The New Gemballa GmbH
#1
09-18-2010, 05:09 PM
The New Gemballa GmbH
Last week I personally visited the new Gemballa company in Leonberg, Germany.
Gemballa GmbH is a new company led by Andreas Schwarz and backed by renowned German investor (and passionate car guy) Steffan Korbach. For those of you who don't know Andreas Schwarz, he is a famous engineer and brilliant tuner in Germany specializing in Maybach, Bugatti, Mercedes and the like. He still owns Schwartz Automotive Engineering GmbH in Niedlingen, Germany.
The new company acquired all the assets of Gemballa, including worldwide rights to the brand, from the trustee handling the liquidation of the old company owned by Uwe Gemballa and his family. The company was in full operation and Andreas advised me that he had been able to retain almost all of the employees from the previous company.
Schwarz advised me that many new products and vehicles are under development and the new company is also able to provide technical support and spare parts for previous Gemballa customers. I asked Andreas what he knew about the disappearance of Uwe Gemballa and I received the same answer I hear from everybody. "Nobody knows what happened to him, he just vanished".
Sadly, I fear the worst. But it is good to see that a new Gemballa company has emerged from the ashes and will continue to develop Porsche goodies bearing the famous brand.
Official Press Release:
A Fresh Start for the GEMBALLA Brand
Andreas Schwarz is in charge of the new GEMBALLA GmbH
Leonberg, 23 August 2010. For around 30 years the brand GEMBALLA has been a global name in the performance improvement and modification of predominantly Porsche vehicles, and in the construction of own-brand vehicles based on Porsche body shells. GEMBALLA has made a name for itself as one of the most extreme Porsche tuners and has received worldwide attention with its modified Porsches such as the GEMBALLA Avalanche, which is based on the Porsche 911, or the GEMBALLA Mirage GT, based on the Porsche Carrera GT.
Since August 16, 2010, Andreas Schwarz (40) has been in charge of the emotional GEMBALLA brand. Schwarz reserved the rights of the old company that had already been broken up by liquidators and shut down, and founded a new company, GEMBALLA GmbH. The company headquarters are located at Mollenbachstraße 17 in Leonberg.
"With a totally new company and an investment of millions, we are now looking towards a secure future", says managing director (CEO) Andreas Schwarz. The educated Swabian is a sports car expert, who has many years' experience in upgrading and marketing luxury high-class automobiles. Together with investor Steffen Korbach, the new creator of GEMBALLA cars has made cost-efficient plans.
"As well as the rights to the name, we've also purchased some assets and are starting off with 22 employees", Schwarz continues. "We plan to continue the GEMBALLA design line following the old models. We're already working on various concepts for the Porsche Panamera and the new Porsche Cayenne among others."
The main goal: to expand and develop the GEMBALLA brand as a manufacturer. Without facing too much time pressure. Currently, Andreas Schwarz is making plans in motor tuning and the marketing of parts such as bodykits, rims, brakes and suspension systems.
"We've got enormous potential in this area that can be taken advantage of – the recognition of the GEMBALLA name with its near 30-year tradition really helps", says Andreas Schwarz.
That is why we will see automobile creations from GEMBALLA in the future – with a breath of fresh air for the brand and reliable business under the GEMBALLA name. The showroom in Leonberg is now open for customers and all interested parties.
For more information, go to www.gemballa.com.
#6
09-20-2010, 03:37 PM
I'm no expert on German law, but it seems unlikely that the New Gemballa company would not have the rights to build the Avalanche, Tornado, etc.
They bought all the assets, including intellectual property. Can't see how the car models would be excluded.
They bought all the assets, including intellectual property. Can't see how the car models would be excluded.
#7
09-21-2010, 05:42 PM
Another company purchased the rights to the design a couple of months ago from the designer himself since he wasn't paid by Gemballa for most of the newer designs...Unless they are planning on continuing those same designs they are going to have to purchase them from this company...Hopefully you will hear more about it by the end of the year beginning of the next year...
#8
03-01-2011, 10:55 AM
Glad to hear this. I visited Gemballa about 2 years ago and it was a great place. Really cool showroom and nice people working there. Hope to see some new stuff by them soon....
#10
03-01-2011, 02:12 PM
Another company purchased the rights to the design a couple of months ago from the designer himself since he wasn't paid by Gemballa for most of the newer designs...Unless they are planning on continuing those same designs they are going to have to purchase them from this company...Hopefully you will hear more about it by the end of the year beginning of the next year...