GERMANY has many hotbeds of automotive manufacturing, but Dülmen isn't traditionally one of them. Hidden away on the outskirts of the town not far from the German/Dutch border lies an extraordinary factory with more than a hint of British inspiration in what it produces.
Wiesmann is a unique thing: an independent German sports car maker, but one whose inspiration comes from British roadsters. It was founded back in 1988 to mix the best of British style with fine German engineering - what sounds like the perfect combination. But as with many independent sports car makers, it's had its fair share of ups, downs and financial tribulations.
Siblings Martin and Friedhelm Wiesmann founded the company, but are no longer at the helm; the company was rescued in 2016 by Roheen and Sahir Berry, who have a vision to revive the brand and propel it into the electric era with a new model, codenamed Project Thunderball.
Roheen is now CEO of Wiesmann and invited Auto Express to visit the company's unique headquarters in Germany, and to drive an early, pre-production version of the new electric car (see panel on page 19).
The Wiesmann factory is as unusual as the cars themselves. It's called the Gecko, because the shape of the building mimics the gecko on the Wiesmann badge, complete with a structural 'tail' that can be seen from afar.
All the design, engineering and production work is carried out at the factory, which also welcomes potential customers to the sales area that overlooks the factory floor. Old customers are welcome back, too, and as Berry walks us around the factory, we pass old Wiesmann race cars that have taken part in the famous N24 event, plus one remarkably fresh-looking model belonging to a Swiss doctor who uses it as his daily driver, racking up the best part of a quarter of a million kilometres in the process.
This story is from the March 22, 2023 edition of Auto Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 22, 2023 edition of Auto Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
PERFORMANCE review
Updates have transformed the Audi RS 4 before it bows out for good, but can it beat the BMW M3 Touring?
Pick of the Porsches
In its 75 years, Porsche has built some of the most iconic cars ever. We look at the best
The rebirth of cool
Octavia has been the standard-bearer of Skoda's renaissance for 25 years. We mark that milestone by looking at four generations of the popular car
Evolution in action
As the Peugeot 205 turns 40, we look at how this most iconic of French superminis has influenced the brand's latest small car
Volkswagen T-Cross
FIRST DRIVE Updates focus on boosting compact SUV's quality
Vauxhall Astra ST Electric
FIRST DRIVE Estate version of electric family car comes with space to spare
Smart #3
FIRST DRIVE Has Smart righted the 1’s wrongs with the latest addition to its range?
BEAVER TOWN
When Citroen said it was supporting a scheme to rewild beavers in West London wetlands, we were eager to gnaw how it would work
HOUSE OF BUGATTI
| Upon his retirement, the man who's shaped all modern Bugattis SI reflects upon his stellar career with the ultimate supercar brand
AMG weaves its magic as Merc reveals faster CLE 53 coupé
THE new Mercedes CLE coupé is tasked with replacing two-door versions of both the C-Class and E-Class, and the line-up has been bolstered with the arrival of a hot AMG 53 variant.