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Another week, another Nurburgring record claim. This time it’s Roland Gumpert’s Apollo, ugly as sin, yet quicker than a GT-R.
In fact, Gumpert now lays claim to producing the quickest production car in the world – if Nurburgring times are anything to go by…
Most of the recent banter around the Nurburgring paddock has concerned the petulant battle between Porsche and Nissan for production car lap record bragging rights.
Nissan is currently winning this particular argument with its GT-R running a 7:26.7 time.
A few other cars though, have tried to claim line honours recently too recently, and gone a fair bit quicker than the Nipponese hypercar killer.
Gumpert's Apollo being prepared for its record run last week. Production car? But of course Sir...
Dodge’s Viper ACR did a 7:22.1, which upset European performance purists no end last year.
Now, the aesthetically challenged, yet beautifully engineered Gumpert Apollo is laying claim to the Nurburgring production car lap record.
Lacking a credible vetting authority, the mere notion of a production car lap record around the Nurburgring is one of the most euphemistic concepts in all of automobiledom.
Despite this, the Apollo, with its 4.2l, bi-turbo Audi V8 engine producing 515kW, has set a time of 7:11.57.
Very quick indeed and bested only by the extremely silly Radical SR8, which could hardly qualify as a roadcar, yet posted a 6:55 lap time back in 2005.
The Apollo in question was a race trim Speed version, with the full 515kW power package.
Kudos to German touring car driver, Florian Gruber, who piloted the rear-wheel drive monster to such a blistering time.
Now, let the arguments begin…
In fact, Gumpert now lays claim to producing the quickest production car in the world – if Nurburgring times are anything to go by…
Most of the recent banter around the Nurburgring paddock has concerned the petulant battle between Porsche and Nissan for production car lap record bragging rights.
Nissan is currently winning this particular argument with its GT-R running a 7:26.7 time.
A few other cars though, have tried to claim line honours recently too recently, and gone a fair bit quicker than the Nipponese hypercar killer.
Gumpert's Apollo being prepared for its record run last week. Production car? But of course Sir...
Dodge’s Viper ACR did a 7:22.1, which upset European performance purists no end last year.
Now, the aesthetically challenged, yet beautifully engineered Gumpert Apollo is laying claim to the Nurburgring production car lap record.
Lacking a credible vetting authority, the mere notion of a production car lap record around the Nurburgring is one of the most euphemistic concepts in all of automobiledom.
Despite this, the Apollo, with its 4.2l, bi-turbo Audi V8 engine producing 515kW, has set a time of 7:11.57.
Very quick indeed and bested only by the extremely silly Radical SR8, which could hardly qualify as a roadcar, yet posted a 6:55 lap time back in 2005.
The Apollo in question was a race trim Speed version, with the full 515kW power package.
Kudos to German touring car driver, Florian Gruber, who piloted the rear-wheel drive monster to such a blistering time.
Now, let the arguments begin…
