In an obviously disappointing turn of events, Wiesmann->ke1344, the manufacturer of those highly attractive MS5 Roadsters, has reportedly filed for bankruptcy.

The filing, which was made in the Münster District Court in Germany->ke2091, didn't specify the type of financial straits the company is under but the fact that the courts not only found Wiesmann insolvent, but it was also compelled to appoint one Dr. Norbert Küpper as Wiesmann's preliminary insolvency administrator. These two things definitely casts a pall of gloom on the future of the 20-year old company.

It's a huge shame that it's come to this for Wiesmann. Sure, it never established the kind of traction it would've hoped with its retro-futuristic models, but the ones that it built, specifically the pocket rocket that was the GT MF5, definitely deserved a whole lot more love than it received.

We're really hoping that this whole situation is ironed out and Wiesmann isn't forced to fade into the sunset. But that's the harsh reality of doing business in an insanely competitive industry. If you don't have the proverbial horses to keep up, you're going to be left behind in the cold.

And in Wiesmann's case, it might end up costing the company its very existence.

Click past the jump to read about the Wiesmann GT MF5

2008 Wiesmann GT MF5

It may not look like one of the best sports cars out on the market at that time, but the Wiesmann GT MF5 sure made a lot of heads turn when it was introduced back in 2008.

The classic proportions were definitely there and the sleek and aggressive lines throughout the car suggest a harmonious infusion of old-school and new-school styling. But still, we couldn't get past those headlights, which looked smaller in real life than they were in photos.

That was one of the biggest flaws of Wiesmann, but one thing you couldn't take away from the company was its proclivity to drop any kind of powerful BMW->ke178 engine under its hood. In the case of the GT MF5, that engine was a 5.0-liter V-10 that was able to produce 507 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, good enough to propel the sports car from 0-60 in just 3.9 seconds to go with a top speed of 193 mph.