Artega GT

Artega GT at a glance

Klaus Dieter Frers, an engineer who had built up the electronics and components supplier Paragon, set up Artega in 2006 to make a small, light German sports car. He hired Henrik Fisker, known for the BMW Z8 and Aston Martin DB9 and later for his own Fisker electric cars, to style it, and Hardy Essig, a former Porsche engineer, to develop the chassis. The first prototype was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2007, and series cars followed from 2009.

The company story, from Paragon to the electric projects, is told in the history of Artega.

Engine, DSG gearbox and performance

The Artega GT uses the 3,598 cc direct-injection version of Volkswagen's narrow-angle VR6, the engine of the Passat R36 and the Touareg of the time. In the GT it makes 220 kW (300 PS) and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) at 2,400 rpm. It sits behind the seats, ahead of the rear axle, and drives the rear wheels through a six-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox. No manual was offered.

With a kerb weight of 1,285 kg, the GT carries about 5.8 kg per kW, practically level with a 2009 Porsche Cayman S at about 5.7 kg per kW (1,350 kg, 235 kW). On paper the less powerful Artega therefore kept pace with the Porsche. You can repeat the sum for any rival in the power-to-weight calculator.

Aluminium frame, body and dimensions

The structure is an aluminium spaceframe that weighs less than 100 kg. Body panels are made of polyurethane, and from September 2011 the bonnet and roof were carbon fibre, optionally left visible under clear lacquer. Side intakes feed air to the mid-mounted engine. The early weight target was about 1,150 kg; the production car's kerb weight is listed at 1,285 kg.

At 4.01 metres the GT is about 33 cm shorter than a Cayman of the same period but almost as wide. Safety equipment includes ABS, stability control, four airbags, belt tensioners, crash structures at the front, rear and in the doors, and a steel reinforcement in the roof.

Cabin and equipment

The cabin seats two, with sports seats, a small steering wheel and a red-and-black colour scheme on many cars. A good audio system was standard. The interior is closer in feel to a Lotus Evora or a Nissan 370Z than to a Porsche, with fewer soft-touch materials but a more individual look. At the 2012 Geneva show Artega showed a version with a removable glass roof panel that stored behind the seats.

Price, production and the end of Artega

At 74,948 euros in Germany, the GT cost more than a Porsche Cayman; according to the old 1cars text, the Porsche was about 25% cheaper. Artega had planned up to 500 cars a year but never came close. In January 2010 the Mexican investment firm Tresalia Capital took control; in July 2012 the company filed for insolvency, and on 1 October 2012 Paragon took it back. Production had stopped the day before, after 153 cars.

Artega then turned to electric projects. The Artega SE, an electric GT with two motors and 280 kW, was shown at the 2011 Frankfurt show, and the Scalo of 2015 and the Scalo Superelletra of 2017 followed as electric coupés; none entered series production. The company later worked on the Karo-Isetta city car and was bought by ElectricBrands in 2022, which itself filed for insolvency in 2024.

Rivals: how the Artega GT compares

The Artega was the lightest and most compact of the mid-engined cars here, but it had the smallest dealer network and no manual gearbox. Line it up against a Cayman or an Evora in the 1cars comparison tool.

Who should buy an Artega GT

The GT suits collectors who want a rare German sports car with a Fisker design and well-known Volkswagen mechanicals. The VR6 and the DSG are serviceable by any VW specialist, which makes the car easier to keep than most small-series exotics. Body panels and trim are another matter: with only 153 cars, parts such as lamps, glass and polyurethane panels are hard to find, so buy a car with a clean history and no accident damage. Buyers who want a daily sports car with a dealer network are better served by a Cayman.