Autoblog

Gumpert has finally expanded its reach beyond Europe and begun selling its Apollo supercar in the U.S. The supercar, which currently sits atop the list of fastest cars around the Top Gear test track, will be shipped to the U.S. and arrive in Arizona where the drivetrain will be assembled and final performance checks done by Evolution Motorsports. Then the cars move on to California where customers actually do the purchasing and pick up at European Touch in Huntington, Beach. The base price for one of ten U.S.-spec Gumpert Apollos coming to the U.S. each year is reportedly $400,000, though each can be infinitely customized and final prices above $700,000 are not uncommon. Just watch out for those speedbumps, as any repair work has to be done back in Arizona by Evolution Motorsports, the only authorized Gumpert repair center in the country. Follow the jump for a video of the first U.S.-spec Apollo's arrival in Arizona.

UPDATE: Second video of U.S.-spec Gumpert Apollo being driven on-track by Sam Hubinette added after the jump.

[Source: Streetfire.net]

Click above to see the Gumpert Apollo on Top Gear's test track

The Gumpert Apollo may not be able to drive over a speed bump, but it sure is fast on the track. Top Gear's most recent episode included a review of the German supercar by Richard Hammond and a Power Lap on the Top Gear Test Track in the hands of the Stig. The result was quite impressive: a time of 1:17.1 that eclipsed the previous best mark of 1:17.3 set by the Ascari A10. Follow the jump to watch the two-part video.

[Source: Top Gear via YouTube]

Gumpert is entering a hybrid version of its supercar, the Apollo, in the Nurburgring 24-Hour race. Instead of the normal car's Audi 4.2-liter twin-turbo with 650 HP, the racer gets a 3.3-liter V8 with something like 630-HP, in addition to a 100kW electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. The 190 kilos of batteries will be recharged by application of the brakes, but it isn't clear exactly how the electric motor will be applied -- slow speed (aka pit lane) use only, or to provide an extra boost during the race.

The car will be driven by Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Dirk Muller. The hybrid Apollo will test its fortunes against the Audi R8 and Lexus LF-A, both of which are in the same class. If the car does well, it could mean good things for the introduction of hybrid technologies into other race series like Formula 1.

[Source: BridgeToGantry]

Born from a pair of ex-Audi employees, Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur introduced its Apollo supercar at the last Geneva Motor Show. This year's event in Switzerland will mark the debut of a new model, the Apollo Sport, that builds upon the world-class mechanicals of the original. The Apollo Sport will be powered by the same biturbo 4.2L V8 producing 800 hp that motivates the "base" model, but will receive a new rear wing that means business and aero enhancements that actually help it reach a higher top speed of 223 mph. 60 mph will be reached in the blink of an eye, or 3 seconds, whichever happens first. Ironically, the Apollo Sport is actually more luxurious than the original model, receiving an alcantara leather interior, CD-player, nav system and rear-view camera system. The price for the Apollo Sport is being pegged at the USD equivalent of $396,568. We'll bring you more live shots of the Gumpert Apollo Sport from the floor of the Geneva Motor Show next week.

[Source: Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur]