The German hypercar manufacturer Apollo Automobil recently revealed that its new Apollo EVO supercar has a stunning feature: tucked under the hood, there’s “dragon skin” exhaust pipes that were made possible thanks to additive manufacturing. The impressive part was entirely 3D printed in titanium in over 123 hours. According to Apollo, it’s the largest single-piece printed exhaust ever produced, and the team used advanced laser sintering to pull it off.
The exhaust is made of aerospace-grade TA15 alloy, which allows for exceptional strength and thermal performance. The piece is an example of function and design coming together beautifully: the dragon-scale texture, while aesthetically pleasing, also enhances heat distribution across the entire structure. In an Instagram post, Apollo described the exhaust as a “functional sculpture inspired by Apollo’s Dragon philosophy – where form, story and engineering become one.” The complex geometry achieved would have been impossible to accomplish using conventional methods. The exhaust itself is offered in exclusive colorways. Plus, they are covered with high-temperature resistant ceramic coating capable of withstanding up to 1000°C.
A Follow-Up to the Apollo IE
The Apollo EVO comes as a follow up to the Apollo Intensa Emozione (IE), Italian for “Intense Emotion,” which made headlines for its fierce design and high speeds. The IE was priced at €2.3 million Europe and $2.67 million in the United States, and all ten units made were reportedly sold. According to Apollo, the EVO is the culmination of design evolution from the Apollo IE, and the price reflects that, coming in at $4 million. The track-dedicated car is based around the Ferrari F140 V12 engine, while revving out to 9,000 rpm. It also has a a six-speed sequential transmission sending 800 horsepower to the rear wheels, in addition to a new carbon fiber monocoque chassis.
“Apollo’s Dragon Skin exhaust embodies the brand’s core design DNA, serving as another extraordinary piece of Rebellious German Engineering,” Apollo shared with Car Buzz. “It seamlessly merges art, storytelling and extreme engineering into a single functional component. Sculpted to evoke awe, it represents the next stage of design evolution from Apollo Automobil.”
Only 10 units of this vehicle are being made, and the first car is supposed to be delivered in the first half of this year. “Following the success of the Apollo Intensa Emozione, it was obvious for us to push the envelope even further,” Niko Konta, Apollo CEO shared. “To extract the fullest potential from the platform, we have fine-tuned an already exceptional design while applying the latest in cutting-edge technologies and processes to truly take the EVO to another level.”
The Apollo EVO