Gumpert reveals rally-inspired sports car

The Gumpert Explosion, a two-seat sports car with four-wheel drive, has been unveiled at the Geneva motor show.

The new creation from the niche car manufacturer – which hit financial troubles in 2012 – is a front-engined sports car with a tubular frame and a chassis made from carbonfibre, glassfibre-reinforced plastic and aluminium composite.

The vehicle was developed and constructed by a small team at GSM Gumpert in Ingolstadt, Germany.

“We want to convey to all those drivers who love motor sports what it feels like to sit behind the wheel of a rally car," said company boss Roland Gumpert.

Drive comes from a four-cylinder, 1984cc engine that produces maximum power of 414bhp at 6450rpm and maximum torque of 384lb ft at 4550rpm. It will be offered with a six-speed paddle-shift auto or six-speed manual transmission.

Gumpert's figures suggest the Explosion can cover 0-62mph in three seconds flat. Although it hasn't confirmed the car's top speed, the manufacturer has hinted that the figure "starts with a 3", suggesting it is capable of more than 300kph, or 186mph.

The Geneva show car is the first pre-production model to be finished. The company has already started work on the series-production variants and the first models are expected to appear later this year.

The Explosion will be priced from €105,000 (which converts to about £86,500) excluding VAT and shipping costs.

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