Roland Gumpert Nathalie uses methanol to make electricity – 536 hp, 0-100 km/h 2.5 secs, 820 km range

If you were a car enthusiast at a certain period you may remember the Gumpert Apollo, a bonkers race car for the road with more power and speed than any form of style or elegance. Well, the man behind that car, former Audi Sport boss Roland Gumpert, is now heading another eponymous sports car maker and is introducing a radical twist on the traditional fast car formula – the Nathalie.

As is the trend these days, the Nathalie is powered by electricity, utilising four electric motors (one for each wheel) to develop a total output of 400 kW (536 hp). With a two-speed transmission at each corner, it will get from zero to 100 km/h in just 2.5 seconds before reaching a top speed of 300 km/h.

But the most interesting part of the car is how it gets that electricity. Yes, the car comes with a rather large 190 kWh battery that you can charge, but that’s not the only source of fuel. That’s because the Nathalie also comes with a 15 kW direct methanol fuel cell that converts the alcohol into energy.

Specifically, the fuel cell, which consists of an anode and a cathode, takes the methanol from a 65 litre tank and combines it with water at the anode to create protons, electrons and carbon dioxide. The electrons are then used to charge the battery before reaching the cathode, where they combine with the protons and oxygen from the air to produce water. Carbon dioxide and water are the only two emissions of this process.

What this all means is that even when the battery is depleted, the car can still be driven at a reduced maximum speed of 120 km/h, as the methanol continues to charge the battery. All in all, Roland Gumpert quotes a range of 820 km, with a full tank of commercially-available methanol and a full battery charge. The company says it will even throw in a free supply of methanol for the first year of ownership.

As for the rest of the car, it’s a fairly standard two-door coupé, with hints of Audi A5 in the thick, boxy C-pillars and bulging fenders. Giving the Nathalie a more aggressive look are the massive air intakes, slim L-shaped headlights, an Audi R8-like rear end with full-width C-shaped tail lights and a sizeable rear wing. Open up the scissor doors and you’ll find a full FIA-approved roll cage.

Under the skin, the Nathalie features a carbon fibre chassis and lightweight composite body panels made out of 50% flax. Despite all this, the weight of the large battery means that the car tips the scales at a not inconsiderable 1,800 kg. It’s not cheap either, priced at €407,000 (RM1.97 million).

The new Roland Gumpert company is a joint venture with fledgling Chinese electric vehicle maker Aiways, which probably explains why the Nathalie shares some design elements with the U6ion. Meanwhile, Gumpert’s first company has now been renamed Apollo Automobil after a buyout by Hong Kong-based investors in 2016.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.