REPRINT FROM #10 1992
REVIEW OF WELLS APOLLO
American manufacturers have generally been conservative regarding styling and late on the aero bandwagon, but the Apollo is absolutely an exception.
A large V8 coupé when we are in the middle of a financial crisis, is that really a good idea? “Yes”, the Wells importer seems to think, and all of a sudden the slimmed new Apollo coupé has landed in Sweden. To not be a complete flop in times like these it better has to be good. Is it? Well, it takes a road test to find out so we guess that you already know where we are heading.
DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
“American cars can’t corner”, you already know that. The Apollo is an exception from that. It has a quite advanced chassis with double wishbone suspension all around, and the results are as expected - good. 0.99 G on the skidpad to start with, and as all powerful rear wheel drive cars, it is a bit tail happy at low speeds, but when pushed hard it is fairly neutral and will not surprise its driver at any speed you will encounter on our roads at least.
There is some wheelspin, but since a limited slip differential and a traction control system is present, it will be kept under control.
Brakes are good with a 37.8 metre stopping distance from 100 and almost no fading until when the car is loaded to max. ABS and vented discs all around is standard equipment.
Power steering is a must have on a luxo barge like this, Wells have even equipped the car with the modern variable ratio type, increasing road feel while still keeping it easy to maneuvre when, for example, parking. But of course, in the city it is obvious that this is not some tiny little hatchback. The wide C-pillars create huge blind spots too.
VERDICT: ****
PERFORMANCE:
What surprises us is the (for its class) low top speed at 190 km/h. Sure, it is fast enough for speed limited american interstates, as well as is is on swedish roads. But in markets like Germany it will probably be a disadvantage when it comes to status.
Better then is the acceleration. 7.09 seconds to 100, 4.68 seconds 80-120 and 15.19 second quartermile times.
VERDICT: ****
COMFORT
The car is of course comfortable, even if that is a bit hampered by the “sporty” chassis setup. But seating comfort is heavenly and the car has very good sound insulation, you can barely hear the whispering V8, while tyre and wind noise is almost non-existant.
VERDICT: ****
ROOMINESS & PRACTICALITY
Hardly the reason why you buy a coupé. but the Apollo is not overly cramped and can fit 4 adults without too much of a struggle, and is officialy registered for 5. 383 litres of luggage space is hardly impressive, but the risk of overloading it should be small due to the impressive cargo capacity. Hardly a practical car, but actually more useful daily than many of its competitors.
VERDICT: **
The right car? Sometimes. At the wrong time? Maybe.
EQUIPMENT
If you mention it, the Apollo probably has it too. Leather steering wheel, gearknob and seats, climate control, cruise control, tripminder computer, ABS, traction control, electric windows and mirrors, keyless entry, CD player with 7 speakers and a sound that could wake up Tutankhamun, well, you name it. Don’t get surprised if you find new buttons every day the first three months of ownership or so.
VERDICT: *****
ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
Wells have had some unorthodox engine layouts sometimes, and that could be said about the powerplant in the Apollo too. A 60 degree V8 and we kind of wonder why. It is not the most optimal layout but NVH levels are kept at a sane amount. It is kind of conservatively engineered with an old fashioned 2V direct acting OHC setup. That’s why we get a little bit confused by some choices, like the individual throttle bodies on something that puts out a conservative 251 hp from 4.9 litres. But sure, it gives a great throttle response. All in all an engine that does its job, but that’s far from impressive.
The 4 speed auto is the old fashioned type without computer control, seems to be sanely geared but the final drive is a bit questionable. It revs more than should be needed for a 4.9 litre V8.
You can hardly say that the Apollo drivetrain is bad, but competition in the class is razor sharp and Wells is falling behind.
VERDICT: **
QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
The car appears to be well built even for a luxury car. Everything feels solid, no squeaks or rattles were annoying us. Also, predicted reliability is not too bad considering the amounts of technology present in the car, and it is well protected against rust. Wells have built some sturdy cars throughout history and the Apollo seems to follow that tradition.
VERDICT: ****
ECONOMY
$44100 AMU is far from cheap even though there is some competitors that costs more. Fuel economy is a disaster at 16.4 litres per 100 km. Servicing is expensive at $1253.60 AMU. This is absolutely not a car that will spare your wallet, which might be what many people needs nowadays.
VERDICT: 0
SAFETY
The Apollo is probably an extremely safe car. It has all the latest equipment, like dual airbags, door beams, pretensioning seatbelts etc. - combined with a size and weight that will make it the “winner” against smaller cars. That also shows in US government crash testing where the Apollo is among the best scoring cars ever.
VERDICT: *****
FINAL VERDICT: 30/45
The market is not in the favour for a luxury car nowadays, and competition is tough. But the Apollo fills a niche in the market. Some people just wants a “nice” car that sets them apart from the crowd, that has lots of gizmos to play around with. And that’s where the Apollo comes in. If it’s not that important to brag about high technological drivetrain and blazing top speeds, the Apollo is not a bad choice.
The question is how many the importer will manage to sell, though. Tough competition and bad times are risking to make it a player in the margins.
Thanks to @DuceTheTruth100 for the car!