Every single year, new wannabe brands turn up at different motor shows around the world suggesting they can beat the world greatest like Porsche, Lotus, Lamborghini or Ferrari. Though most are incomplete and underfunded and never progress beyond the prototype stage, some are special and emphasize on the unique characteristics they possess. One of those brands is the German car maker Artega.

The brand was born at the IAA 2007 in Frankfurt. During the motor show the sports car brand revealed its intensions into the automotive world. The first sibling, the two-seater Artega GT, has been with us for some time now so it was time to take it for a ride, a dark grey production version to be precise.

Designed in the mid-2000s by Henrik Fisker – now Fisker Automotive and known for its designs of the BMW Z8 and Aston Martin Vantage – the sports car is now ready for mass production. The company got financial backing from the Tresalia Captial organization. After a minor stake in Artega since October 2008 it fully acquired the brand in December of 2009. For those of you who never heard about Tresalia Capital, it is known for owning a part of the Grupo Modelo, which manufactures Corona, Modelo and Pacifica beer.

GTspirit road test: Artega GT on Vimeo

The unique looking space frame body of the Artega is composed out of aluminum in combination with high-tensile stainless steel and reinforced polyurethane compound material. To push the Artega forward the engineers chose a 3.6 liter V6 engine from Volkswagen, an engine also used in the VW Passat CC.

The 3.6 liter V6 has a cubic capacity of 3597 cubic centimeters and creates an output of 300bhp at 6,600rpm and a maximum torque of 350Nm starting at 2,400rpm. The maximum revs of the VW-engine go up to 7,500rpm. The GT jumps from standstill to 100km/h in just 4.8 seconds. Top speed exceeds 270km/h.

Quite decent figures for a sports car which finds its competitors in the range of the Lotus Evora, Porsche Cayman S, Audi TT-RS or the BMW 1 Series M-Coupe, sport cars for true drivers and cornering enthusiasts. With a proper 4.28kg/hp power-to-weight ratio the GT’s compactness wins it from any of its competitors, providing a lighter and quicker setup.

The 300bhp and 350Nm of torque is converted to the rear wheels via a six-speed DSG gearbox with paddle shifter behind the steering wheels. The Artega has its own software to dictate the shift program suitable for its task. If you want more involvement, there is no other option than to choose for another brand. Artega is not offering a manual up this moment.