Lobini H1

Last updated
Lobini H1
Aguas de Lindoia - SP Expo Carros Antigos 2011 (5909846070).jpg
Lobini H1
Overview
Manufacturer Lobini
Production2005-2013
Body and chassis
Class Sports car
Body style 2-door targa
2-door coupé
Layout MR layout
Related Volkswagen Golf
Audi A3
Volkswagen Fox
SEAT Leon
Škoda Octavia
Powertrain
Engine 1.8 L 178 hp (133 kW; 180 PS) turbo I4 20V
Transmission 5-speed manual

The Lobini H1 is a sports car produced by the Brazilian automaker Lobini. It first appeared in 2005 and went through a minor redesign in 2007. It has a carbon steel tubular chassis and a fiberglass body shell. It makes use of a Volkswagen 1.8L turbocharged 20V engine, the same used in some versions of both Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3.

Contents

Background

The Lobini H1 was idealized by José Orlando Lobo and Fábio Birolini, and is the first car to be produced by Lobini. It was designed by Graham Holmes, former Lotus designer, and was clearly inspired by the Lotus Elise. [1] The car's prototype was first presented to the public at the 22nd São Paulo Motor Show, in 2002, and the first finished unit was sold in 2005. At that time, it was only available in the targa top configuration. In 2006, minor redesigns were announced for the 2007 model. Also, at the 26th São Paulo Motor Show a new coupé model was introduced and a racing model was shown.

Though it was well received by Brazilian enthusiasts, it is considered too expensive by most in that specific market. In fact, most of its production is directed towards the American and British markets.

Design and features

The Lobini H1's design emphasizes aerodynamics and performance.

The H1 has an I4, 20V turbocharged 1.8L engine, the same as used in the Brazilian Volkswagen Golf GTI, transversally mounted in front of the rear axle. It attains 178 hp (133 kW; 180 PS) at 5700 rpm, and makes the H1 go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.5 seconds. With this engine, the car has a maximum speed of 225 km/h (140 mph). [2]

Market and reception

While the Lobini H1 was well received by automotive enthusiasts, particularly for its sporty design and performance capabilities, it was considered expensive for the Brazilian market. As a result, a significant portion of its production was aimed at export markets, including the United States and the United Kingdom, where there was greater demand for niche sports cars. [3]

Production and legacy

Despite its niche market appeal, the Lobini H1 remains a significant milestone in Brazilian automotive history as one of the few sports cars produced in the country. It represents a blend of European-inspired design with Brazilian engineering, offering a unique proposition in the sports car segment. The H1's limited production [4] and the exclusivity of the brand have made it a sought-after model among collectors and enthusiasts who appreciate its unique blend of performance, design, and rarity.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 924</span> German sports car built 1976–1988

The Porsche 924 is a sports car produced by Porsche in Neckarsulm, Germany, from 1976 until 1988. A two-door, 2+2 coupé, the 924 replaced the 912E and 914 as the company's entry-level model.

The straight-five engine is a piston engine with five cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankshaft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Karmann Ghia</span> Motor vehicle

The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia are a family of three overlapping sporty Volkswagen model series, marketed in 2+2 coupe (1955–1975) and 2+2 convertible (1957–1975) body styles, though German production ended one year before that in Brazil. Internally designated the Type 14 (1955–1975), the Type 34 (1962–1969), and the Type 145 TC, the Karmann Ghia cars combined the floorpans and mechanicals of the Type 1 / Beetle or Type 3 'ponton' models with styling by Italy's Carrozzeria Ghia, and hand-built bodywork by German coachbuilding house Karmann.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Jetta</span> Small family car manufactured by Volkswagen

The Volkswagen Jetta is a compact car/small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen since 1979. Positioned to fill a sedan niche above the firm's Golf hatchback, it has been marketed over seven generations, variously as the Atlantic, Vento, Bora, City Jetta, Jetta City, GLI, Jetta, Clasico, and Sagitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Gol</span> A subcompact car manufactured by Volkswagen do Brasil

The Volkswagen Gol is a subcompact car that was manufactured by Volkswagen do Brasil from 1980 to 2023 as Volkswagen's entry-level car in the Latin American market—where it succeeded the Volkswagen Type 1 (Fusca) and the Volkswagen Brasilia. Several variants of the Gol-derived Voyage and Parati were marketed in North America as the Volkswagen Fox from 1987 to 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puma (car manufacturer)</span> Brazilian car manufacturer

Puma Automóveis Ltda. is a Brazilian manufacturer of sports cars. It was established in 1963 as Sociedade de Automóveis Lumimari, then became Puma Veículos e Motores the following year, and Puma Indústria de Veículos SA in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Audi A3</span> German subcompact executive/small family car

The Audi A3 is a subcompact executive/small family car (C-segment) manufactured and marketed by the German automaker Audi AG since September 1996, currently in its fourth generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merkur</span> Defunct automobile brand of the Ford Motor Company

Merkur is a defunct automobile brand that was marketed by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company from 1985 to 1989. Drawing its name from the German word for Mercury, Merkur was targeted at buyers of European executive cars in North America, selling captive imports produced by the German division of Ford of Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferdinand Piëch</span> Austrian industrialist (1937–2019), head of Volkswagen

Ferdinand Karl Piëch was an Austrian business magnate, engineer, and executive who held the positions of chairman of the executive board (Vorstandsvorsitzender) of the Volkswagen Group from 1993 to 2002, and chairman of the supervisory board (Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender) from 2002 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MWM International Motores</span> Brazilian diesel engine manufacturer

International Indústria Automotiva da América do Sul Ltda. is a Brazilian company specialised in the manufacturing of diesel engines for automotive applications. Until 2005, it was known as MWM Motores Diesel Ltda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen G60 engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Volkswagen G60 and G40 were inline–four-cylinder automobile petrol engines, which used a specific method of forced induction by way of a scroll-type supercharger. The G60 engine was formerly manufactured by the German automaker Volkswagen Group and was installed in a limited number of their 'hot hatch' cars from their Volkswagen Passenger Cars marque from August 1988 to July 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen SP2</span> Motor vehicle

The Volkswagen SP2 is a sports car that was developed by Volkswagen do Brasil and built from July 1972 until December 1975. It is based on the chassis of the Brazilian market Volkswagen Type 3. "SP" is said to be an initialism of São Paulo, where the car was built, or of "sports prototype". In its issue of 20 June 1973, German technology magazine Hobby called the SP2 the "most beautiful Volkswagen in the world".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Brasil</span> Brazilian import subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company

Ford Brasil is the Brazilian subsidiary of American automaker Ford Motor Company, founded on April 24, 1919. The operation started out importing the Ford Model T cars and the Ford Model TT trucks in kit form from the United States for assembly in Brazil. The Ford brand, however, had already been present in the country since 1904 with both vehicles being sold in Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chevrolet Europe</span> Former subsidiary company of GM Korea

Chevrolet Europe GmbH was a subsidiary company of GM Korea, founded in 2005, with headquarters in Zürich, Switzerland. It provided Chevrolet brand automobiles, most of which were made in South Korea for the European market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Golf Mk5</span> Fifth generation of Golf compact car

The Volkswagen Golf Mk5 is a compact car/small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen, as the fifth generation of the Golf in three- or five-door hatchback and a five-door station wagon (2007–2009) configurations, as well as the successor to the Golf Mk4. Using the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform, the Mk5 debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in October 2003 and went on sale in Europe for the 2004 model year. While marketed as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, the GTI model in these countries was marketed simply as the Volkswagen GTI.

1998 in motoring includes developments in the automotive industry that occurred throughout the year 1998 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of ethanol fuel in Brazil</span>

The history of ethanol fuel in Brazil dates from the 1970s and relates to Brazil's sugarcane-based ethanol fuel program, which allowed the country to become the world's second largest producer of ethanol, and the world's largest exporter. Several important political and technological developments led Brazil to become the world leader in the sustainable use of bioethanol, and a policy model for other developing countries in the tropical zone of Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Government policies and technological advances also allowed the country to achieve a landmark in ethanol consumption, when ethanol retail sales surpassed 50% market share of the gasoline-powered vehicle fleet in early 2008. This level of ethanol fuel consumption had only been reached in Brazil once before, at the peak of the Pró-Álcool Program near the end of the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automotive industry in Brazil</span>

The Brazilian automotive industry is coordinated by the Associação Nacional dos Fabricantes de Veículos Automotores (Anfavea), created in 1956, which includes automakers with factories in Brazil. Anfavea is part of the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA), based in Paris. In 2021, the annual production exceeded 2.2 million vehicles, the 8th largest in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen Golf Mk7</span> Seventh generation of Golf compact car

The Volkswagen Golf (Mk7) is a C-segment car manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen. It is the seventh generation in the Golf series and the successor to the Golf Mk6. It was introduced in Berlin on 4 September 2012, before a public launch at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. Sales in Europe began with the model in November 2012.

Dacon was a Brazilian automobile manufacturer founded by Paulo de Aguiar Goulart in São Paulo in 1964 and shuttered in 1996.

References

  1. "cartefacts.com - The World's Largest Automobile Encyclopedia". cartefacts.com. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  2. "Lobini H1 specs, performance data". FastestLaps.com. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  3. "Lobini H1: O único carro esportivo da indústria brasileira". 2 August 2023.
  4. "cartefacts.com - The World's Largest Automobile Encyclopedia". cartefacts.com. Retrieved 2024-09-01.