There comes a time when a vehicle manufacturer needs to make a statement in life with the cars that it produces, and such cars are then deemed worthy of the masses of automotive fans who will judge such a car upon it’s saintly arrival. But imagine if a company had a bit of a slow start, and was waiting for the right moment to initiate such a global event? Well, we’re around 2014, and it also looks like the makers of the insanely talented Gumpert Apollo are finally getting their wishes granted.
Way back in 2005 a German based automaker that goes by the name of Gumpert, made a Gumpert-Apollo_2008_800x600_killcar which had been destined to shock the world with it’s uncompromisingly sinister visual appearance, and it’s awesome show of power. This car was dubbed the Apollo. With it’s ultra low stance, it’s 90 degree 650 Hp, V8 motor, six speed sequential, dual clutch gearbox, and gull wing doors, the Gumpert Apollo was actually a force to get reckoned with. But unfortunately, sales of the famed Apollo fell well below expectations. Hell, they’ve only sold 60 of them so far! ! Designers couldn’t figure out why the Apollo wasn’t moving like they thought it might. Maybe it was actually the angry looking fascia, or the fact that it was built as a damn near full on race car, or just because the timing for it just wasn’t right. Either way, investors were pulling away from Gumpert, and the company was in a little bit of trouble, whenever it came right down to staying afloat.
Gumpert-Tornante_by_Touring_2011_front Flash forward to 2011, and Gumpert managed to pool some funds together, in order to get in the auto making game, plus they did so with a car called the Gumpert Tornante. Now, it seems like the design team over at Gumpert decided to scale this one back a bit, and make it a lot more practical in a few different areas. Mainly, within the looks, and design department, you will see how the Tornante not only looks street-able, but in addition has some borrowed hues as well. From the pics you can see how the front fascia is a melding of hues that talk about Maserati, and Ferrari. Something about the all Silver face makes me think of a Quattroporte, and a Ferrari FF. The back end in the Gumpert-Tornante_by_Touring_2011_rearGumpert Tornante, has some borrowed features too. I took a number of good looks, along with the back end of the Tornante calls in your thoughts the Noble M600, and then add to that, the curvature of the Bentley Continental GT, sprinkled with a the split window treatment of a 1963 Corvette C2. Well, if you have to borrow something, get it from a great source.
It will likely be debuting in the 2015 Geneva Auto Show for the first time, although now, as you’ve just read, this Gumpert Tornante isn’t a fresh car, it’s actually three years old. It appears like Gumpert has had their prayers for any more than willing investor as a solid part of their company, answered. No names on who that may be, and that is an incredible move. Ensure that is stays quiet. For what it’s worth, the Tornante will be a car that Gumpert will build in a sort of bespoke, upon request, sort of situation. “The Explosion” at this particular year’s Geneva Auto Show, and will putting a lot of those “investment funds” into that project, mainly because the automaker recently brought forth an automobile called. We’ll talk about that certain on another date.
Getting back to the Tornante, we do recognize that Gumpert will probably be using the Apollo’s Gumpert-Tornante_by_Touring_2011_coverchassis, and well rounded V8 engine as the benchmark, and from that point, it’ll solely be up to the individual that decides to decrease an unknown amount of coin, on a car that must be built AFTER it’s been paid for. If you went to Chip Foose, and asked him to create a car, but this one is going to be put together with a company that damn near went bankrupt two years ago, kind of like. Hmmm. Anyway, we at Gearheads.org will look forward to next season in the hopes of seeing the Gumpert trio in action. Thank you for reading.