Photo: Gemballa
Some of our older readers are probably well aware of the existence of Gemballa, a German car company that started as a Porsche tuner back in the '80s and then survived through tumultuous times until 2010, when it was shut down following the disappearance of its CEO.
Started by Uwe Gemballa in 1981, the Porsche specialist first became famous mainly for outrageous-looking Porsche and Mercedes-Benz models fitted with extra-wide body kits, upgraded interiors, and improved performance.
After its founder was actually found dead at the end of 2010, a brand new Gemballa company, this time sporting the GmbH moniker, was established with the help of a new investor.
Steffen Korbach is that investor, and he also became the company's CEO in 2016, pouring over 15 million euros into the business in the process. Nowadays, the new Gemballa is on a slightly different path, but for the reinvention of the company to be completed it needs another 20 million euros or so.
At least this how a press release was introducing the world to the idea of a Gemballa supercar in the summer. A few months have passed since then, and the German tuner is now announcing more details about the supercar project, which has since evolved into a hypercar, apparently.
For starters, the first prototype should be unveiled in the first half of 2020, and the company recently started a fundraising process, already registering payments from investors.
Two new drawings, showing a slightly different mid-engine model than the first rendering, don't do much in explaining the jump from “supercar” to “hypercar.” What does that is the first discussion about performance, with Gemballa aiming for a naught to 100 kph (62 mph) acceleration time of under 2.5 seconds. Even more outstanding is the expected 0-200 kph (124 mph) time, which should be achieved in around 6.5 seconds, or about as quickly as a Bugatti Chiron.
Not much is official about the powerplant or the car's name so far, but the CEO has let it slip that he's no fan of electric motors. “We’re now concentrating on building one of the last pure sports cars, a modern classic with an outstanding appearance and performance. A pure GEMBALLA car needs petrol and sound. Not all new trends are cool,” highlighted CEO Steffen Korbach. That said, a hybrid version will also be in the works, apparently.
The biggest news is related to the hypercar's transmission, which may include a manual gearbox option, making it the last of its kind if indeed gets manufactured.
After its founder was actually found dead at the end of 2010, a brand new Gemballa company, this time sporting the GmbH moniker, was established with the help of a new investor.
Steffen Korbach is that investor, and he also became the company's CEO in 2016, pouring over 15 million euros into the business in the process. Nowadays, the new Gemballa is on a slightly different path, but for the reinvention of the company to be completed it needs another 20 million euros or so.
At least this how a press release was introducing the world to the idea of a Gemballa supercar in the summer. A few months have passed since then, and the German tuner is now announcing more details about the supercar project, which has since evolved into a hypercar, apparently.
For starters, the first prototype should be unveiled in the first half of 2020, and the company recently started a fundraising process, already registering payments from investors.
Two new drawings, showing a slightly different mid-engine model than the first rendering, don't do much in explaining the jump from “supercar” to “hypercar.” What does that is the first discussion about performance, with Gemballa aiming for a naught to 100 kph (62 mph) acceleration time of under 2.5 seconds. Even more outstanding is the expected 0-200 kph (124 mph) time, which should be achieved in around 6.5 seconds, or about as quickly as a Bugatti Chiron.
Not much is official about the powerplant or the car's name so far, but the CEO has let it slip that he's no fan of electric motors. “We’re now concentrating on building one of the last pure sports cars, a modern classic with an outstanding appearance and performance. A pure GEMBALLA car needs petrol and sound. Not all new trends are cool,” highlighted CEO Steffen Korbach. That said, a hybrid version will also be in the works, apparently.
The biggest news is related to the hypercar's transmission, which may include a manual gearbox option, making it the last of its kind if indeed gets manufactured.
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