Details

Show all / Hide all

Construction

The aluminium space frame weighs less than 100 kgs.

Aviation and space standards ensure that the highest quality standards are maintained all the way through the production process of the Artega® GT. The aluminium space frame was developed in house by the construction department in Delbruck. It is light and stiff and constructed in a modular fashion. Also the entire production of the space frame takes place in a new manufacturing line in the Westphalia district of Germany. The space frame consists of extruded sections which are specifically designed for the Artega, these are MIG welded to form a reinforced frame structure which provide the best possible torsional rigidity. The company carries out all construction procedures by themselves according to the strictest aviation and space standards prescribed in DIN 29595. Similar standards are maintained when it comes to the selection of high quality construction materials. The aluminium alloy (AIMgSi 0.5 T6) is absolutely resistant to salt and sea water damage. “It would be possible to immerse the entire frame into sea water without and damage occurring” explains Artega’s Assembly Manager Martin von der Lieth referring to the longevity of the space frame.

High quality steel alloy.

Another important element of the lightweight construction concept is the tubular space frame made from high quality tensile steel. The construction of which consists of a high tensile steel alloy that is proven in motor sport (25CRMo4). This has a surface treatment which permanently prevents rust. Before the final assembly happens the space frame chassis and tubular space frame for the engine and gearbox are married together.

Honeycomb structure on the underside of the car.

The floor of the Artega is constructed in a honeycomb aluminium structure which ensures less weight whilst retaining high stiffness. This lightweight and extremely stable ‘sandwich’ construction design originates from the building of aircraft. The floor is bonded together with the space frame to complete the package.

Uncompromising light weight construction with a unique body shell.

The Artega® GT is one of the first vehicles in the world to encompass an outer body shell made from carbon fibre reinforced polyurethane (PUR) which was developed in conjunction with Elastrogen, a subsidiary company of BASF. The combination of different PUR construction materials with ideal mechanical properties make the Artega® GT a genuinely light weight vehicle whilst offering significant advantages when it comes to cost and security. The mudguards, rear bumper, nose and side panels of the sports car are fabricated by the carbon fibre reinforced micro-cellular construction material known as ‘Elastolit’ which is defined by it’s high robustness and impressive impact resistance properties even in extreme cold weather conditions. The low coefficient of thermal expansion of the carbon fibre reinforced PUR system ensures a high accuracy of fit and extreme resistance to heat distortion. As a result the quality of the surface finish and the light weight construction materials is ideally suited for the class ‘A’ paint application on the visible surfaces.

Safety

Crash tests - nothing left to chance.

Intensive and costly crash tests are legally mandated before a car can be produced and put on sale on a large scale. As one of the few small scale manufacturers Artega is committed to carrying out these rigorous crash tests so that if the worst happens nothing is left to chance.

During the development of the Artega® GT its engineers worked hard to ensure that the best possible safety characteristics were inherent in the layout of the vehicle structure. So called ‘Load Paths’ were used to determine the distribution of impact energy in the event of an impact. Excess joints were avoided in the design process, where unavoidable the joints were constructed from particularly stable materials; possible weak points were bolstered with additional reinforcement or protected with energy absorbent materials.

The prototypes proved that the structure of the construction corresponded with theoretical measurements when crash tested. Then the Artega® GT was expanded bit by bit with seat belt pre-tensioners, force tensioners were added as well as the seat belt mounting points before finally the seat belt length was prescribed. What followed was the integration and fitting of two full size front impact airbags and two full side fitted airbags. The doors received reinforced impact protection bars (15 CDV 6) and the roof was reinforced to provide a safety cage to compensate for the missing B pillars.

The component parts, once assembled were subjected yet again to rigorous crash testing to prove that they worked in the Artega® GT. The result of these elaborate procedures is a driver’s cell which is not only light but retains the torsional stiffness whilst retaining high safety values. If the worst happens, strategically placed crash protection elements distribute the force of the impact so that energy will be delivered to the most stable part of the vehicle, which is the main frame. The main frame is divided into 3 parts; the central tunnel and the left and right side members which together make up the safety cell for the driver and passenger. This ensures that even the highest impact pressures are absorbed. Here Artega once more exceeds the usually applied standards of quality for small manufacturers.

Aerodynamic

Elaborate aerodynamics with a rear diffuser.

Knowledge gained from motor sport and extensive wind tunnel testing was used to define the Artega® GT. The under floor is completely covered which has the effect of reducing air turbulence. Another interesting aspect is the rear air diffuser which is located on the rear underside, from which remarkable positive effects are gained. Because of this the airflow over the Artega® GT mimics the airflow over the wing of an aircraft. Because the airflow runs quicker under the vehicle than over the top of the car the air forms an under pressure at the rear which literally sucks the car onto the surface of the road. This effect is called down force. The Artega® GT is quite literally pressed into the road

Suspension

A chassis for everyday life as well as sport.

When developing the chassis Artega wanted to ensure a sporty as well as comfortable setup was found – without any half hearted compromises. In this field the Artega® GT exploits the advantages of it’s concept to the fullest extent. A wide track and a short wheelbase combined with a low centre of gravity result in: assured handling whether driving slow or pushing it to the maximum in the bends. Despite this the sports car enthrals the driver with over steer with controlled use of the accelerator.

These positive chassis qualities are instantly recognisable on the race track. Here the Artega’s chassis minimises pitch and roll whilst providing the driver with positive feedback. Longitudinal and transverse forces are communicated to the driver in an optimal way because contact is maintained between all the wheels and the road at all times. The Artega® GT’s suspension never comes across as too firm. In conjunction with motor sport specialists Bilstein a professional set up was achieved to produce maximum traction and stability securing the safest path through the bends. The setup is optimised in order to prevent tipping forward or rearwards under heavy acceleration and braking providing the Artega® GT with the perfect characteristics for stress free, comfortable travel. It’s a sports car for every day use.

Brakes

Artega with the best braking performance.

In the top list of all braking trials in a recent internationally renowned motor magazine the Artega® GT’s predecessor achieved considerable praise under the heading ‘The best at braking’. The Artega achieved second place of four hundred and forty vehicles tested, beaten only by the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano which achieved a marginally shorter braking distance. The Porsche 911 GT3 achieved 3rd place.

The Artega team was more than pleased with this result as the brake tests in this particular magazine are recognised the world over. The Artega management recognise that there are three contributing factors to this sensational result:

First of all, the vehicle construction concept. The optimal brake effect is achieved when the weight distribution of the vehicle is 50:50 front to rear. This is governed in motion by the vehicle coefficient, the friction achieved by the wheels in motion and the underlying surface. This is not a constant, when driving under normal conditions the forces acting on the moving vehicle vary. Under the heavy application of the brakes the additional forces generated should be ideally split evenly over all four wheel stations. The optimal weight distribution of the Artega® GT at stand still is 57% rear and 43% front, this combined with a low centre of gravity and a large wheelbase contribute to the effect that the load distribution under heavy braking gets closer to the optimum as weight is transferred forward. Additionally the wider tracks of the tyres at the rear of Artega GT are further able to absorb more of the braking force.

The second factor is the braking system itself. The magazine that conducted the tests took their result on the tenth run for each of the cars tested therefore a braking system of sufficient diameter to enable effective cooling would assist with reducing the transfer of heat from the braking components to the brake fluid in the form of steam bubbles, such a transfer would lead to an increase in the braking distance.

The tyres are the third decisive factor for optimum braking. With this aspect it is important to note that the characteristics that you ask of the tyre have to be taken in context with the task. For example if you develop a tyre that is optimised for braking response you must make compromises in other areas such as comfort or performance in the wet. The tyres used for the Artega® GT are not specifically optimised for braking performance but have good all round characteristics

Rims

Extreme light weight forged alloy wheels.

In conjunction with the alloy wheel specialists APP Tech from Italy, Artega were able to develop one of the lightest nineteen inch forged wheels for the Artega® GT. The goal of this development was to provide the best combination of highest performance, a sporty yet elegant design whilst reducing the weight as much as possible. APP Tech are renowned as an exclusive manufacturer of forged alloy wheels and the forged light weight wheels are produced exclusively for the Artega® GT as an additional option.

Compared to aluminium casting the forging process allows for a thinner side wall while retaining the same strength with the added benefit of additional security reserves. The benefits of this option are that the forged aluminium alloys are more stable than cast aluminium alloys. The forging technique as opposed to casting production allows for a reduction in weight of around 35%. From this decrease in un-sprung weight the driving comfort is noticeably improved, this is due to the springs, dampers and entire suspension works less hard therefore bringing the additional benefit of longevity of the se components. Additional obvious side effects are that the car has a sporty, more agile feel. Lighter weight wheels also contribute to improved fuel economy as well as shortening the braking distance whilst reducing wear and tear on other components – all of these factors contribute to improved passive security.

Technical data of the option lightweight wheel package.

Dimension Front: 8” x 19” with 235/35 tyres.

Dimension Rear: 10.5” x 19” with 305/30 tyres.

Weight front: 8.6 kg

Weight Rear: 9.8 kg

Mounting nut: 5 x 112 mm

Offset: Front 43, Rear 45

Technical data of the standard wheel package.

Dimension Front: 8” x 19” with 235/35 tyres.

Dimension Rear: 9.5” x 19” with 285/30 tyres.

Weight front: 9.1 kg

Weight Rear: 9.7 kg

Mounting nut: 5 x 112 mm

Offset: Front 43, Rear 45

Engine

The large scale production of drive components guarantees dependability and serviceability.

The engine from the Artega® GT is supplied by the Volkswagen Company. The 6 cylinder is constructed in a V format and provides 300 PS (295 bhp) output from its 3.597 cubic capacity (cc) giving a tremendous amount of propulsion: 4.8 seconds 0-100 km/h (62 mph) with a top speed of 270 km/h (167 mph)

Gearbox

Most modern double clutch gearbox available.

The double clutch gearbox enables a fully automated gear change without interruption to the traction. This modern transmission setup, also known as a ‘direct shift gearbox’ has been refined in motor sport.

A sophisticated transmission electronics package controls the shift change between the two gearboxes and the two clutches. During the gear change process the out of use gearbox, which normally carries no load is able to ‘bridge’ the period of the gear change resulting in no loss of torque whilst changing gear. Once the gear change has been completed the torque is redirected to the selected gear. Gear changes may be controlled manually either by using the paddle shift system located at the steering wheel, or using the gear shifter on the centre console. Alternatively the gear selection may be fully automated.

The double clutch gearbox allows for the quickest possible gear changes in a production car at this time and offers an un-equalled amount of comfort in automated mode from a sports car. Owing to the optimised shift points in automatic an additional benefit is a noticeable reduction in fuel consumption.

Elektronic

New electronics system proven in mainstream manufacture with clearly arranged multi functional control unit.

The basis for the onboard electronics was sourced from a mainstream manufacturer. This offers an array of benefits to a small scale manufacturer; significantly the product has passed all stages of testing and development. The combined driver’s instrument panel on the Artega® GT is a world premiere as it is presented bi-axially, one for speed and the other for engine revs. These primary display features are located centrally in the driver’s field of vision.

The automobile parts manufacturer and supplier Pioneer has provided the Artega® GT with the multi functional control unit, having already proven its success on a large scale production.

The unit itself not only comprises the navigation system, it also provides command over the radio, MP3 player, Bluetooth system, driver information displays and also the vehicle settings al of which are accessible through a single display and commanded using 3 conventional rotary dials. Even the Artega Stability Programme may be accessed using this device allowing the driver to select the level or setting desired.