Autoblog

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

Artega's parent company, Paragon, is getting ready for its assault on the Porsche Cayman this summer, when it finally begins production of the Artega GT. The seductively small coupe will be built in an all-new factory in Westphalian, and Paragon expects two vehicles per day to roll off the assembly line, with a plan that would produce 20 cars per week within two years.

The automaker is in the process of setting up a dealer network in the UK, and along with a right-hand-drive model, it intends to offer a convertible version in the future.

The Artega GT, originally show in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show in 2007 and followed by the production version earlier this year, is powered by a VW-sourced, 3.6-liter V6, mounted amidships and sending 300 hp to a six-speed, twin-clutch gearbox. Penned by Henrik Fisker, the GT will tip the scales at around 2,400 pounds, thanks to an aluminum spaceframe and carbon fiber body panels. Unfortunately, there's still no word on whether it's coming to the U.S. We wouldn't hold our breath.


[Source: Autocar]

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 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 above for a gallery of live shots from the Geneva Motor Show.

After our Geneva-induced jetlag subsided, we were able to take stock of what vehicles struck us as the showstoppers. Some were obvious, while others were more unlikely; the Artega GT remains one of them.

However, when we discovered that the Henrik Fisker-designed podium princess was strictly a shell, lacking a functional drivetrain and interior bits, the wind quickly left our sails. Even worse, according to an article in AutomobilWoche when the GT goes on sale, the Germans will be the only ones able to pick up one of the 500 models produced.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel though. The article states that Artega's coupe will come equipped with a 3.6-liter VW VR6, complete with a DSG gearbox, and will tip the scales at a paltry 2,400 pounds. Even better: with the backing of Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, formerly of BMW, Maserati and Rolls-Royce, Artega plans on offering a roadster model that will be sold in Asia, the Middle-East and even here in the States.

There's no word on when we'll see the next model from the niche manufacturer, but if we had to put money on it, we'd plunk down a twenty-spot for Geneva '08.

[Source: AutomobilWoche via Motor Authority]

New models scheduled for Geneva are beginning to pile up and the Autobloggers headed to Europe are looking luckier and luckier by the day. We told you a few months back about an upcoming Fisker supercar, and it looks like the Artega GT Coupe is that vehicle. Equipped with a VW-derived 3.6L V6, power will come in at around 300 hp. Those are some pretty lousy numbers for a supercar, but this Fisker isn't very big. At 13 feet long and 6 feet wide, the Artega is about the same size as a Mazda MX-5 and at less than four feet tall it is about the same height as a Lamborghini Gallardo. Top speed of the Artega GT Coupe is estimated at 165 mph.

Henrik Fisker helped design many of the current Aston Martins on the road today which makes every future vehicle he pens worth mentioning. The Fisker Tramonto and Latigo CS were great-looking too, but their basic shape and stance were borrowed from the Mercedes Benz SL55 AMG and the BMW M6. The Artega GT Coupe is definitely a departure from what Fisker has done in the past, but it just isn't ground-breaking. No word yet if the Artega will share a platform like the Tramanto or Latigo but we think there's a good chance that's the case. Production will reach 500 units per year and the price tag should be around €75,000.

[Source: Auto motor und sport via Motorauthority.com]