Saturday 16th January 2016

VLF Force 1 - Detroit 2016

Henrik Fisker designs another swoopy sports car and now there's a V10 in place of the batteries!

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Though little has been heard of Henrik Fisker since his resignation from Fisker Automotive, he's clearly been a busy man. He is now a shareholder and designer at VLF Automotive, a collaboration between Fisker, former GM vice president Bob Lutz and Gilbert Villarreal.

Looking great right up until that badge...

Now VLF already sells a Destino, what appears to be a Karma with a supercharged GM V8 in it. If you can't beat them, join them, right? Its new car, just revealed at Detroit, is the Force 1 V10. And it looks amazing.

While VLF says the Force 1 has "powerful, dramatic sculptural exterior styling" and a "luxurious contemporary interior", it isn't too difficult to see what this car is based on. Struggling? What if we tell you it's powered by an 8.4-litre V10? Yes, this is a Fisker take on the Dodge Viper. Which sounds pretty cool.

That body is all carbon fibre, the V10 is up to 745hp and there's space for two champagne bottles inside. Just the thing at 218mph...

21-inch wheels, Brembo brakes, 355-section rears!

The Fisker design influence is clear through the Force 1, in particular the Karma-aping rear lights. Don't forget Fisker has some pretty good previous with front-engined, rear-wheel drive design too; as well as the Aston V8 Vantage and DB9, he also designed the BMW Z8. Inside the Viper origins are clearer to see - despite the champagne holders - but it does look more luxurious. Then you'll see the 'Force 1 V10' badge on the back and wonder how on earth it was signed off on such a well designed car.

VLF says the Force 1 will be initially produced in a batch of just 50 cars, with production commencing this April. The six-speed manual is standard with an auto optional. Price? $268,500, or around £185,000. Grab a manual, naturally aspirated supercar while you still can!

[Fetchez la vache]

Well, hellooOOOooo!

[Flewis]

Not for me, far too fussy looking. Clean up the lines and you'd have a great car.

[tadaah]

Clean up the lines and you'd have an Aston?

[anonymous-user]

tadaah said:

Clean up the lines and you'd have an Aston?

He does seem to recycle his design a bit doesn't he

[Captainawesome]

In the first picture in the article does anyone else see the face in the front corner??? Headlight being eye. Once seen.....

[5harp3y]

that badging! hahahaha

Straight outta halfords

[andyps]

MonkeyMatt said:

tadaah said:

Clean up the lines and you'd have an Aston?

He does seem to recycle his design a bit doesn't he

It looks that way with this, although the Karma was not quite the same and in my opinion better looking than this.

[driftingphil]

looks very GTA like!

[smilo996]

I just get the feeling that this would be much better under the wing of Aston and the DB11 would be better with Fiskers input.

The Thunderbolt was a much better looking car which Aston killed but the DB11 would look better with some of what the Thunberbolt has / had.

So perhaps Fisker should or could give Reichman a call. A new Rapide with some elements of the Fisker Surf would also look great.

[DBSnappa]

Dunno, looks like Something from the Wacky Races to me

[Stephen-df33i]

Anyone else?

[herebebeasties]

Hideously over-designed, IMO: Like an eight year old Just Couldn't Stop Adding More Vents.

[PhilboSE]

Looks like...

[AlexKing]

herebebeasties said:

Hideously over-designed, IMO: Like an eight year old Just Couldn't Stop Adding More Vents.

Yes, looks like they couldn't decide what design elements to have at the front, so they used all of them.

[anonymous-user]

Or just buy, you know, an actual Viper, and spend the change on the coke and hookers to go with it..... ;-)

[S4mb0x]

Agree with the above that I'd rather just have a Viper. I'm one of few who seem to dislike it, but it looks like a Transformer to me. Too many vents, lines, creases. Interior looks plush though.

[BarbaricAvatar]

I don't think this car will be stealing any sales from potential Viper owners. Even the Dodge is no looker but it's a beauty queen compared this ste.

[loose cannon]

Agree with the over styling, Aston are going to court over the design i believe.
Why would you want 2 bottles of champagne between the front seats

[stephen300o]

"Well I like Astons, Mercs, Tesla, vipers, Jaguars, Audis and Cobras, so I made it like that"

[smilo996]

There are some good ideas there. Not as beautiful as the Thunderbolt though.

It is ahsame that Fisker folded and Musk didn't. Fiskers cars were so much better looking.

Get the feeling that Callum / Reichman & Fisker would make even better cars together (again) then doing their own thing.