Introduction
If you have ever been interested in exotic cars, I am very sure that you are familiar with some of the giants such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Pagani and so on.
But lost in these myths is a German supercar that for a period as brief as the time it took for one of its cars to break the 200 mph barrier in 1989 had hints of greatness.
This is one of the abovementioned automobiles that remained rather unnoticed during its hey-days but now enjoys a peculiar revival in the world of cars.
Isdera Imperator 108i: A German Exotic
Isdera stands for Industrie-Design und Technik GmbH & Co. KG is an independent German automotive manufacturing firm which specializes in creating designs that are different from what most car companies offer.
German based automaker Isdera was founded in 1969 by Eberhard Schulz.This company initially focused mainly on the design and production of artisanal cars for specific orders of clientele.
However, in the 1980s, Schulz looked to the direction of designing a high performance, sports car that is capable of challenging the world’s top supercar makers.
Hailed from the imagination of Schulz the I sera Imperator 108i was unveiled to the public in 1989 Frankfurt motor show.
It’s one of the most easily recognizable cars of the 20th century due to its distinctive, futuristic design: smooth lines, elongated hood, and protruding nose easily distinguish it from more traditional looking cars around the world.
The clever technology of the Imperator 108i added another dimension to the attraction, with all-wheel-drive capability and an aluminum space frame chassis to boot.
A Quirky Backstory
It is for this reason that the Imperator 108i is particularly interesting in that it was developed outside the usual way.
As compared to most of the existing supercar producers who keep it as real as possible, Isdera wrote a story that is full of twists and turns.
The Imperator 108i was based on a Mercedes-Benz G-Class and, like any other car, its chassis and power-train were provided by the German automobile giant.
However, the end result was not easily recognizable from the first generation of the item; this solved an engineering problem with real ingenuity and style.
Another odd thing about the Imperator 108i is that it was produced by. How many of them were ever produced, let alone built and sold to the public? You are looking at four total production units of the supercar.
The primary reason for such a low production run is the limited funds that Isdera experiences, and the high level of difficulty in assembling such a complicated auto.
The Centre of the Imperator 108i : The 6. 0 - liter AMG Engine
The Imperator 108i is equipped with a 6.0 liter, V8 diesel engine borrowed from Mercedes-Benz with a touch of AMG – Mercedes-Benz’s performance division.
With this power train, the supercar churns out 444 horsepower and 553 lb/ft of torque, accelerates to a top speed of 186 mph and has a 0 to 60 timed at 4.2 sec.
However, the mechanical problems of the Imperator 108i were not hidden, as this motorcycle is powerful enough to compete with other powerful bikes on the road.
Reliability and performance questions came about due to drawbacks embodied in AWD systems that were not righteous, temperature problems and associated suspension problems.
But these problems only enhanced the legend, the mythology of the supercar – a path this automobile will continue to follow.
The Quirky Comeback
Unfortunately the Isdera Imperator 108i was a car that most people seemed to have forgotten about but its charm and story was not ignored.
Lately, there has been a revival of interest and demands from the people interested in collecting rare German supercars.
In 2015 one of the four Imperator 108i units was sold for an astounding $ 1.2 million during its auction which at that time topped the list of most expensive German supercars to be sold.
The low production, the mysterious and unknown origins, and the unmistakable design drove the values of the Imperator 108i through the roof, affirming it as a unique example in the current super-car collector market.
In the more recent past, there have been more features done on the car, as more information has been sought by enthusiasts regarding this lost masterpiece.
Audience has been very cautious to look for the Imperator 108i units, there are some who intend to reborn the Imperator 108i vehicles. And it continues to push toward the future, these are actions that point to the Imperator 108i still being a work in progress.
Conclusion: Isdera Imperator 108i’s Position within Supercar Annals
The Isdera Imperator 108i represents what the automobile industry has yet to discover and establish in the future.
Despite being less renowned than its famous counterparts from Maranello or Stuttgart, this forgotten German supercar remains every car aficionado’s obsession and headlines news topic to this very day.
As you consider the story of the Imperator 108i, it has been seen that the car is as out of the norm as it could be and yet, it has been able to do what no other car of the same category has been able to do – gain considerable popularity among those who love supercars.
As its tale may remain in the realm of the marginal, there can be no question that the Isdera Imperator 108i will persist in exerting an impact on the sphere of extraordinary automotive excellence and in prompting the generations of designers and engineers to come to go further in thought and creation.
As more and more people become enthusiasts of automobiles, the chances are the Imperator 108i is going to be back with a vengeance in the coming years.
Therefore the Isdera Imperator 108i should be among the very best you can buy in case you are specifically interested in acquiring a car which is exclusive in the midst of the vast number of other supercars present in the market.
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