Formula XF10
The jaguar, with its elegance, power and intelligence, is a highly admired creature of the animal kingdom. In the urban jungle too, there roams another Jaguar, one which is equally admired and even desired. And of course, on the Formula 1 circuits, two Jaguars contribute to the spectacle of the pinnacle of motorsport.
All these things have inspired Fuore Design International, a design studio in Barcelona, Spain, to create the XF-10, a design study which ‘incorporates everything that comprises a real Jaguar – whether in the wild or in the asphalt jungle’.
Be it in the animal kingdom or in the urban jungle: the jaguar stands for elegance, matched with power and intelligence… characteristics that add to the sovereignty with which these automotive felines command respect on all roads. Thus the XF 10’s presence leaves no room for doubt: a two-seater, given, but unmistakably demanding nonetheless, with the scent of Formula 1.
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The ‘X’ is a tribute to the legendary two-seaters that made their way from Coventry to the most beautiful boulevards of the world in the 1950s. The ‘F’ points to the idea’s origins– Formula One, and the concluding ‘10’ is a reference to the car’s 10 cylinders – the configuration of the engine common to Formula One.
Erwin Himmel, initiator of the XF 10 design study, was fully aware of the goal before even the first stroke. “The technical nature of Formula One had to find clear expression in the form of the car and be accentuated through unmistakable performance. Also, performance that builds on a history of success is much more credible. It is a virtue that also implies the highest demands on safety. With the XF 10 we have designed ourselves a dream car,” he explained.
The XF 10’s 10-cylinder engine (4 valves/cylinder, DOHC, 7000 cc) produces 470 kW/640 bhp and raises expectations with excellent projected performance data: 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds; top speed around 338 km/h (if the speed is not limited). The dimensions of the XF 10 are 4.55 metres long, 1.98 metres wide and 121 cm low and the total package weighs in at 1350 kgs..
Fuore Design International was founded three years ago in Barcelona. The studio designs cars, boats, furniture, and consumer electronics. 25 employees from 8 nations carry out product and brand design projects.
The young and very ambitious design team has already made a powerful impact under the leadership of Erwin Himmel. They are responsible for the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution, which won the Dakar Rally this year, as well as the Subaru B 11 S which had its world premiere at the 2003 Geneva Auto Salon.
However, Fuore Design International will soon be moving beyond its core business and taking an interesting excursion into the art of constructing automobiles. This year, the Austrian city of Graz has been nominated as European City of Culture following Salamanca in Spain. From January to December, first-class cultural events will be taking place almost permanently. Graz is also the heart of the Austrian car manufacturing industry.
And Graz is the home town of Erwin Himmel. Enough reasons to originate an exhibition that will be unique in its kind. AUTO ART will take place from the 28th of May to the 15th of June 2003 with around 35 show cars to be exhibited – all of these were created for a particular motor show, to then disappear in the archives – or, to provide inspiration for series models.
