Monday 3rd September 2012

Is Gumpert finished?

Gumpert files for insolvency as funds dry up

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Raw, brutal and very, very fast, Gumpert's Apollo looked for a while like it could be the German answer to the Paganis and Koenigseggs of this world. But it looks like an attempt to broaden the appeal beyond fugly 'ring record weapons into a more - relatively - mainstream supercar territory with an eye, like everyone else, on the growing number of Chinese millionaires has hit the rocks.

Tornante had hopes of broadening appeal

The Tornante, with actual styling by Touring Superleggera rather than some crazed sci-fi fan with an apparently limitless supply of angular vents and carbon aero addenda, was the vehicle to carry Gumpert into this new territory but the funds seem to have dried up and the administrators have been called in.

Is this the end for Gumpert then? Founder Roland Gumpert remains bullish and has been quoted in an official statement as saying "The Apollo has gained an exclusive fan base throughout Germany and Europe. Now we have taken care of this customer base intensely. Production continues and we hope to sell the first vehicle within this week."

Watch this space. And in the meantime here's that 7:11 'ring lap to remind you what we'll be missing if the firm does go bust.

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[myhandle]

They probably sold as many as people wanted. With ultra-specialist cars, the buyer typically keeps them a very long time. So sales can spike, and then trail off.

[christofmccracke]

I think that's very true and the buyers now have their cars and will have them for a long time unlike some Ferrari buyers who's change every 6 months/ model

[ManOpener]

That Tornante looks fantastic.

[LordFlathead]

Blurb said:

Is Gumpert finished?

No it's not finished, it's hit hard times. Publishing the word finished does nothing for the confidence of those that have their monies invested, nor future buyers. Why splash total paranoia when the Director still says the cars are starting to ship? Hard times for Gumpert is bad enough publicity!

Shame if they go as they do have a following.

[thinfourth2]

I don't understand this

I have been told that the only reason people by supercars is to drive them quickly as posible and do loads of trackdays. No one has ever bought a supercar to drive around slowly in city streets showing how rich they are.

So why are gumpert circling the plughole?

[Frimley111R]

Technically a great car but:

1. Needs a new name. 'Gumpert' is not cool!
2. Needs better styling, its not awful now but it looks too hardcore (IMO)
3. Needs a nice interior

Overall its too race car and not enough road car. Good luck to them though!

[The Nur]

LordFlathead said:

No it's not finished, it's hit hard times. Publishing the word finished does nothing for the confidence of those that have their monies invested, nor future buyers. Why splash total paranoia when the Director still says the cars are starting to ship? Hard times for Gumpert is bad enough publicity!

Shame if they go as they do have a following.

PH has got a bit of a history of headlines that haven't been thought out particularly well

[thatsprettyshady]

I love Gumpert, the Apollo is the sort of car petrolheads would buy in a heartbeat after a lottery win etc, its an absolute weapon on track and looks so purposeful. Function before form at its greatest.
Unfortunately it seems the people who have the sort of cash to buy these things would rather cruise the streets in something like a Lamborghini or Ferrari, which is a great shame as I've never seen an Apollo on the road

Edited by thatsprettyshady on Monday 3rd September 10:46

[Sexual Chocolate]

Does this mean used Gumpert Apollo's coming onto the market for cheap cheap cheap? Hope so. Love them. They just look purposeful, mean and down right "GET THE fk OUT OF MY WAY".

[red997]

never forget a couple of years ago, at Spa on a track day, first watching two Apollo's roaring down the straight and up into Eau Rouge, then being on the circuit with them later... what a sound...

Shame if they do go under

[blahblop123]

i think they would be okay if they make a just-as-hardcore-but-cheaper model.. i was think more of an ultima GTR route.. keep it simple, and cheap. use a cheap american v8, all in all, keep the costs around old TVR money. that, IMHO would be a seller, because ever since TVR's departure, there has been a gap in the market for a super fast, super mad under £50k car.. BTW that torante looks stunning

[X5TUU]

The Apollo is still on my lottery list, bankrupt or not

[therealpigdog]

I remember Roland Gumpert asking my then girlfriend what she thought of the Apollo whilst we were at a test day at Bruntingthorpe, and he was polite enough not to smack her in the face when she said that it was a lovely colour. If only I'd realised then that the relationship was doomed!

Awesome car - hope it's not the end of the road for Gumpert.

[flashygee]

Its true Gumpert sounds not very sexy but it is the Owners Name.
And i think he would not use US V8s.
Hes the Ex Motorsportdivision boss of Audi and his work was part of The
Audi success in the 80s and 90s.
The Connection with Audi is very strong-what i mean is he gets special prices for Audi Components with his Vita
for the Apollo as old "Audiguy".
And he thinks maybe Audi V8s technical are better and more modern (True) as the US V8s.

[Schnellmann]

thinfourth2 said:

I don't understand this

I have been told that the only reason people by supercars is to drive them quickly as posible and do loads of trackdays. No one has ever bought a supercar to drive around slowly in city streets showing how rich they are.

So why are gumpert circling the plughole?

Not sure about that. There are lots of reasons for buying a supercar but of the people I know that have them, they don't use them for trackdays. Personally I think if you are doing lots of trackdays then a more track-focused car, like a Caterham, Radical, Atom or GT3 are top of people's list. For those with the money to buy a supercar they would likely be in addition to and not a replacement for a supercar.

The Gumpert probably falls between two stools. It doesn't have the history or name to compete with the likes of Ferrari and on the road it probably isn't that great. On the track it might be great but I assume it is much more expensive than the great track cars I mentioned above.

I don't know that much about the Gumpert. Seen it in mags and on TV but never in the flesh. Not my kind of car but would still be sad to see them go under.

[GTRene]

I think its a real Supercar and hope it can stay around.

[German]

I'll never forget being overtaken by one of these outside Frankfurt, I was doing about 180-200Kmh, he was doing at least 100 more...you could hear the thing a mile off

[405dogvan]

The Nur said:

PH has got a bit of a history of headlines that haven't been thought out particularly well

They're either filed for insolvency or they haven't - if they have then the article is bang on - if not then it's not.

There's not really a middle-ground there - you don't file for insolvency because you dropped a fiver into the couch and haven't found it yet - no-one could be overstating that bit

[jon-]

I had the fortune of some time in the 750bhp media car and it's still the fastest, most impressive road car I've lapped in. We were on road tyres and keeping up with the 911 CUP car on slicks.

As someone else has said, they need to sort out the inside though.

[KDIcarmad]

Its hard to sell supercars! It is even harder to make a profit doing so.