"There’s a pretty good chance you’ve never heard of the company Gumpert, or its full name, Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur, but it’s a name you might be hearing more of in the future. Anyone familiar with the racing scene during the ‘80s, however, will not only be familiar with the name, but the man behind it. Roland Gumpert, the managing director of the car maker in question was an employee of Audi and had massive influence on its motorsports team. The original Audi Quattro changed the face of rallying in the ‘80s by being the first of the Group B rally cars to feature four-wheel drive. This vehicle was developed under the watchful eye of Gumpert, not to mention the role he played in developing its predecessor, the “Iltis”. During his time at Audi, Gumpert guided the Coupe Quattro team to a total of 25 World Rally Championship race wins, and four World Rally Championships in the ‘80s.
As if 650 horsepower isn’t enough for you, Apollo has boosted the power to an astonishing 800, allowing the new Sport model to hit 100 km/h in just three seconds, and on to a top speed of 358 km/h (223 mph). At those speeds, stability and control rest in the hands of aerodynamics and airflow, which is why the Apollo Sport features a new rear wing and various other tweaks.
Besides making the Apollo faster, and better handling, Gumpert has also given the cabin a more luxurious look as most of the interior’s surfaces – the dashboard, steering wheel, gearshift gate, door panels and seats – are trimmed in grippy Alcantara. Like the original, the Apollo Sport is considered a “made to measure” vehicle. Gumpert arranges the seating layout, the pedals, steering column and even the seat’s cushions and trim to fit the driver like a glove.
Also, due to buyers of supercars demanding the latest in luxury, the Apollo comes equipped with a DVD-based navigation system, as well as a rear-facing reverse camera which helps the driver to maneuver this rather unwieldy vehicle into a parking slot, or, as Gumpert says, “shows how quickly the overtaken cars disappear from view.”
Without any options, the Apollo Sport will set a buyer back €299,500 ($457,520 CAD). "
Full Report at: http://news.en.autos.sympatico.msn.c...mentid=3606678