There's more to the story of the car in east Germany than the DDR-era Trabant. John Cassidy reports on a new supercar that's about to make its appearance
Scorned for giving us the Trabant, what once was East Germany could soon make amends by producing a 642 bhp, Ferrari-beating supercar. The Trabi was built with practicality in mind - it had a low maintenance plastic body and a simple, easy-to-work-on 500-600cc engine.
However, it was about as much fun to be with as a Stasi interviewer with haemorrhoids. Apart from the fact that its body will be made of plastic - granted a different sort - the newcomer from eastern Germany couldn't be more different.
The Apollo sportscar will offer several engine options, the top-of-the-range bi-turbo Audi V8 producing a stunning 642 bhp which will propel the Ossi rocket from 0-62mph in 3 seconds, on to a top speed of 360 kph - that's 223.69 mph. For those who find such figures extreme, a normally aspirated version of the same engine and single-supercharger variant are also envisaged . . . but driving-licence-to-no-driving-licence times are unlikely to be affected with even the base model offering 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds.
A chrome-molybdane-steel chassis, a superlight body made from fibreglass or carbon-reinforced plastic, and a minimalist interior should give a power-to-weight ratio that makes its competitors seem flabby. No creature comforts here - just 1,000 kg of pure, street-legal racing car.
The company behind the project, GMG Sportwagenmanufaktur Altenburg, is working with MTM Motoren-Technik-Mayer, the Ingolstadt Audi engine tuners. Nitek Engineering of Rheinland-Pfalz is providing the chassis, while the University of Munich is offering expertise on aerodynamic matters.
Even with such pan-German input, the old DDR ideals of egalitarianism (of a sort) will prevail, with prices ranging from €115,000 to €175,000 depending on spec. A snip, when compared with GMG's yardsticks - in Germany the Porsche GT is €511,000, and the Enzo Ferrari €645,000.
The makers believe they can achieve this through lower costs - even 14 years after re-unification parts of eastern Germany are still blighted by high unemployment and run-down industry.
They believe they will benefit from a plentiful supply of skilled, qualified labour, with specialised know-how in high-tech plastics. Altenburg is also close to major urban centres such as Chemnitz, Gera, Zwickau and Leipzig.
It's hoped that the company's workforce will be increased at the plant, a converted sewing machine factory, in the coming months, when it's hoped the car will go into full production. In 2005, the company expects to employ 20 to 30 workers, assembling 50 units. Thereafter, they expect that demand will lead to a further increase in workforce and capacity.
It sounds like great news for motoring enthusiasts and the good folk of Altenburg - but will it happen? Roland Gumpert of GMG is in no doubt.
A former head of Audi's motorsports division, Gumpert told Motors that, although GMG was formed only last December, the Apollo project had already been two years in development at that time, having been initiated by MTM.
He is "very sure" that the Apollo prototype, which was "nearly complete", will be ready to make its racing debut at the Zolder 24-hour endurance race in Belgium at the end of August. The company has already had orders from several German buyers, he says.
Perhaps one day the town of Altenburg will be as synonymous with high-performance exotica as the established meccas of Stuttgart and Maranello? We will watch developments with interest.