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The Gumpert Apollo stunned the supercar world with its radical, no-nonsense approach to performance. Learn how Roland Gumpert, drawing on his Audi motorsport legacy, brought this track-focused machine to life.
Some years ago, at the Geneva motor show, the Gumpert Apollo caught my eye. Supercars rarely do that, but here was a no-nonsense instrument so focused on efficiency that it made its rivals seem delicate in comparison. The Apollo appeared as a bulldog among Afghan hounds.
Speaking with a Gumpert representative, racer Gabriela Jílková, revealed a genuine admiration for the car. Her enthusiasm was justified: in August 2009, the Apollo set a new Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record at 7 minutes 11.57 seconds.
But how did Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbH come to be? Roland Gumpert's journey included inventive experiments in his youth—such as trying to make a turbocharger from his mother's vacuum cleaner motor—before he became an engineer at Audi in 1969. There, he worked with Ferdinand Piëch, developed the four-wheel-drive Iltis military vehicle, and played a central role in Audi Sport's dominant Quattro WRC era, leading to four world championships.
After helping Audi achieve rally supremacy, Gumpert sought new challenges. The Apollo aimed to excel both on track and the road, driven by Gumpert's dream to create a car with so much downforce that it could theoretically drive on the roof of a tunnel.
Gumpert returned to Germany in 2001 after working in China, joining forces with Roland Mayer of MTM fame. They founded GMG Sportwagenmanufaktur Altenburg GmbH in 2004 near Leipzig, an automotive hub with many skilled workers. The company was renamed Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbH in 2005.
Unencumbered by big corporate influences, Gumpert assembled a focused team, drawing expertise from universities like Munich and Ingolstadt. Marco Vanetta handled design: a quarter-scale model was created in 2001, full-scale prototypes appeared in 2004, and production started in 2005. Costs were managed by sourcing generic components from 60 European suppliers.
The Apollo's frame uses high-strength chrome molybdenum steel and weighs only 98kg. Its carbon monocoque, directly fastened to the frame, protects the occupants and adds just 23kg. Its uncompromising engineering marks the Apollo as a true track-day legend.
