Gumpert boosting Apollo supercar production in ‘09

While it may not have the heritage or sex appeal of traditional supercars, there is no denying that the Gumpert Apollo has struck a chord with many motoring enthusiasts. With its outrageous looks and Ferrari-beating performance, the Gumpert Apollo has been hailed as an impressive piece of engineering from a small German company headed up by a former Audi employee. Now, Gumpert will be upping production of the Apollo, with plans to rollout 25 examples of the vehicle in 2009.

Up until now, just 40 Apollo models have made it out of the factory in three years, but with plans to expand its sales to the lucrative American market, as well as other markets, the 45-man team at Gumpert is getting ready to almost double its yearly output. In the past few months, Gumpert has been able to find people interested in buying its cars in Europe, the Middle East and other areas as well as the United States. The company also says it wants to further expand its distribution network, "mostly towards the East", to markets such as "Russia and the Asian region or Australia", hinting at the likelihood of a right-hand-drive Apollo being produced.

Decked out more like a racing car than a traditional luxury supercar, the Apollo features a tube frame made from chromium molybdenum steel which is also used in the building of aeroplanes, and it already fulfils standard international design specifications from the FIA motor sport authorities, which should make it appealing for those who want to track the car. With eight cylinders, 650hp, 850 Nm and a top speed of over 350km/h, the Apollo promises to challenge even the most skilled drivers.

Gumpert has also created a hybrid racing version of the Apollo with a 3.3L V8 bi-turbo engine and an electric motor providing roughly 100 kW, giving the racer a total output of around 630 hp, which you can read about here.