The auto industry moves at a breakneck speed and by now, Fisker Karma was all but a distant memory – it is just another mark in the auto industry’s history. Fisker may have beaten Tesla to electric drive at one point, albeit with a hybrid one, but that didn’t save it from spiralling into bankruptcy in 2011. But that’s ok now, cos’ Fisker is back and ready to rock the States with a new company, VLF Automotive – a company he founded with former GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz and manufacturer Gilbert Villarreal (no prize for guessing what VLF stands for).
The company was formed last year, but it was made official at the Detroit Motor Show on Tuesday and along with the new company, comes the introduction of his new luxury supercar called Force 1 V10 and no, it is not an electric car, nor is it a hybrid; it is a pure-gas fueled sexy beast powered by a massive 8.4-liter V10 motor, pumping out 745 horses and 638 lb-ft of torque (928 Nm), that makes 0-60 in mere 3 seconds and has a top speed of 218 mph (350 km/h).
VLF Force 1 V10 is fast, but just in case 3 seconds is not good enough to sway some car nuts, the outfit gladly throws out its quarter mile data on the table too: 10.97 seconds @ 136.88 mph. Not bad at all for an out-of-factory spec, but then again, it better be better than not bad, cos’ VLF is asking $268,500 for this ride. Aesthetically, it has the Maserati-cross-Aston Martin look, but a little edgier and has the unmistakable American muscle car silhouette: a outstretched hood with a short overhang and a fastback rear. It’s a beauty at any angle.
The Force 1 V10 rides on enormous 21-inch wheels, wrapped in Pirelli P ZERO rubbers (305/25 front and 355/25 rear) and comes standard with a 6-speed stick shifter with paddle shift 6-speed automatic as an option. Production is slated to begin end of April 2016 at the company’s Auburn Hills facility and deliveries is expected to happen in Q3 2016. We also noted that there will be an initial product of just 50 units, to be sold through Ben Keating’s Viper Exchange.
In addition, buyers will get to attend two racing events per year and get up close and personal with the racing team at the paddock and at the pit. Well, that sounds like a should-have perk for such a grand sticker. Is it not?
