DB9

Segment
Coupe

Automakers come and automakers go, but we were particularly saddened to receive word that Artega has filed for bankruptcy. The niche German carmaker, for the uninitiated, is the producer of the Artega GT - particularly attractive little sportscar that looks something like a cross between a Porsche and an Aston Martin. Little wonder as it was designed by Henrik Fisker - the man who designed, among other things, the Aston Martin DB9.

Powered by a Volkswagen-sourced 3.6-liter V6 tuned to 295 horsepower, the GT was quoted at a sub-4-second sprint to sixty and a 167 mph top speed. Unfortunately the startup has struggled financially since its launch in 2006, and when investment from an Asian conglomerate fell through at the last minute, Artega was left with nowhere to turn. The bankruptcy protection could, however, help the company secure new funding, and with a shape like the GT's, we wouldn't - or at least we wouldn't hope to - count it down for the count just yet.