Imagine creating a hypercar that is so extreme that it is known as the dragon car because of the brutal power behind it. Well, that’s what German car maker Apollo Automobil did when they created the Apollo IE, short for Intensa Emozione. There is quite a story behind this car too.
If you were like me, a car enthusiast in the early 2010s, the Apollo name is one you probably would recognize thanks to the Gumpert Apollo. Now the Gumpert Apollo might be a forgotten car these days but back then it was actually quite well known as it had a unique design and was one of the most extreme road legal supercars around at the time.
After Gumpert ended up bankrupt, the brand was purchased by a Hong Kong company who would rename the brand to Apollo Automobil. The Apollo IE was unveiled to the public in 2017 as an exclusive track focused hypercar (that is still road legal) with only 10 units to be produced, all 10 being sold before the car would start production.
With a 780 hp naturally aspirated V12 engine and majority of parts made out of carbon fiber to make it as light as possible, the Apollo IE was no doubt made to be a beast on the track. Clearly this is something Apollo themselves felt as they assigned each IE based on the spec along with the “Dragon” name to the end. Take for example the “Golden Dragon” or my personal favorite, the “Black Dragon” (seen in featured image).
As for the design, it is as aggressive as you would expect with the sharp aerodynamic lines, curves, edges and the large rear spoiler. It even has gullwing doors like the earlier Gumpert Apollo. This aggressive style is what makes the Apollo IE a bit different from other hypercars as usually, hypercars are designed with more of a sleek style to make it more attractive visually, while the Apollo IE instead takes the route of pure aggression with its sharp lines. Considering the extreme nature of the IE however, it definitely works.
There are videos out there of the Apollo IE being driven on the track that showcase the full extent of its raw power and I will say it is probably one of the most brutal sounding cars in existence. With the way the V12 roars, it is easy to see why Apollo considers the IE as a dragon car.
When Gumpert closed down, few could have imagined how a revival would work but there is no doubt Apollo Automobil have managed to put themselves on the hypercar map thanks to the IE, which remains one of the most extreme track cars ever created.
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