Industry | Automotive |
---|---|
Founded | 2012 |
Founder | Bob Lutz Gilbert Villarreal |
Products | VLF Destino VLF Force 1 V10 |
Website | vlfautomotive.com |
VLF Automotive is a small American-based automotive company formed in January 2016. It was founded as VL Automotive in 2012 by Bob Lutz and Gilbert Villarreal, then renamed after Henrik Fisker joined the company.
The company was founded by designer and entrepreneur Henrik Fisker, ex-General Motors vice-chairman Bob Lutz and industrialist Gilbert Villarreal. The company's name is taken from the initials of their surnames. [1]
In 2013 they displayed the Destino, its first model, based on the Fisker Karma, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
In 2016 they debuted the Force 1, a 745 hp American sports car at the North American International Auto Show.
The VLF Destino four-door sedan was first shown in January 2013, heavily based on the Fisker Karma, but fitted with a 6.2 L V8 gasoline engine rather than the electric power of the Karma. [1]
Sales of the Destino were scheduled to commence in the second half of 2015, with cars to be built in Auburn Hills in Michigan, [2] but the company only obtained twenty Fisker Karma "gliders" and reported 100 orders by May 2013. [3] At the January 2014 Detroit Autoshow, the company announced that production was delayed due to the ongoing restructuring of Fisker. [4]
The company announced production of a limited edition 745 HP American sports car Force 1 V10, limited to 50 by third quarter 2016. The car was a Coach Built Dodge Viper.
In 2018, VLF partnered with Galpin Auto Sports to produce the Rocket V8, a coach built Ford Mustang that is to be co built by both VLF and Galpin Auto Sports.
Beginning in 2017, VLF is contracting a version of the HMMWV/Hummer H1 for the non-Americas market with limited run of 100 units per year via contract from AM General. Markets include China, Europe and the Middle East. [5] AM General had announced offering the C-Series as a kit for sale in 2012, but cancelled the project. [6]
The Chevrolet Corvette is a line of American two-door, two-seater sports cars manufactured and marketed by General Motors under the Chevrolet marque since 1953.
Robert Anthony Lutz is a Swiss-American automotive executive. He served as a top leader of all of the United States Big Three automobile manufacturers, having been in succession executive vice president of Ford Motor Company, president and then vice chairman of Chrysler Corporation, and vice chairman of General Motors.
Fisker may refer to:
The Pontiac G8 is a full-size sedan that was produced by Holden in Australia for export to the United States, where it was sold by Pontiac. The G8, a rebadged Holden Commodore, was released in early 2008 for the 2008 model year in the United States, and in 2008 for the 2009 model year in Canada. Production stopped in mid-2009, following the GM decision to suspend the Pontiac brand. While available, the G8 took the place in the Pontiac lineup of both the Pontiac Bonneville, which ceased production after the 2005 model year, and the Pontiac Grand Prix, which ceased production after the 2008 model year.
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.
Henrik Fisker is a Danish automotive designer and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles, California, US. He is best known as the founder of Fisker Automotive and Fisker Inc, and as a designer of luxury cars. After working at BMW, Ford, and Aston Martin, Fisker founded Fisker Automotive in 2007. The company failed to meet production deadlines despite significant federal and private investment. Fisker resigned in 2013. The New York Times described the company as the "Solyndra of the electric car industry" and a "debacle". He is currently the CEO of Fisker Inc., which he co-founded with his wife in 2016; the company filed for bankruptcy in 2024.
Fisker Automotive was an American automobile company. It produced the Fisker Karma, which was one of the world's first production luxury plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The company was founded in 2007 by Henrik Fisker, a Danish automobile designer.
The Fisker Karma is a luxury plug-in range-extended electric sports sedan produced by Fisker Automotive between 2011 and 2012. The cars were manufactured at Valmet Automotive in Finland.
The Artega GT is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive 2-seat sports car produced by German automobile manufacturer Artega between 2009 and 2012. The GT was Artega's first model. A total of 153 units were produced.
Wanxiang Group Corporation is a Chinese multinational conglomerate, headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Its automotive components subsidiary is the largest China-based automotive components company measured by revenues. The company was founded in 1969 by Lu Guanqiu.
GreenTech Automotive (GTA) was a U.S.-based automotive manufacturer dedicated to developing and producing 100% electric vehicles. It was a subsidiary of WM Industries Corp.
The VLF Destino is a proposed automobile from American car company VLF Automotive. The Destino is a large four-door sedan and was first shown to the public at the North American International Auto Show in January 2013 as the VL Destino, and subsequently the WM Destino, before being named VLF Destino in January 2016. Sales were expected to commence in 2014, but the expected start of sales was later pushed back to 2016.
The Galpin GTR1 is a custom sports car based on the Ford GT developed and built by American automotive company Galpin Auto Sports. The car was unveiled at Pebble Beach in 2013. Galpin planned to make at least six cars in 2014, with the possibility of another 18 to follow, based on demand.
Falcon Motorsports is an American manufacturer of high performance automobiles, most notably the Falcon F series Falcon F5 and Falcon F7. The Michigan-based company was founded in 2009 by American automotive designer and engineer Jeff Lemke.
Benjamin Edward Keating is an American racing driver and business owner operating out of Victoria, Texas. Keating is the owner of 30 car auto dealerships across Texas, The Keating Auto Group. Since starting auto racing in 2007, he has competed in many auto races worldwide, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Daytona, Twelve hours of Sebring, and most recently the World Endurance Championship. He is the only American driver to have won multiple World Championships. Keating began racing in 2007 after receiving a weekend track driving course as a Christmas present from his wife.
The VLF Force 1 is an American sports car produced by VLF Automotive. Based on the Dodge Viper, the Force 1 was designed by automobile designer Henrik Fisker. VLF Automotive also partnered with American racing driver and Viper enthusiast Ben Keating during the development of the Force 1, leveraging his experience with the engine. The Force 1 V10 was first unveiled at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, with the production of the first run of 50 vehicles planned to begin in April 2016.
Karma Automotive is a privately owned American luxury electric vehicle company founded in 2014 and now owned by Chinese conglomerate Wanxiang Group. Headquartered in Irvine, California with an assembly plant located in Moreno Valley, Karma sells vehicles via its dealer network of locations in North America, Europe, South America, and the Middle East.
The Karma Revero is a luxury plug-in hybrid sports sedan manufactured in the United States by Chinese-owned Karma Automotive. It is a revamped version of the Fisker Karma car. The first of the new production, for model year 2017, was released in September 2016.
Fisker Inc. is an American automotive company founded by Danish automotive designer Henrik Fisker and his wife Geeta Gupta-Fisker.