburg, from 2007, is the concept with and built since a dealer network on.
In 2011, the sports car manufacturer Gumpert Tornante the front at the Geneva Motor Show. The concept vehicle should serve as the basis for another model next to the Apollo. The start of production was planned for 2012, the development was stopped, however, did not occur after the desired customer response.
In August 2012, the Company filed with the District Court of Gera bankruptcy. The insolvency proceedings were opened on October 16, 2012. New investors found in 2013 and the successor company GSM Gumpert sports car manufacturer was founded on 20 February 2013. The purchase but had to be reversed because the investors could not raise the money. End of August 2013 announced the liquidator that the sports car manufacturer was close to the final stop, if there is no other investor would find. In addition, the production in mid- June 2013 has been set. For Geneva Motor Show 2014 Gumpert was back and presented at the same time the new model Gumpert explosion. The production of the Apollo in Altenburg should start after a facelift of the car again and Gumpert marketing chief Harald Schlegel commented on the show that the Gumpert Tornante 2015 should also be produced. However, gave on 21 March 2014, the insolvency administrator Görge Scheid selling the sports car manufacturer to a foreign investor known. This beabsichtig a relocation of the headquarters and the production of Apollos. Also, the company's founder and namesake Roland Gumpert thus left the sports car manufacturer. The explosion did not belong to the scope of purchase, this is to be produced in Neustadt an der Donau, but no longer under the brand name Gumpert.
Motorsport
During the development work drove a prototype of Apollo in March 2005 when Divinol Cup at the Hockenheimring right away in third place.
For 24 -hour race at the Nürburgring in 2008 Heinz -Harald Frentzen, Dirk Müller, Marcel Engels and Dominik Schwager went with Apollo at the start. When engine was a newly developed hybrid engine used. In addition to a 3.3 -liter twin-turbo V8 with 382 kW ( 520 hp ) had the Apollo still a 100 - kW electric motor. However, the vehicle had to fight throughout the race with gearbox problems in conventional combustion segment and was held only by the electric motor still in the race. He reached through the installation of two replacement gear while the checkered flag, but did not get in the standings.
The aim of the Gumpert sports car manufacturer was to participate in the 24 - hour race at Le Mans.
Location
In Altenburg was both the headquarters and the production facility of Apollo. The sports car manufacturer was in part of a former sewing machine factory in the industrial park Old factory. On the first floor of the building, the production was located. This was possible because the building is on a slope and thus the first floor at the rear of the building is at ground level. The production line was designed for about 60 cars per year. Many parts of the Apollo were prefabricated by suppliers. In Altenburg spaceframe chassis was manufactured and assembled all the parts. Testing of Apollo were carried out on the Leipzig -Altenburg Airport. In Ingolstadt also was a branch of the sports car manufacturer.
Emblem
The emblem shows a white griffin on a red background. According to Gumpert The Griffin combines the speed of the eagle and the strength of the lion, properties to be associated with the sports car. The whole is framed by a golden edge, on top of which is the name Gumpert. The first prototype of the emblem was kept in a different color. So the grip was yellow and was on a dark green background. The framing had the same yellow as the Gryphon.