Roland Gumpert

Last updated

Roland Gumpert
Roland-Gumpert-next-apollo.jpg
Gumpert next to the Gumpert Apollo.
Born (1944-12-10) 10 December 1944 (age 79)
NationalityGerman
OccupationBusiness
Known forfounder of Apollo Automobil and Gumpert Aiways Automobile

Roland Gumpert (born 10 December 1944) is a German engineer and founder of the sports car manufacturer Apollo Automobil. Gumpert is currently the managing director [1] of the sports car manufacturer Gumpert Aiways Automobile, in which he also founded.

Contents

Biography

Engineer at Audi

Gumpert studied mechanical engineering at the Graz University of Technology. After graduating as a graduate engineer, he worked from 1969 as a test engineer for vehicle development at Audi AG in Ingolstadt. From 1972 he then worked as a test manager and type supervisor for the Audi 50. In 1974, Gumpert became head of the pre-development and testing department. Between 1975 and 1977, he developed a motorcycle for Audi, the Z02, which was rejected by the responsible Volkswagen manager. The selectable four-wheel drive of the Volkswagen Iltis was also one of his projects at this time. [2] In 1977, Gumpert moved to the chassis and assembly testing department. Finally, in 1981 Gumpert became Head of Sport and Special Development at Audi Sport. Under his leadership as race director, Audi won 25 rounds of the world rally championship and 4 rally world championship titles.

In 1986, Gumpert was head of technical development overseas and in 1992, he was responsible for sales and marketing for the Asia-Pacific region. In 1999, Gumpert was appointed to the sales and marketing board member "VW-Audi Joint Venture China".

Managing director of Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur

Together with Roland Mayer, the owner of Motoren Technik Mayer, Gumpert developed the Gumpert Apollo super sports car. Gumpert left Audi AG in the same year when GMG Sportwagenmanufaktur Altenburg was founded. A year later, the factory, of which he became managing director, was renamed Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur. After the insolvency and the sale of the sports car manufacturer in 2014, Gumpert left it. This company was renamed Apollo Automobil GmbH after the acquisition by its new owner. [3]

Gumpert Aiways Automobile

After a career break of several years, Gumpert returned in 2017 as CEO of Gumpert Aiways Automobile. As the leading developer of the methanol electric sports car Gumpert Nathalie, [4] he has since been one of the pioneers of methanol fuel cell technology in the automotive industry.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Audi</span> German automotive manufacturer

Audi AG is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. A subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini</span> Italian automobile manufacturer

Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of luxury sports cars and SUVs based in Sant'Agata Bolognese. The company is owned by the Volkswagen Group through its subsidiary Audi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche</span> German automobile manufacturer

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche, is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company is owned by Volkswagen AG, a controlling stake of which is owned by Porsche Automobil Holding SE. Porsche's current lineup includes the 718, 911, Panamera, Macan, Cayenne and Taycan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Audi R8</span> Mid-engine sports car made by Audi

The Audi R8 is a mid-engine, 2-seater sports car, which uses Audi's trademark quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. It was introduced by the German car manufacturer Audi AG in 2006. Production ended in the first quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferdinand Piëch</span> Austrian industrialist (1937–2019), head of Volkswagen

Ferdinand Karl Piëch was an Austrian business magnate, engineer and executive who was the chairman of the executive board (Vorstandsvorsitzender) of Volkswagen Group in 1993–2002 and the chairman of the supervisory board (Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender) of Volkswagen Group in 2002–2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gumpert Apollo</span> Motor vehicle

The Gumpert Apollo is a sports car produced by German automotive manufacturer Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbH in Altenburg. Gumpert filed for bankruptcy in August 2013, thereby ending the production of the Apollo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apollo Automobil</span> German sports car manufacturer

Apollo Automobil is a German sports car manufacturer headquartered in Denkendorf. Roland Gumpert, who founded Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur in 2004, once held the position of director of Audi Sport. Under his management, Audi won a total of 25 World Rally Championship rallies and four World Rally Championship titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NSU Prinz</span> Automobile produced in West Germany by the NSU Motorenwerke AG from 1958 to 1973

The NSU Prinz (Prince) is an automobile which was produced in West Germany by the NSU Motorenwerke AG from 1958 to 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rudolf Leiding</span>

Dr. Ing. h.c. Rudolf Leiding was the third post-war chairman of the Volkswagen automobile company, succeeding Kurt Lotz in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Winterkorn</span> German former business executive (born 1947)

Martin Winterkorn is a German former business executive who was chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen AG, the parent company of the Volkswagen Group, chairman of the supervisory board of Audi, and chairman of the board of management of Porsche Automobil Holding SE.

Audi Sport GmbH, formerly known as quattro GmbH, is the high-performance car manufacturing subsidiary of Audi, itself a subsidiary of the greater Volkswagen Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automotive industry in Germany</span> Overview of the automotive industry in Germany

The automotive industry in Germany is one of the largest employers in the world, with a labor force of over 857,336 (2016) working in the industry.

MTM – Motoren Technik Mayer GmbH, is a German car tuner and small manufacturer based in Wettstetten.

Gumpert is a surname and may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apollo Intensa Emozione</span> Mid-engine sports car manufactured by Apollo Automobil

The Apollo Intensa Emozione, sometimes referred as the IE, is a mid-engine sports car manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Apollo Automobil GmbH, in partnership with Manifattura Automobili Torino, designed by their chief designer Jowyn Wong. Intensa Emozione means 'intense emotion' in Italian.

Jörg Bensinger is a German automotive chassis engineer, who pioneered four-wheel drive (all-wheel) transmission for conventional (on-road) automobiles in the 1980s, first developing the idea in 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piëch Automotive</span> Swiss car manufacturer

Piëch Automotive is an electric car manufacturer based in Zug, Switzerland, founded in August 2017 by Anton "Toni" Piëch and Rea Stark Rajcic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gumpert Nathalie</span> Motor vehicle

The Gumpert Nathalie or RG Nathalie is a hydrogen-electric hybrid sports car running on methanol to generate hydrogen that is scheduled to enter production in 2021. It is the first car produced by the new car manufacturer RG founded by Roland Gumpert, following the bankruptcy of his company Gumpert which produced the Apollo. Production is planned to be limited to 500 cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aiways</span> Chinese automobile manufacturer

Aiways Automobiles Company Ltd is a Chinese automobile manufacturer of electric cars founded in 2017. The Aiways name is derived from the phrase "Ai is on the way".

References

  1. "Impressum — Roland Gumpert".
  2. Jochen Vorfelder: Wir sind doch kein Fahrradhersteller Spiegel online vom 16. März 2009
  3. Haupt, Andreas (5 January 2016). "Neuer Name, neuer Apollo" [Gumpert Reboot: New name, new Apollo]. Auto Motor und Sport (in German). Motor Presse Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KG. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  4. "The new electric Roland Gumpert Nathalie — Roland Gumpert".