Apollo ‘Intensa Emozione’ one step closer to production

Several months after its initial reveal, it appears the Apollo IE hypercar is nearing its final stages of development.

The GT1-inspired Apollo IE – the letters standing for ‘Intensa Emozione’ – is set to be ready next year, but Apollo has just announced a new partner for its development as HWA AG.

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HWA has proven itself a successful motorsport outfit in the DTM series, having won several championships since it began competing in 2000.

Apollo says the partnership will focus on ‘development areas such as safety, reliability, powertrain calibration, and thermal dynamics.’

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HWA’s history with AMG has placed it in a good position to work with Mercedes engines, though it would appear the Apollo IE is set to use a naturally-aspirated Ferrari V12, good for 582kW and 760Nm in this application.

The mid-engined IE is set to have a kerb weight of just 1250kg, allowing it to hit 100km/h in 2.7 seconds.

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Apollo also expects it to top out at 335km/h, before which the downforce exerted on the IE will have reached a massive 1350kg.

Most of the IE will be made from carbon fibre – particularly its body panels and monocoque.

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If the Apollo name sounds familiar, it should. It’s the current form of what used to be Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur, responsible for the unfortunately eponymous Gumpert Apollo.

Though retaining the Apollo name, the IE shares little in common with the Gumpert Apollo.

Apollo says production of the IE is “strictly limited to ten units with first customer deliveries expected to commence in 2019.”