We’re still trying to chase down the press kit for this hot little number, but we thought we’d show you what turned out to be one of the unexpected highlights of our show… the Henrik Fisker designed Artega GT.

Given Herr Fisker’s more…ummm… contrived extravagant designs (see his Tramonto and Latigo CS for details), we were more than pleased to see this punchy, organic little coupe gracing the show floor. Perhaps it isn’t the most original shape—we see more than a few shades of Lotus, Porsche and Aston here, but that’s hardly a bad place to start, and the design is certainly distinct enough to stand on its own. Certainly we weren't the car's only admirers. Despite having a one-car booth, the Artega was seemingly beset from all sides by camera-wielding journalists.

The concept, which is powered by a 300-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 (believed to be sourced from Volkswagen), heralds Fisker's pending arrival at a lower pricepoint under a new and different brand-- both of which sound great to us as well. Artega isn't actually an all-new name, it's been a supplier to various car companies for some time now. However, this is the first time we can recall them taking a shot at branding an entire vehicle.

The GT is said to be a "close to production" concept, so we hope that it hits the streets running, and that we manage to have one grace our office at some point.

Well done, Mr. Fisker.

Stock Shots:

The Artega® GT. Germany’s alternative to the sports car establishment.

The new car brand Artega® is set to unveil a close-to-production prototype of its debut model.
Artega®’s aim is the development and production of small-series sports cars that break the mould.
Artega® was the brainchild of engineers in the development department at paragon, the globally
successful electronics supplier based in Delbrück, in the German state of North Rhine Westphalia.
The company’s mission statement commits it to providing a convincing and sustained demonstration
of both all-round automotive expertise and a passion for sporty cars.
Artega® and the Artega® GT represent a new beginning,with no brief to bring a historical brand back
to life and no nostalgia agenda. The challenging, international setting of the Geneva Motor Show
makes this a fitting venue for the first public unveiling of both brand and car.
The new Artega® GT combines the emotional appeal of a high-performance sports car with the
defining attributes of a sports tourer. The development of the car hinged on four priorities:
• A distinctive design language. Renowned designer Henrik Fisker has created proportions with
an unprecedented purity: broad, flat and compact. Given its restricted dimensions, an interior
brimming with efficiency comes as something of a surprise. There is room inside the car not just
for two adults, but also their luggage – and even a child seat can be integrated as an option.
• Agility, driving dynamics and safety. The key parameters in the development of the Artega® GT
were lightweight construction and rigidity. A generously sized aluminium space frame teams up
with a body made from carbon fibre-reinforced composite materials to ensure an impressive
power-to-weight ratio. High-quality components sourced from the Volkswagen Group and a
rear-engined arrangement make for top-class performance.The V6 powerplant with a direct-shift
gearbox and a specially developed inverting stage was built into a compact module made from
high-strength steel tubing. Active driving dynamics aids are an integral element of the GT, while
exceptionally effective crash boxes protect the occupants in the event of an accident.
• Touring suitability. The development engineers attached great importance to creating an occupant-
oriented package. A wide variety of stowage areas and two luggage compartments exceed
the usual boundaries for a car with these dimensions. The key to this extraordinary spaciousness
was the decision to mount the engine horizontally in the rear of the car.
• Controls. The expertise of the electronics specialists at paragon opened the door to a wide range
of innovative control and driver information systems.With its groundbreaking new sensor switch
panels and the unique dual-indicator speedometer/rev counter instrument, paragon’s all-new
interior ambience represents a significant standout feature of the new Artega® GT.
By the end of 2007 a state-of-the-art production facility will be constructed in Delbrück for the
Artega® GT and other potential models.The new location will bring together component manufacturing,
final assembly and a brand and sales centre, allowing the brand to meet the broadest possible
range of customer specifications.
The new Artega® GT is no show car. It documents the nascent brand’s intention to lay down a
range of models which are designed for the long term and can secure it a place alongside the major
manufacturers. The target group for these small-volume cars is a select band of enthusiasts who
value ideas which step outside the norm and are therefore unlikely to be satisfied by large-series
models.
Artega® aims to enrich the sports car world rather than providing extra competition.
Technical data: the Artega® GT sports touring car
Frame: aluminium space frame,
tubular frame-type rear module in high-strength steel
Body: carbon fibre-reinforced composite material
Dimensions (L xWx H): 3950 mm x 1880 mm x 1180 mm
Kerb weight: approx. 1100 kg
Engine: V6 with direct injection
Displacement: 3597 cc
Output: 300 hp (221 kW) at 6600 rpm
Torque: 350 Nm at 2400 rpm
Power-to-weight ratio: approx. 3.6 hp/kg
Transmission: six-speed direct-shift gearbox with inverting stage
Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h: under five seconds
Top speed: over 270 km/h

Artega® . The history.
The idea.
paragon AG is a successful direct supplier to almost every major car maker. Based in Delbrück in the German
state of North Rhine Westphalia, paragon develops and produces cutting-edge electronics technology such as
control and display components, climate control and car media systems. Now paragon CEO Klaus Dieter Frers (54)
is looking to broaden the company’s profile beyond that of a supplier to become a development partner in the
motor industry. This change of role will require paragon to showcase its extensive systems expertise. Frers’ idea:
to create a new car.
The incentive.
In order to demonstrate genuine expertise, the new model will need to be built in series. Frers’ concept: a highperformance
sports car – rear-wheel drive, lightweight and powerful – that is both visually dramatic and practical,
and contains innovative instruments and control systems supplied by paragon. Back in 2003 he presented
the idea to legendary car designer Albrecht Graf Goertz, the creator of the BMW 507. As coincidence would have
it, the first car Goertz designed was called the “Paragon“. His advice to Frers ran along the lines of: “There are
things in life that have to be done“. For Frers, this car is one of them.
The expertise.
Frers is what you might call a “car guy“. His father was a plant manager at NSU, while Frers himself is a qualified
engineer, keen racing driver and car collector. His new car will have to meet the highest standards. Frers knows
what paragon can deliver, of course, and for those areas beyond its reach he has cast the net further afield.
At the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, for example, he struck an agreement with renowned designer Henrik Fisker,
and the wind tunnel at the University of Stuttgart has been used for aerodynamics work. The engine and transmission
for the new car, meanwhile,were sourced from the Volkswagen Group. The result is a harmonious whole
of exceptional quality.
The aspiration.
The aim is to help shape the future of the automobile.This new project is not about bringing an old brand back to
life, but creating a new one. Artega® embodies the commitment of its founders to producing something totally
new, free from the shackles of the past. A spin-off of paragon, Artega® is no small-scale workshop outfit but a
maker of high-performance sports cars using industrial processes. Initially, annual production capacity at the
specially constructed factory in Delbrück has been set at 500 units, while a brand centre will also be built on the
site. The Artega® GT will be the first car produced as part of a long-term model strategy.
The end product.
The Artega® GT is not intended to create competition for existing sports cars. It will form a niche of its own, set
apart from both small-scale exotica and volume manufacturers. The Artega® GT exudes emotional appeal, power
and innovation. Despite its unusual proportions – compact, flat and broad – it offers an astonishingly high level
of practicality, and the broad use of lightweight construction techniques ensures outstanding performance
and impressive efficiency. The Artega® GT combines all this with an innovative paragon interior to create a quite
unique new sports car for devotees of automotive innovation.