Fioravanti has turned up in Geneva with two design projects that its believes are both, although from extreme ends of the spectrum, are typically drawn from traditional Italian areas of strength: a future F1 car study (top) that looks to lower costs and a research overlap with road cars and a small, cheap to build economical urban car (bottom).

Fioravanti has turned up in Geneva with two design projects that its believes are both, although from extreme ends of the spectrum, are typically drawn from traditional Italian areas of strength: a future F1 car study that looks to lower costs and a research overlap with road cars and a small, cheap to build economical urban car.

LF1

Fioravanti is a design company recognised for its "out-of-the-box" thinking and thanks to this characteristic combined with the strong passion of its personnel in Geneva it is dealing with the topic of Formula 1. "Since we think that in a period of heavy economic crisis, in particular for the automotive world, also the Formula 1 has to be reviewed in its principle. Creating more connection between F1 research the road cars production, making the races more interesting with more overtaking manoeuvres still maintaining the Grand Prix a the top of the media global events," says Fioravanti in its Geneva Motor Show press release. "LF1 wants only to be an auspice for a future Formula 1 regulation, based on more general simplicity, with it Fioravanti shows one of the possible solutions."

The vehicle has been designed referring to the next 1800 cc. turbo engines as recently proposed for the 2012 regulations. With this it has been possible to define a very compact bodywork with less aerodynamic drag and turbulences. Radiators and intercoolers are designed with forced air using fans in order to reduce the front wheel drag. 18-inch rims and tyres with dimensions more similar to the road and racing GT cars, allow the use of braking systems similar to the ones utilised in the high performance road cars with advanced use of the K.E.R.S., as in production cars, more eco-oriented for fuel consumption savings.

Over the years aerodynamics has became more and more relevant in Formula 1, affecting performances, costs, racing and the aesthetics. The inspiring principle of the project has been the reduction of the aerodynamic drag and turbulence. This goal has been reached taking advantage of the ground effect in an innovative manner, removing the wings as not integrated bodywork elements. The shape of the central body is characterised from lift-down force ratio close to zero. The front wing is integrated in the front end and contributes at the same time for the downforce and for the reduction of the front wheel drag thanks to the side fairings. The rear wing, with quite big dimensions, is integrated in the bottom of the vehicle generating consistent down force. In order to give an optimal ground effect and to keep the vehicle with a constant distance from the ground Fioravanti proposes a return of active suspensions use that is widely utilizsd in the production cars.

The C.F.D. (Computer Fluid Dynamic) study has confirmed that, with a measurement done at 10 meters from the back of the car, the degree of turbulence generated by the aerodynamic drag is very low. Considering the above it could be possible to suggest, at regulation level the check of the drag energy and degree of turbulence in a transversal section positioned 10 meters from the rear of the car. This could allow drivers to do more overtaking on all circuits giving them the possibility to decide, more than today, when and how to overtake, allowing battles between several cars and driving tactics that emphasize the driver talent.

The LF1 is 4,200 mm long, 950 mm high and 1,820 mm wide with a wheelbase of 2,800 mm. Magneti Marelli, Brembo, Pirelli, Ansys and Coggiola were all involved in the project and the LF1, dressed in traditional Italian red-white-and-green coluours in Geneva, bears their decals.

Tris

In an environment where the low cost car will have a growing part to play in every market, including the most developed, Fioravanti again proposes the Tris project which it first showed in 2000. The project to develop an economical car is typical of Italian design, Fioravanti wants to define a low cost car with new parameters, not only looking to production places where the labour costs are lower, but designing a vehicle that is intrinsically economical.

The purpose of this vehicle, characterised by patented solutions, is to influence a future series of cars on which components will be strongly reduced in their number. Such components will no longer identified with numbers and definitions in respect to their positions, but they will be designed only for their function. This is a new way to think and to approach the basic vehicle. The doors will no longer be “right door n…” and “left door n..” or “ rear door n…”, the bumper will no longer be front bumper and rear bumper, the lighting will no longer be the front left headlight and rear left headlight. All these elements will be defined only as 'opening function', 'bumper function', and 'lighting function' because these components will be exactly the same component regardless of their position (left, right, front, rear). Also the protective framework structure is influenced by this new approach; it is identical on both side of the vehicle, making the appearance of Tris typical. The two rear side-windows are identical too.

This design idea spreads to the whole production chain, from the development phase to simplifying feasibility, engineering and prototyping before going on the production itself benefiting the plant, tooling, assembly and logistics. With the patented body solutions of Tris, Fioravanti thinks is possible to reach a true low cost car, equipped with future eco-friendly engines or traditional ones, for which dimensions don’t need to be necessarily reduced. Tris is 3,850 mm long, 1,720 mm wide, 1,530 mm high and with a wheelbase of 2,550 mm.