Apollo Automobil History, Logo, Brand Facts & Cars

Apollo Automobil History, Logo & Brand Facts
Apollo Arrow introduced in 2016. Wikimedia

In this Apollo Automobil history, we briefly look at the origin, logo, facts, and information about the Apollo Automobil car brand.

Apollo Automobile is a Germany based sports car manufacturing company with its headquarters in Denkendorf.

It was formerly known as Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur. 

Apollo Automobil Facts & Brand Information

  • Date Founded: 2004 (in Altenburg, Germany)
  • Founder: Roland Gumpert
  • Headquarters: Denkendorf, Bavaria, Germany
  • Owner: Ideal Team Ventures Limited
  • Website: apollo-automobil.com

Apollo Automobil History

The Apollo Automobil history dates back to 2001 when Roland Gumpert proffered an idea for the production of a new generation of sports cars that would be race-worthy and as well-fitting and legal to drive on the street.

At the end of 2001, after Gumpert returned to Germany from China, a former colleague at Audi and the founder of Motoren Technik Mayer, Roland Meyer, asked for his help in developing a prototype sports car.

Audi approved Gumpert’s participation in this project based on the condition that the new sports car to be produced wouldn’t be a prototype but a series product.

Thus, a company was created in 2004 and named “GMG Sportwagenmanufaktur Altenburg GmbH.” 

The technical guidelines were created, and Marco Vanetta drew the car’s first designs and the first Gumpert’s car.

A 1:4 scale model was produced in 2002.

After that, Gumpert proceeded with the car’s development, now known as the Apollo, with help from the Technical University of Munich and the Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences, who assured in computer simulations, construction work, and wind tunnel tests.

Apollo’s research and development formed the basic layout for the first full-scale model, and two prototype cars were made.

Production of Apollo began in October 2005, and many variants of the Apollo were presented throughout various stages of production.

An Apollo Sportscar was featured on the UK automotive show Top Gear on July 27, 2008.

The Apollo Sport topped the Power Lap Board with a lap time of 1: 17.1, replacing the previous lap leader, the Ascari A10.

In August 2013, the company went into liquidation after filing for bankruptcy as an anonymous investor retracted from a deal that could have saved the company. 

In January 2016, the Hong Kong consortium Ideal Team Venture acquired the company, and it was renamed Apollo Automobil GmbH after the acquisition deal.

Apollo unveiled a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine sports car called the Arrow at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2016.

In November 2016, it was announced that the former owner and founder of the company Roland Gumpert had no more affiliation with the company. 

Therefore Gumpert wasn’t going to be involved anymore in the company’s current or future projects.

It was announced of the coming of a new model car that was to be unveiled at the June 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

 The new model named Intensa Emozione was manufactured in collaboration with HWA AG, featuring a 6.3 L naturally-aspirated V12 engine. 

The styling of the Intensa Emozione was inspired by insects in nature.

Apollo Cars

Apollo Arrow (2016)

Apollo N (2017)

Apollo Intensa Emozione (2019–present)

Apollo Automobil Logo, Meaning & Evolution

Current Apollo Automobil logo

Gumpert logo

Apollo Automobil’s former logo was created when the brand was still under the name Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur, based on a mythical creature called Griffin.

The Griffin has the head and wings of an eagle with the body of a lion. 

The logo is a symbolism of a mixture of the Kings of the beast and eagle, meaning mastery of land and air.


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