Wednesday 26th January 2011

Gumpert Readies 'Tourer' Model For Geneva

Coachbuilt second model will be called Tornante

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Not the new Tornante...

Maker of mega-hardcore (and mega-expensive) German supercars, Gumpert, is set to unveil a second model - the Tornante - at the Geneva motor show in a few weeks time.

Presumably partly in a bid to take some of the shine off the new Pagani Huayra, Gumpert has commissioned Italian carrozzeria (we could say 'coachbuilder', but the Italian sounds so much better) Touring Superleggera to create a less-hardcore two-seat 'touring' model.

The car will be based around a new chassis, with a mid-mounted V8 powerplant. Or, in the endearingly Germanic words of the Gumpert press release, the Tornante will be "based on a new central engine chassis and V8-powered driveline".

The body, meanwhile, will be composite panels on a spaceframe, with a carbon fibre monocoque beneath.

Gumpert isn't giving away anything more concrete about the car, other than the fact that the German company has "requested the Milanese designer to add space, elegance and comfort to their typical sheer performance attitude".

We'll know more, presumably, when the wraps come off the car at the Geneva motor show in March.

[[AJ]]

Ooh, loving the idea of this. The Apollo was far from pretty, but I thought it was a great looking car, certainly in the flesh. Very purposeful and mean. This looks rather promising and will hopefully give the fish faced Pegani something to think about performance wise too. I'm guessing it's still going to look very practical in the inside next to Pegani's rather extravagant interior though.

[jibbert]

this will not touch the Pagani huayra!

[RJDM3]

Beat you to it

http://pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&f... Gumpert

[jp-speed-triple]

this is exactly what I have been looking for.

[M666 EVO]

FUGLY!

[RJDM3]

M666 EVO said:

FUGLY!

How do you make that assumption without a single picture?

[JumpinJack]

The Hardcore version is definately not a looker, but I can't wait to see what they come up with now.

[SCR Racing]

RJDM3 said:

M666 EVO said:

FUGLY!

How do you make that assumption without a single picture?

And, who gives a st if it is? The Apollo was ugly as sin, but goes like it's fuelled on sins. Which is mega!

[RJDM3]

But this version of the Apollo S is pretty cool

[chuntington101]

Shame they aren't using the V10 from the RS6. i have heard they can make over 1000bhp with diffrent turbos! Also the Underground Racing Team have a lambo V10 that makes over 1500bhp. These engines are seriously strong!

[dean_ratpac]

chuntington101 said:

Shame they aren't using the V10 from the RS6. i have heard they can make over 1000bhp with diffrent turbos! Also the Underground Racing Team have a lambo V10 that makes over 1500bhp. These engines are seriously strong!

Didn't that Lambo flip on the Texas mile comp? Gumpert looks still too parts bin and i've been made in a shed.

[RobPhoboS]

From that pic it already looks a shed load better than the horrid new Pagani.

[Amizade]

RJDM3 said:

But this version of the Apollo S is pretty cool

from the defensive body language it looks like a punter has just rocked up and said their car looks ste!

[havoc]

article said:

The body, meanwhile, will be composite panels on a spaceframe, with a carbon fibre monocoque beneath.

Erm...guys...spaceframes and monocoques are typically alternatives, not complements.

It'll either have one or the other, or conceivably it may have a monocoque front-end bolted to a spaceframe rear-end.


Can I ask you go back to those crazy Germans at Gumpert and ask exactly what they mean???

[marcosgt]

dean_ratpac said:

Gumpert looks still too parts bin and i've been made in a shed.

Is that a little too much information about your conception?

M.

[Riggers]

havoc said:

article said:

The body, meanwhile, will be composite panels on a spaceframe, with a carbon fibre monocoque beneath.

Erm...guys...spaceframes and monocoques are typically alternatives, not complements.

It'll either have one or the other, or conceivably it may have a monocoque front-end bolted to a spaceframe rear-end.


Can I ask you go back to those crazy Germans at Gumpert and ask exactly what they mean???

The thought had crossed my mind. I'll put the question to 'em...

ETA:

No need - here's what the website says:

Gumpert's website said:

The secret of Apollo is an innovative design concept from racing car engineering. The base and symbolic backbone of Apollo consists a round tube frame made of top-quality and highly stable chrome-molybdenum-steel with an integrated monocoque safety cell made of high quality carbon fibre screwed directly onto the frame. The 161 kg (355 lbs.) construction design is so effective, so torsion proof and bend resistant that it complies with both the specifications of the European MOT approval and the international manufacture specifications of motor sports (see annex J of the FIA regulations).

Edited by Riggers on Wednesday 26th January 15:25

[RJDM3]

Considering Rolands experience prior to Gumpert he certianly knows how to build a car.

[Squabbler]

I actually liked Gumpert Apollo. Its ugliness is functional, which is why it doesn't need to be explained. As some race driver said, The fastest car is the most beautiful.

[mainaman]

The Apollo is the fastest production car with a ''roof'' on the Ring,no other road car have the same power,downforce levels,race spec suspension,etc.,while offering most of the cabin luxuries of a ''normal'' car.

[RJDM3]

mainaman said:

The Apollo is the fastest production car with a ''roof'' on the Ring,no other road car have the same power,downforce levels,race spec suspension,etc.,while offering most of the cabin luxuries of a ''normal'' car.

Did you pull that quote from somewhere?

The car inside is far from luxurious, but it is purposeful