Of all the European auto shows, we enjoy the Geneva Motor Show the most. Not because we get our French food fix or adore the train ride along the lake after a grueling day at the show. No. We love Geneva because of its neutral nature, where no automaker can be considered the "home team" and that no matter the marque, each gets their time in the in the lime light. Case in point: The Artega GT. Over the past few years, the Henrik Fisker-designed coupe has made an appearance; first in conceptual form in 2007, then in production guise in 2008. This year, Artega's parent company, Paragon, will bring the next iteration of the GT to Geneva, and if the rumors are true, the coupe will lose its roof.

The same Volkswagen-sourced 3.6-liter V6 will be mounted amidships, sending 300 horsepower through a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox on its way to the rear wheels. Both left- and right-hand-drive versions will be available, and – depending on whether Artega opts for a soft-top or retractable hard-top – the curb weight shouldn't be significantly higher than the 2,400-pound GT. Paragon has made it clear that the Artega GT's success is dependent on global availability, and the U.S. market is the linchpin. Rumor has it that the first Stateside order has already come in from a customer in NYC, so we might see the Artega – in both coupe and cabrio form – here in the States after all.



[Source: GlobalMotors]

Production of the Artega GT is set to begin later this month and even though the budget Cayman competitor is limited to 500 units per year at the automaker's current plant, Artega has plans to expand beginning with new variants of the GT.

Within the next two years, Artega will offer a lightweight, four-cylinder version likely to be powered by one of Volkswagen Auto Group's turbocharged 2.0-liter engines, while a soft-top is slated to go on sale sometime in 2010. The current production center can't handle the increased capacity of two additional models, but an Artega exec says that the company owns enough land to build an extension next to the main plant.

Speaking with CAR, Karlheinz Kalbfell said, "Mid-term U.S. sales are a must. But since we need to prepare ourselves well for this important move, late 2010 looks like the earliest possible date." That's about the same time the convertible should be available, and according to Kalbfell, since "roadsters have traditionally always done well in the U.S.", it would be the perfect time to launch the brand in the States. Needless to say, we're looking forward to getting behind the wheel.



[Source: CAR]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Artega GT

As production ramps up on the impossibly gorgeous Artega GT, parent company Paragon has announced that the compact sportscar will sell for €74,983 across the pond. The pricing makes it compelling competition for a well-equipped (and similarly proportioned) Porsche Cayman S. As we previously reported, final assembly is scheduled to begin this summer at a rate of two per day, ramping up to 20 per week for a total production run of just 500 vehicles.

Among those will be a right-hand-drive model for the UK market, as Artega establishes a British dealer base. The vehicle initially unveiled as a concept in Geneva 2007 and in production form a year later is powered by a mid-mounted, Volkswagen-sourced 3.6-liter V6 coupled to a DSG transmission. 300 horsepower driving the rear wheels is all that's needed to propel the Fisker-designed (think BMW Z8 and a handful of Aston Martins along with his own line of coach-built SLs and M6s and the Karma hybrid super-sedan) to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than five seconds.

We're still waiting to see if Artega will go through the pains of homologating the GT for the U.S. market, but a convertible version is said to be in the works. Until then, we invite you to feast your eyes on the images in the galleries below.

[Source: AutoBild via eurocarblog]

Click above for high-res gallery of the Artega GT Intro 2008 Edition

What started as an innocent crush last year in Geneva and blossomed into a budding romance in Frankfurt, has finally turned into a full-blown obsession. Our first introduction to the Artega GT proved love isn't blind, particular when Henrik Fisker pens it. The sensuous curves of the initial prototype had us drooling from across the room, and after seeing the production version late last year in Frankfurt, it quickly found a slot in our dream garage.

One year later, we're still smitten. The combination of the Artega's small footprint, 300-hp rear-mounted DI V6, and carbon fiber bodywork has us on pins and needles. And for the 99 lucky souls that got their orders in early, they'll be receiving a limited edition "Intro 2008" model swathed in either Vanillegelb or Tiefseeblau, a bespoke interior and lightweight, five-spoke alloy wheels wrapped in Pilot Sport PS2 Michelins. The cost of entry is just under 80,000 euros and if you've got the coin to purchase one of the 170 models Artega is expected to produce annually, you can pour over all the details in the press release after the jump.

click above to view a high-res gallery of the Artega GT

When we first saw the Artega GT at last year's Geneva auto show, we fell in love. The Fisker-designed sportscar looks like a synergetic cross between a Porsche Boxster and an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, but photogenic as it, it looks absolutely curvalicious in person. It took us a few minutes of drooling to realize that it was just a mock-up, and a mechanically functional prototype was shown months later in Frankfurt. (We fell in love with it all over again there.) Led by former Rolls Royce chief Klaus Dieter Frers, Artega is just about ready to begin delivery of the first editions, but not before it gives us another look at this year's Geneva show a little over a month from now.

For any ordinary person, €75,000 is a big hunk of change. But when you consider that you're getting an exclusive carbon fiber supercar about as common as an Alfa 8C Competizione, and arguably just as good-lookin', it suddenly seems like a bargain. (Funny how Fisker can do that.) Look forward to the details and live shots we'll be sure to bring you next month from Switzerland..

[Source: Artega]

Click the image above for a gallery of high-res pics.

We've only seen the Artega GT twice, but both times we came away completely smitten with the svelte, MX-5-sized coupe. It has everything we love in an automobile: lightweight (through the use of carbon fiber body panels and an aluminum space frame), power (a 300 hp, 3.6-liter rear-mounted V6) and achingly gorgeous lines (it was penned by ex-Aston designer Henrik Fisker). What more could we ask for? Well, for starters, we'd like to have it here in the States, but that's not likely to happen in the first few years of production. And apparently, it won't be selling in the UK until Artega is able to recoup the costs of converting the GT to right-hand drive.

Regardless of the logistical downsides, everything is a go for sales to begin in May of next year. The company has begun work on its factory and with its new digs running full bore, Artega expects to produce 170 units in 2008 and 320 the following year.

[Source: Autocar]

Click the image above for more shots of the production Artega GT.

We're a pretty jaded bunch here at Autoblog HQ, so when it comes to a new automotive offering, the cynics among us have a tendency to dismiss some vehicles as unworthy of our attention, let alone affection. The Artega GT is the exception to the rule.

Designed by Henrik Fisker of Aston Martin fame, the Artega GT has proven that automotive perfection is still attainable in a world rife with mediocrity. The exterior styling speaks for itself, so we'll let you peruse our gallery to draw your own conclusions. Its small footprint (74 inches wide and 157 inches long) combined with a midship drivetrain will surely prove worthy when the going gets twisty. And with a DSG-controlled, VW-sourced 3.6-liter V6 sitting behind the driver, it's pure engineering perfection. Inside, the Paragon-styled interior gets a host of high-class touches, particularly the combination tach/speedo setup and minimalist switchgear.

If we had the talent, motivation and funding to design our own ideal ride, the Artega GT would be it. Thankfully, it's been slated for production and beginning next spring drivers in Europe can pony up the €70,000 cost of entry for one of the most inspiring bespoke coupes to come to market in a decade.

Click the image for Noah Joseph's gallery of pics.

It's hard to choose our favorite unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, but one of our top picks was the Paragon Artega GT, penned by Henrik Fisker of Aston Martin fame. The sleek coupe had a diminutive footprint, but was easily one of the design heavyweights of the show.

Paragon, a German automotive supplier, intended the Artega GT to be a rolling showcase of what the company was capable of. The coupe is powered by a VW-sourced, mid-mounted 3.5L V6, producing 300 HP and sending power through a six-speed DSG. Under the carbon fiber body panels resides an aluminum space frame that allows the Artega to tip the scales at just over 2,400 pounds. Coupled with the aforementioned V6, the GT can climb to 60 MPH in five seconds and on to a top speed of 168 MPH.

Approximately 500 Artegas will be produced, with orders being taken in November and deliveries beginning sometime next summer. Pricing wasn't announced, but it's expected to be below the $100k mark.