Gemballa
Encyclopedia
Gemballa is a tuning company based in Leonberg
near Stuttgart
, Germany
, which was founded by, and named after, Uwe Gemballa in 1981. They provided aftermarket parts mainly for Porsche
. In May 2010, the Gemballa factory was seized by German authorities and shut down following the disappearance of Uwe Gemballa who was later found dead. CEO Andreas Schwarz and investor Steffen Korbach were able to reopen the company in August 2010.
A 600 hp Gemballa model held the lap record
for road cars at the Nürburgring
in the late 1990s once, and again in 2001 when Wolfgang Kaufmann lowered it to 7:32,52 min. It was since beaten by a Porsche Carrera GT
, by less than a second.
Based on a Porsche Carrera GT
, Gemballa produced the Mirage GT. Rumors suggested that when the car was produced it would have upwards of 800 hp; however, the Mirage GT's only performance modification is an exhaust system which boosts power to 645 hp. Company owner Uwe Gemballa says a twin-turbo version of the Porsche Supercar is in the works. Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine described the car as "one of the finest automobiles we've ever featured."
Gemballa Avalanche GTR800 EVO-R is a car based on the current 911 (997) GT2. Like the title suggests, it produces about 800 bhp thanks to two turbochargers and highly modified engine components. Not much information is available at the moment but there are some pictures released at www.gemballa.com, the Gemballa website.
Gemballa also has a modification based on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo
. This produces around 750 brake horsepower. The modification is called GT 750 Aero 3. This modification is also available for the Cayenne's predecessor 955 model. The tune-up kit features exterior modification to enhance aerodynamic performance. Engine tuning is carried through revised turbochargers, coolers (oil and pressurized air IC) and a large collection of engine components including pistons and seals.
The latest model is the Gemballa MIG-U1, that is based on the Ferrari Enzo, for a limited numbers.
GT3 instead of Porsches. They had scheduled to race in FIA GT3 European Championship
next year.
Leonberg
Leonberg is a town in the German federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg about 10 miles to the west of Stuttgart, the state capital. Approximately 45,000 people live in Leonberg, making it the third biggest borough in the rural district of Böblingen .Leonberg is most famous for its picturesque market...
near Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, which was founded by, and named after, Uwe Gemballa in 1981. They provided aftermarket parts mainly for Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
. In May 2010, the Gemballa factory was seized by German authorities and shut down following the disappearance of Uwe Gemballa who was later found dead. CEO Andreas Schwarz and investor Steffen Korbach were able to reopen the company in August 2010.
A 600 hp Gemballa model held the lap record
Nordschleife fastest lap times
This is a list of lap times achieved by various vehicles on the Nürburgring . The list itself is broken down into categories.-The Nordschleife:...
for road cars at the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
in the late 1990s once, and again in 2001 when Wolfgang Kaufmann lowered it to 7:32,52 min. It was since beaten by a Porsche Carrera GT
Porsche Carrera GT
The Porsche Carrera GT is a mid-engined sports car that was manufactured by Porsche in Leipzig, Germany.- History :The development of the Carrera GT can be traced back to the 911 GT1 and LMP1-98 racing cars. Due in part to the FIA and ACO rule changes in 1998, both designs had ended. Porsche at...
, by less than a second.
Notable Gemballa cars
Porsche Carrera GT
The Porsche Carrera GT is a mid-engined sports car that was manufactured by Porsche in Leipzig, Germany.- History :The development of the Carrera GT can be traced back to the 911 GT1 and LMP1-98 racing cars. Due in part to the FIA and ACO rule changes in 1998, both designs had ended. Porsche at...
, Gemballa produced the Mirage GT. Rumors suggested that when the car was produced it would have upwards of 800 hp; however, the Mirage GT's only performance modification is an exhaust system which boosts power to 645 hp. Company owner Uwe Gemballa says a twin-turbo version of the Porsche Supercar is in the works. Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine described the car as "one of the finest automobiles we've ever featured."
Gemballa Avalanche GTR800 EVO-R is a car based on the current 911 (997) GT2. Like the title suggests, it produces about 800 bhp thanks to two turbochargers and highly modified engine components. Not much information is available at the moment but there are some pictures released at www.gemballa.com, the Gemballa website.
Gemballa also has a modification based on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne is a five seat mid-size luxury crossover manufactured by the German manufacturer Porsche since 2002, with North American sales beginning in 2003. Its platform was developed by Porsche and is shared with the Volkswagen Touareg and the Audi Q7. It is the first V8-engined vehicle...
. This produces around 750 brake horsepower. The modification is called GT 750 Aero 3. This modification is also available for the Cayenne's predecessor 955 model. The tune-up kit features exterior modification to enhance aerodynamic performance. Engine tuning is carried through revised turbochargers, coolers (oil and pressurized air IC) and a large collection of engine components including pistons and seals.
The latest model is the Gemballa MIG-U1, that is based on the Ferrari Enzo, for a limited numbers.
Death of Uwe Gemballa
On February 17, 2010, it was reported that Uwe Gemballa had gone missing in Johannesburg, South Africa while on a business trip. In October 2010, Uwe Gemballa was found shot dead in South Africa. It is suspected that his murder was a result of a money laundering operation which turned against him.Gemballa Racing (2011-present)
Gemballa has recently established its racing division called Gemballa Racing, but using McLaren MP4-12CMcLaren MP4-12C
The McLaren MP4-12C is a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. It is the first production car wholly designed and built by McLaren since the McLaren F1. The car's final design was unveiled on 8 September 2009, and it is set to be launched in 2011...
GT3 instead of Porsches. They had scheduled to race in FIA GT3 European Championship
FIA GT3 European Championship
The FIA GT3 European Championship is a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation and regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . It is a championship derived from the international FIA GT1 World Championship, but meant to provide competition for more...
next year.