If at first you don't succeed: Henrik Fisker announces a new concept for Detroit

By Ronan Glon December 10, 2015

Fisker Force 1 sketch — Image used with permission by copyright holder

We won’t see MINI, Tesla, Jaguar, or Land Rover at the 2016 edition of the Detroit Motor Show, but automotive entrepreneur and designer Henrik Fisker will travel to the event to introduce a new sports car called Force 1.

Fisker began developing the Force 1 earlier this year with input from an acclaimed race car driver whose identity hasn’t been revealed yet. Whether the car is entirely new from top to bottom or based on an existing model is anyone’s guess at this point, but careful observers will notice the lone teaser sketch published by the Danish designer strongly suggests the Force 1 started life as a Jaguar F-Type.

Regardless of its origins, the Force 1 appears to wear an aggressive design characterized by a pair of NACA ducts up front, two air vents on the hood, and wide fender flares on all four corners. The two-seater coupe rides on 21-inch alloy wheels wrapped by Pirelli P Zero tires, and it’s fitted with an active suspension system that improves both comfort and handling.

Power is provided by a naturally-aspirated engine mounted in front-mid position that spins the rear wheels via either a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional automatic unit controlled by shift paddles. Full technical details are being kept under wraps until the start of the Detroit show, but the Force 1 is expected to be remarkably light because its body is crafted entirely out of carbon fiber.

The Force 1 was designed to compete with the best sports cars on the planet.

“I believe there is room in the market for a daily driver that embodies all the attributes of the best track racing car, and the comfort of a luxurious sports car,” explains the ambitious designer.

Fisker will begin building the Force 1 in Michigan in April of next year, and production will be limited to just 50 examples. It will carry a base price of $300,000, a figure that makes it more expensive than the Lamborghini Huracán. Stay tuned, as full details will be announced next month when the coupe makes its public debut in the nation’s motor city.

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Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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