Produced in 2005 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the British Louis Vuitton Classic company, Pininfarina Enjoy became a genuine innovative car

2005 Pininfarina Enjoy Concept

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  • Model: 2005 Pininfarina Enjoy Concept
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The event was also important because thanks to the Enjoy Pininfarina a new prestigious partnership with the most important luxury brand in the world, Louis Vuitton, has started. The idea of building an “exclusive” car with a production run of less than a 100, was an ambitions project. Top design, technical features and performance, debuiled crafts manships, all these made the car a dream that came true due to the acquisition of the engineering, testing and prototyping divisions of Matra Automobile, which has a tried and tested culture in terms of mechanical work.

The style of the car as well the engineering development of the exterior were performed in Turin, where as the interior development was carried out by the Matra Automobile Engineering.

The car’s uniqueness is given first of all by its limited edition, numbered, production run, being reserved for an elite clientele of collectors and brand enthusiasts with a genuine passion for cars. On the other hand Pininfarina Enjoy is unique due to its interiors by Louis Vuitton, which are a combination of exclusivity and tradition.

The main aim that guided the project was to obtain the utmost in aesthetic quality and driving pleasure. Style and radical design were the features which were to be followed. Thanks to an original technical solution, the wings can be dismounted and removed, turning the Enjoy into an extreme open wheel race car.

The Enjoy is a very light vehicle because it has a lightweight aluminum chassis and its body is made of carbon fiber. The track version weighs less than 800 kg and an outstanding weight/power ratio of 4.3 kg/bhp. The new double wishbone front and rear suspension engineered by Matra assures 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. The Pininfarina Enjoy proved to be a great success with critics and public alike, a year later when it won the Most Fun car award assigned by the American magazine Autoweek, as originality of the project in the contest for the Most Beautiful Car in the World.

Styling

Its body in carbon fiber 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 front bonnet a broad scoop hides the opening for the radiator air vent, whereas the lights are built into a transparent longitudinal band which highlights the separation between bonnet and mudguards.

A totally original look is given by 4 geometrical elements that function as removable mudguards. Once removed, technical features typical of the motor biking worlds are highlighted. Behind the seats, a roll bar links 2 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 is featured with 2 wide openings for heat exchange and 2 central exhausts. The layout of the tail lights repeat that of the front lights, to underline the width of the car.

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Interior design

For the interior design, the Pininfarina Group opted for Louis Vuitton’s elegance and vast experience in the world of leisure. Starting from the 2003 concept, Louis Vuitton’s innovation division redefined the ergonomics, instruments and accessories to enhance driving pleasure typical of a sports ca, keeping its distance from the radicalism of the classic British cabriolet. Louis Vuitton created a luxurious atmosphere by selected forms, materials, colors, trims and fittings.

To reinforce the feeling of the protection, a technical-looking fascia that is upholstered in leather and group broth the instrument array and the opening mechanism, runs round the whole of the car’s interior. 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 were designed by Louis Vuitton.

Being an open car, the chosen materials featured a combination of non-tanned chrome-colored leather and weather-proof neoprene textiles that lend a sporty and luxurious feel as well. Having neither a roof nor a windscreen, the Company came up with a protective helmet. The Enjoy helmet takes its colors from the car, has the Louis Vuitton Classic emblem.

Two great inovations were brought to the car. The first is a double structure that serves to protect the visor that slides between 2 shells, and to conceal generous air vents, which enhance comfort. The second innovation consists in the original system of trims for the areas of contact which assures protection: a pair of sunglasses which fit the helmet perfectly.

A race car also need the right clothing. Louis Vuitton developed two driving suits, in men’s and women’s version, in leather and neoprene in the colors of the car, with protection on the shoulders, hips and knees for greater comfort and to cling better to the seats. The Footwear Design designed a pair of “car shoes” for city use, inspired by Louis Vuitton classic colors, graphic motifs and materials. All of the space in the Enjoy is exploited to the maximum: with no boot the new Bellaix trolley suitcase can be positioned on the rear bonnet. This composite-material luggage offers full guarantees in terms of durability and capacity which means that users can safety 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.

Apart from the intercom/music system, Bang & Olufsen also supplies all aluminum 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 aluminum, and are at present supplying aluminum elements to other car manufacturers. But the aluminum used in the Enjoy car is of superior quality.

The extruded aluminum 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.