Skip to main content

The Apollo IE Supercar Could Theoretically Drive Upside Down

Passion is key to understanding the rebirth of Apollo Automobil.

It’s been a while since we had heard the Apollo name. The company, formally known as Gumpert, was sold off some years ago and by all accounts, went dark. That, however, was by choice, as the new company was secretly building what they term as “the last supercar you’ll think of when the world goes autonomous and electric.” Enter the Apollo Intensa Emozione (IE).

apollo intensa emozione 4
Stephan Bauer
Stephan Bauer
Recommended Videos

For Norman Choi, the brand’s new owner, and Ryan Berris, Norman’s collaborator and the company’s operations director, the rawer the car the better. And as you can see from the pictures here, the Apollo IE is about as raw as you can get. The IE is powered by a hellion of a motor, a 6.3-liter V-12 engine with a rev limit of 9,000 rpm; and there’s no turbo or electric trickery here either. Unlike its competitors, the IE’s engine is naturally aspirated engine and good for over 800 horsepower. It’s exceptional power is then sent through a single clutch, race-bred transmission that we’ve been assured will not only deliver lightning fast shifts, but shifts with the brutality of a sledgehammer to the chest. Yes, please!

Both the chassis and body are built of carbon fiber, and even with the fire-breathing heavyweight of an engine in the middle, the car weighs just 2,755 lbs. For comparison, the Porsche 911 Turbo S, a car that can match a Bugatti Veyron to 60 mph, weighs almost 1,000 lbs more. More impressive though than its longitudinal push is that the Apollo IE has enough downforce to — theoretically, mind you — drive upside down. In fact, the only cars that compare to the IE are Le Mans prototype racecars in terms of downforce.

The Apollo IE is Norman’s personal dream car and came out exactly to his specifications. However, due to the reception he’s received, Apollo will now sell 10 other examples of the IE to customers around the world with each car carrying a starting price of $2.7 million. That eye-watering dollar figure, shouldn’t come as a surprise though when you start going through the laundry list of bespoke or race-bred parts affixed to the IE. Nor is it surprising given the anal-retentive standards that this car has been built to.

apollo intensa emozione 6
Stephan Bauer
Stephan Bauer

While the Apollo IE debuted a few months ago at an intimate gathering, the eyes of the world really haven’t been able to get a good look at the wildest hypercar to debut in recent memory. To fix that, Apollo descended on the Geneva International Motor Show. Though, instead of a static display in one of the show’s many booths where the IE would have to compete with countless other metallic exotica, Apollo slapped a license plate onto the back of the IE and drove it around the centuries-old city delighting onlookers and making us rather envious that we weren’t at the show to bask in the IE’s heart-pounding V-12 vibrato.

We really need to get behind the wheel.

Jonathon Klein
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jonathon is a former contributor to The Manual. Please reach out to The Manual editorial staff with any questions or comments…
Summer heat killers: EVs with the least range loss
Recurrent tracked the effect of summer heat on more than 29,700 electric vehicles.
Ford Mustang Mach-E

Suppose you are considering an EV purchase or lease this summer and are concerned about battery range during heat waves. In that case, the results of a new study published by EV analytics firm Recurrent Auto can provide valuable guidance. Recurrent calls out the winners and losers in EV range hot temperature-sensitivity.

It's safe to say that EV battery range is affected by extremes in temperature, both hot and cold. As is the case with most general statements, that one, too, is subject to multiple "buts" and "howevers." Most studies of the effects of extreme cold on EV battery range or how hot temperatures can hamper your travel plans report on average EV travel range differences collected across a wide variety of EV brands and models. Some compile results from thousands of EVs of the same brand.

Read more
Indigenous designer Jeremy Arviso creates limited-edition Indian Motorcycle streetwear line
Arivso blends Indian Motorcycle DNA and indigenous visual elements
The Jeremy Arviso limited indigenous streetwear collection for Indian Motorcycle.

Indian Motorcycle announced a collaboration with well-known indigenous streetwear designer Jeremy Arviso. This limited-edition collection brings together Arviso’s bold style and the adventurous spirit of Indian Motorcycle. The nine-piece lineup celebrates a deep connection to land, community, and tradition.
Why Arviso created the collection

"Creating such a meaningful, modern expression of Native American style with a legendary brand like Indian Motorcycle, is both an honor and a  privilege,” Arviso said. “For this collection, I drew inspiration from the brand DNA of Indian Motorcycle, while carefully integrating vibrant color and  indigenous visual elements that symbolize movement and direction throughout the collection. Adorned with arrow motifs, each piece embodies a deep connection to land, community, and heritage.”

Read more
Adidas and Mercedes-AMG F1 launch Silver Arrows fanwear collection before British Grand Prix
The Silver Arrow collection is on sale worldwide at select Adidas retailers and the Adidas website.
F1 drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli wearing Mercedes fan wear with a Mercedes-Benz W196 racecar.

Working with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team, Adidas launched the Silver Arrow pack, a collection of fanwear inspired by the Mercedes-Benz W196 race car. Current Mercedes F1 drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli posed with items from the Silver Arrow collection along with professional models.
Why celebrate the W196?

The W196 wasn't the first Silver Arrow. The first Mercedes to be called a Silver Arrow was the Mercedes W25, which debuted in 1934. However, driver Juan Fangio won the 1954 and 1955 F1 World Championships with the W196, which was among the several models referred to by the group name. The Adidas Silver Arrow collection celebrates the 70th anniversary of the W196's first F1 Championship season.

Read more