(from Pininfarina Press Release)
The partnership with Louis Vuitton gives rise to a Pininfarina branded
car, 75 units could be produced during 2005 to celebrate the 75th
anniversary of the company.
Final decision will be taken after a world wide tour of presentation to
collectors and brand enthusiasts.
Set to make its world debut at the British Louis Vuitton Classic,
scheduled for 5 June 2004 at Waddesdon Manor (Waddesdon, Great Britain),
is the Pininfarina Enjoy, inspired by the concept car of the same name
which was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 2003. This is a dream
come true, even if just for the lucky few. Because Pininfarina intends
to weigh, through a promotional tour, the interest of collectors and
enthusiasts towards a special car which is supposed to be manufactured
and sold in only 75 units during 2005 to celebrate the company’s 75th
anniversary. And thanks to the Enjoy Pininfarina has started up a new
prestigious partnership with the most important luxury brand in the
world, Louis Vuitton, which was commissioned to work on the interiors of
the vehicle.
“The Enjoy, Pininfarina branded, is an ambitious project: the idea of
building an “exclusive” car with a production run of less than a 100,
with top design, technical features and performance, combined with
detailed craftsmanship, represents an equation that no other
manufacturer has managed to pull off. Thanks to the recent acquisition
of the engineering, testing and prototyping divisions of Matra
Automobile, which has a tried and tested culture in terms of mechanical
work, Pininfarina has been able to extend its areas of expertise and
become a genuine car manufacturer, turning the Enjoy into an exclusive
and innovative product. In order to underline the internationalization
of the group, the style as well as the engineering development of the
exterior have been performed in Turin, while the interior development
has been carried out by the technical staff of Matra Automobile
Engineering. The possible production is planned in Matra’s prototyping
workshop and final delivery for the lucky few will take place at CERAM,
another company of the Pininfarina Group.
Thanks to the newly acquired technical competencies a further premier
has been achieved with the chassis and suspensions development by Matra.
The technical solutions are traditional but some of the features are
directly derived from the competitions like the front suspensions
preloaded and the shock-absorbers dual setting.
This car thus represents the living, “functioning” proof that
Pininfarina is able to offer the big manufacturers a full service, from
styling to design to niche production.
But what is the Pininfarina Enjoy? The definitive driving experience.
Driving pleasure in its purest form. Pininfarina’s exclusive, modern
interpretation of that most classic and appealing category, the
barchetta, which turns into an open wheel race car at the drop of a hat.
What makes the Enjoy unique is, on one hand, the limited edition,
numbered, production run, reserved for an elite clientele of collectors
and enthusiasts with a genuine passion for cars, a sensual rapport with
them, and a true appreciation of the value of exclusivity and tradition;
on the other hand, its interiors by Louis Vuitton. The group’s
involvement in the Enjoy project represented the continuation of the
long tradition which links Louis Vuitton to the motoring world, dating
back to 1907, when twins Jean and Pierre Vuitton built their first car.
In the first half of the last century, Louis Vuitton worked on exclusive
fittings and trims for various manufacturers and bodyworkers, and since
1988 has been European patron, first in Paris, then in London, to the
Louis Vuitton Classic, one of the most important vintage events in the
world. It is no coincidence that the Pininfarina Enjoy will have its
world preview at the Louis Vuitton Classic, this year held at Waddesdon
Manor.
The radical design features of the Enjoy, like the elimination of the
windscreen, highlight the way that style guided the project, the sole
aims of which were to obtain the utmost in aesthetic quality and driving
pleasure, without compromise. Thanks to an original technical solution,
the wings can be dismounted and removed, transforming the Enjoy into an
extreme open wheel roadster. The Enjoy has a lightweight aluminium
chassis and its body is entirely made out of carbon fibre. The aim to
create the ultimate driving experience led to the creation of a very
light vehicle (the track version weighs less than 800 kg) with an
outstanding weight/power ratio of 4.3 kg/bhp. The new double wishbone
front and rear suspensions by Matra mean “track level” driving precision
in all conditions. The top speed is around 250 km/h, while acceleration
(from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds) and road holding are the car’s key
strengths.
“A year has passed since we presented what was essentially a fun concept
in Geneva, which turned out to be a great success with critics and
public alike – remembers Andrea Pininfarina, President and CEO of the
Pininfarina Group – and the Enjoy went on to win the Most Fun car award
assigned by the prestigious American magazine Autoweek, as well as
earning a special mention for the design originality of the project in
the contest for the Most Beautiful Car in the World. This is what led us
to decide on a limited production run, which was also an opportunity to
take advantage of our extended business areas resulting from the
acquisition of Matra. It is a unique opportunity to present a new model
manufactured by Pininfarina itself.”
“In order to develop such an important project – adds Pininfarina – we
needed partners which could enable us to build on our know-how. For the
interior design we opted for Louis Vuitton’s elegance and vast
experience in the world of leisure. We hope that this is just the start
of a long relationship with Louis Vuitton, and that these 75 cars, each
of which is dedicated to a single year in the life of the company, find
75 true enthusiasts who appreciate its sporty spirit, unique design and
true class”.
“As creator of cars Pininfarina has been making our dreams come true for
75 years. Louis Vuitton is very pleased to contribute to the Enjoy
project with all its know how in the design field”, says Yves Carcelle,
Chairman of Louis Vuitton.
STYLING
The bodywork in carbon fibre has a central body with an elliptical shape
and a wedge-like ridge along the side. The sizeable air inlet at the
front meets the slim bumpers above and a wing-shaped element below,
which with the wheels uncovered creates a full-width spoiler.
At the centre of the front bonnet a broad scoop hides the opening for
the radiator air vent, while the lights are built into a transparent
longitudinal band which highlights the separation between bonnet and
mudguards
Four geometrical elements function as removable mudguards which give the
vehicle a totally original look, and once removed, highlight technical
features typical of the motor biking world, where mechanical elements
are a key part of design.
Behind the seats, a roll bar links two domes tapering off into fins
which act as air extractors. A luggage rack can be positioned at the
centre of the engine housing.
The rear of the car features two wide openings for heat exchange and two
central exhausts. The layout of the tail lights repeat that of the front
lights, to underline the width of the car.
INTERIOR DESIGN BY LOUIS VITTON
Designing the interiors of the Pininfarina Enjoy was all about creating
a look dedicated to pure sporting pleasure in a car. Starting from the
2003 concept, Louis Vuitton’s innovation division redefined the
ergonomics, instruments and accessories to enhance driving pleasure in
its most “primitive” form, typical of a sports car, while keeping its
distance from the radicalism of the classic British cabriolet, which is
often a little too spartan and “bare” in terms of materials and
instrument array. Louis Vuitton came up with a more luxurious atmosphere
by selecting forms, materials, colours, trims and fittings “à la Vuitton”.
A technical-looking facia, upholstered in leather and grouping both the
instrument array and the opening mechanism, runs round the whole of the
interior to reinforce the feeling of protection, while a second vertical
band creates a racing car cockpit around the driving seat. The new
layout of the instrument array was inspired by rounded shapes and the
graphics of the Tambour watch designed by Louis Vuitton.
This being an open car, the materials chosen featured a combination of
non-tanned chrome-coloured leather and weather-proof neoprene textiles,
which lend a sporty but luxurious feel. And because the Enjoy has
neither a roof nor a windscreen, the company came up with a protective
helmet. Louis Vuitton has been familiar with this accessory since its
first model was launched in 1988. The Enjoy helmet, which takes its
colours from the car, features the Louis Vuitton Classic emblem and has
two great innovations:
a double structure which serves to protect the visor, which slides
between two shells, and to conceal generous air vents, which enhance
comfort;
an original system of trims for the areas of contact, which enhances
protection: a pair of sunglasses which fit the helmet perfectly.
Driving a race car also requires the right clothing. Louis Vuitton
developed two driving suits, in men’s and women’s versions, in leather
and neoprene in the colours of the car, with protection on the
shoulders, hips and knees for greater comfort and to cling better to the
seats. The Footwear Division also designed a pair of “car shoes” for
city use, inspired by Louis Vuitton classic colours, graphic motifs and
materials.
Just as in all high performance sports cars, every millimetre of space
in the Enjoy is exploited to the max: with no boot the new Bellaix
trolley suitcase (medium-sized model) can be positioned on the rear
bonnet. This composite-material luggage offers full guarantees in terms
of durability and capacity, meaning that users can safely entrust their
belongings to it.
THE OTHER PARTNERS
The partnership between Louis Vuitton and Pininfarina is already a
unique adventure in itself, but in order to complete the project other
companies, leaders in their sectors sharing the same gift for excellence
and creativity, were also involved.
The helmet houses a driver-passenger intercom system designed by Bang &
Olufsen, one of the worlds most outstanding manufacturers of audio and
video systems with a long-standing tradition for high quality,
innovative use of technology and pleasing design. This high quality
sound system is adapted to fit Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound 2 digital music
player placed in custom designed holders in the doors, giving the driver
and passenger an option for excellent sound and music reproduction on
the road.
“We have embraced the opportunity to participate in this exciting
creative partnership, together with leading companies in car design and
accessories – declares Torben Ballegaard Sorensen, President and CEO of
Bang & Olufsen – We have seen this as an interesting challenge within
design implementation and the exchange of ideas, more than a question of
business”.
Apart from the intercom/music system, Bang & Olufsen also supplies all
aluminium interiors in the Enjoy car - manufactured with the high
surface quality known from their audio/video products. Bang & Olufsen
holds very exceptional competencies in crafting aluminium, and are at
present supplying aluminium elements to other car manufacturers. But the
aluminium used in the Enjoy car is of superior quality.
The extruded aluminium chassis and mechanical components of the Enjoy
were supplied by Lotus, the world leader in vehicle dynamics, and which
was a partner in creating the 2003 concept. The engine is a 4 cylinder
16-valve 189 bhp/192PS/141Kw Toyota VVTL-i, calibrated by Lotus.
Technical Specifications
Engine
4 cylinder, 16-valve Toyota VVTL-i, calibrated by Lotus Output 189 bhp/192PS/141Kw Bodywork carbon fibre; chassis in extruded aluminum Weight 1874 lbs 0-62 mph 5.2 seconds Top Speed 155 mph
