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VLF Automotive is a niche handcrafted luxury sports car manufacturer based in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and officially renamed and established in January 2016. Its predecessor was VL Automotive, co-founded in 2012 by former General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz and engineer Gilbert Villarreal.
At the end of 2015, renowned Danish designer Henrik Fisker, designer of the Aston Martin DB9 and BMW Z8, officially joined, and the company was subsequently renamed VLF Automotive, with the brand name derived from the initials of the three founders' surnames (Villarreal, Lutz, and Fisker). Bob Lutz has over 47 years of experience in the automotive industry, having served as an executive at BMW, Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors, and his deep experience provided unique endorsement for the brand. Gilbert Villarreal currently serves as the company's CEO. The brand's philosophy is "ultimate personal expression," with target customers being supercar collectors and high-end consumers pursuing uniqueness and scarcity.
Founding and First Model (2012—2013): VL Automotive was conceived in 2012. At the 2013 Detroit North American International Auto Show, the first model Destino was unveiled. Its body was derived from the Fisker Karma, but it abandoned the original vehicle's range-extended electric system, adopting a traditional large-displacement V8 gasoline engine instead, exploring the fuel-powered high-performance luxury four-door coupe route.
Branding Process and Product Expansion (2015—2016): At the end of 2015, Fisker joined and pushed for the brand name change to VLF Automotive. In January 2016, the brand showcased two mass-produced models simultaneously at the Detroit Auto Show: the Force 1 supercar based on the Dodge SRT Viper platform, and the Destino four-door sedan about to start delivery. In June of the same year, the first Destino was officially delivered to Bob Lutz himself, marking the brand's entry into the formal mass production phase.
Project Expansion and Silence (2017—2020): In 2017, an X-Series prototype with a strong Hummer style was exhibited at the Detroit Auto Show, indicating the brand had considered expanding into SUVs and military-style vehicles, but this model failed to enter mass production. Later that year, VLF obtained a contract from Humvee Export, subcontracting assembly of the civilian version "Humvee C-Series" off-road vehicles at the Auburn Hills factory, exported to Africa, the Middle East, and the Chinese market, becoming the brand's supplementary cash flow business at the time. By 2020, Bob Lutz confirmed the Destino model had ceased production, with new models still in planning. Since then, public information about the brand decreased significantly, and in 2023, it was listed as a "deadpooled" (ceased operations) company by Tracxn.
VLF Automotive's product line focuses on extreme performance, centered on fuel V8 and V10 naturally aspirated power, covering two major categories: four-door coupes and two-door supercars.
Destino (first launched in 2013, delivered in 2016): The brand's first mass-produced model, positioned as a high-end four-door luxury coupe. It retains the all-aluminum body frame of the Fisker Karma and is powered by the LS9 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine derived from the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, delivering 638 horsepower and peak torque of approximately 817 N·m, paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission (with paddle shifters). It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, has a top speed of 322 km/h, and was priced at $229,000. The car ceased production around 2020.
Force 1 (2016 – approximately 2020): The brand's flagship supercar, deeply modified based on the Dodge SRT Viper platform. Styling was done by Henrik Fisker, adopting an all-carbon fiber body. Equipped with an 8.4-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine, enhanced with unique camshafts and high-flow intake manifolds, it produces maximum power of 745 horsepower and peak torque of 865 N·m, paired with a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.0 seconds, has a top speed of 350 km/h, and had a starting price of $268,500. Originally planned to be limited to 50 units, only five were actually produced due to high pricing and market response not meeting expectations.
X-Series (unveiled in 2017): A rugged, large-scale behemoth model with styling paying homage to the Hummer H1. The brand did not disclose its specific power parameters or mass production plans, and it was ultimately not produced.
The brand's market performance can be summarized as "entering high-profile, exiting low-key." The waiting period for the first delivery of the first model, Destino, from launch to delivery exceeded three years, and only a few units were finally delivered. The Force 1 was originally planned for 50 units, but only five were ultimately produced; some have appeared in the classic car auction market, further confirming its scarcity and weak mass production capability. The brand maintained factory operations through subcontracting the "Humvee C-Series" off-road vehicles and other projects, focusing on overseas export markets, and annual production never reached the scale of hundreds of units. With the cessation of Destino around 2020 and the shelving of subsequent new models, the substantial market operations of the VLF brand have essentially ceased.
Large Displacement Naturally Aspirated and Supercharged Engines: The Destino is equipped with the LS9 6.2L supercharged V8, derived from the Chevrolet Super Sport ZR1, tuned to output 638 horsepower and 817 N·m. The Force 1 is equipped with a specially modified 8.4L V10 naturally aspirated engine; after modifying camshafts, high-flow intake systems, and exhaust manifolds, power jumped from the original 645 horsepower to 745 horsepower, with torque increased to 865 N·m.
All-Carbon Fiber Body Engineering: For the Force 1, apart from retaining the Viper's core architecture, the exterior body panels are entirely made of carbon fiber composite materials, keeping the total vehicle weight controlled at 1,538 kg.
Handcrafted Customization Craftsmanship: The brand adheres to the principle of "full vehicle personalized hand manufacturing." The interior of the Force 1 can be deeply customized according to customer requirements, including Nappa leather, Alcantara suede material full coverage, carbon fiber trim panels, and a center armrest champagne cooler configuration.
VLF Automotive's early business focused on the US domestic market, later expanded the overseas market slightly relying on international trade channels. The brand obtained an order from Humvee Export company in 2017, assembling the civilian version Humvee C-Series off-road vehicles at the Auburn Hills factory in Michigan, powered by General Motors powertrains, small batch exports to Africa, Europe, Middle East, and specifically shipped to the Chinese market in early 2017 (approximately endorsing the Hummer China import channel), providing some revenue to maintain brand operations. Meanwhile, VLF promoted Force 1 and other sports cars to participate in the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show, aiming to leverage the Chinese high-end consumer market, latterly no trace of large-scale export was seen; overall sports car sales went mainly to the US domestic market, Asia and Middle East markets were mainly for small batch trial displays, and the brand itself did not establish overseas KD assembly plants or build overseas regional R&D centers.
As of 2026, although the VLF Automotive official website is nominally retained, the brand has no new model development or mass production plans in public channels. The Tracxn platform has categorized VLF as a company with ceased operations, indicating the brand has essentially entered a quiet period. The energy of the three founders had long since turned to their respective new career paths: Bob Lutz, at nearly ninety years old, rarely participates in brand operations anymore; Henrik Fisker successively founded Fisker Inc. to engage in mass-produced electric vehicle ventures; and Gilbert Villarreal moved on to other tech projects.
Today, the historical value of the Destino and Force 1 is more reflected in the collector market. The Force 1, due to the extreme scarcity of only five units globally, has become the "ultimate prey" for American supercar collectors, while the Destino represents a rebellious attempt to transition from electric hyper-tuning back to traditional large-displacement engines. The rise and fall of the VLF brand also provides a unique and brief footnote to cross-industry cooperation in the automotive industry—the multidimensional convergence of a GM veteran, a European designer, and a practical entrepreneur.
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