Remember Apollo? That would be the company playing on our intense automotive emotions with the insane V12-powered Intensa Emozione supercar. There's a new limited-edition Apollo Evo in the pipeline, but that's now why we're writing up this post. Well, not entirely, anyway.
It seems this car is going to have – surprise – an exhaust system. But it won't just be a menagerie of janky pipes, nor will it even be a neat row of forged titanium tubes meticulously lined up to belch out a symphony of horsepower. These pipes are going to be as much art as engineering, especially if you love snakes. Like, if you really love snakes.
Apollo says its new car will have an "ultra-exclusive" titanium exhaust that's the largest one-piece 3D printed system ever produced. But it's the design, detail, and finishing that got our attention. It adheres to Apollo's dragon individual car naming philosophy (Red Dragon, Blue Dragon, Samurai Dragon, and Ocean Dragon), and to give that some kind of physical representation, the pipes have what Apollo calls "dragon skin." And there was a good reason 3D printing was used for it.
Technology As Art
Thanks to the printer, Apollo created a seamless exhaust system from aerospace-grade alloy able to perform under high temperatures. And that's before using a high-temperature resistant ceramic coating capable of withstanding up to 1000°C. The design is complex and intricate, engineered with a lifelike look and feel that reminds us of H.R. Giger's biomechanical art style you might remember from the Alien movies. And it's available in several colors, so your "dragon skin" can even be your favorite color.
This isn't just an exercise in artistic flair, either. The Dragon (still looks like snakes to us) concept woven in with the scales serves a practical purpose, improving heat distribution across the exhaust system. That's a very good thing for a high-performance engine, and the Apollo's mill certainly qualifies as high-performance. This is a track-dedicated supercar based around the Ferrari F140 V12 engine making over 800 horsepower, while revving out to 9,000 rpm.
Read the full article on CarBuzz
This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
