German Car Zone

Centurion · 01-14-2008, 04:32 PM

It looks a millions times better IRL images then what it does in the official shots. Frisker is a truly amazing and seem to enjoy the life as his own boss. It's a shame that he's not interested in working for a traditional manufacturer.

Amo · 01-14-2008, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMW_Dude

This car looks awesome, shows cars such as the Mercedes CLS how a 4 door coupe should really look like!

Exactly what I was going to say!

Looks stunning, one of the best designed cars I have seen in ages.

Bartek Sikorski · 01-14-2008, 09:45 PM

NarutoRamen · 01-14-2008, 11:00 PM

I know I'm hella late. It's probably already mentioned in this thread, but doesn't this look like a BMW CS gone horribly wrong?

Mr. Mercedes · 01-15-2008, 12:23 AM

Interesting.

The front end is repulsive.

Merc1 · 01-15-2008, 01:07 AM

I think I like it, inside and out. Sure there is a some BMW up front and some Corvette in the side profile, but still nothing else looks quite like this and it is far from being ugly.

M

BarneyBoy · 01-15-2008, 02:15 AM

A bit 'toothy' at the front, but generally a pretty nice ride.

Merc1 · 01-15-2008, 03:46 AM

Sex appeal and eco-friendliness come together in this plug-in sedan.

With a new “eco-chic” mantra guiding the company, Fisker Automotive will shift its focus from custom-built exotics towards more environmentally friendly fare. The first product reflecting this change will be this plug-in hybrid luxury sports sedan debuting in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

As in all plug-in hybrids, the Fisker Karma sedan uses a large battery pack to deliver up to 50 miles of driving via an electric motor powering the rear wheels. Should your trip extend further than that, a small gasoline engine (about 2.0 liters) under the Fisker’s long, low hood will fire up to drive a generator and expand the car’s range to a claimed 620 miles.

As with all plug-in hybrids your mileage depends on how far you drive. If your trips are shorter than 50 miles, then the gas engine never fires up and you get infinite mpg, paying only for the electricity needed to charge your battery between trips. On a long trip, when the power is primarily delivered by the small gas engine operating in conjunction with the electric motor in series-hybrid mode, the mileage is probably around 40 mpg.

This sophisticated powertrain, dubbed Q Drive, was developed by Quantum Technologies, a supplier that has worked on hybrid powertrains for both the military and for GM for use in the Chevrolet Volt. As in the Volt, the Karma’s battery is long and thin, located in the center of the car where a driveshaft would sit in a conventional front-engine, rear-drive vehicle.

Previous Fiskers used existing vehicles as starting points, but this sedan rides on an “all-new-from-the-ground-up platform.” The construction details have not yet been revealed, but Fisker’s new Director of engineering, Thomas Fritz, worked with Henrik Fisker in the design of the BMW Z8. That car’s aluminum space-frame chassis suggests what might lie under the Fisker’s skin, which will likely be formed from either aluminum or composite panels for light weight.

Despite its environmental focus, the Fisker sedan is gorgeous. The swooping body looks like the offspring of a tryst between a Corvette Z06 and Maserati Quattroporte. Fisker took advantage of the new powertrain to mount the four seats particularly low, creating a vehicle no taller than a Porsche 911. But the machine is about 195 inches long 78 inches wide so it has plenty of space to accommodate four adults.

The sedan’s performance targets include a top speed of 125 mph and the ability to sprint to 60 mph in six seconds. The asking price will be in the $80,000 range, which is ambitiously low for such a technology-laden vehicle that will be built on a unique platform in the relatively small quantity of 15,000 per year. Fisker hopes to hold costs down by using an existing mass-produced gasoline engine and sub-contracting the manufacture of the car to a major subcontractor such as Magna or Karmann.

The good news is the Karma is more than a design concept—the car on display in Detroit is a signed-off design—essentially a pre-production car that will change very little before it goes on sale. Fisker hopes to begin production towards the end of 2009, just about when the similarly sleek Aston Martin Rapide and Porsche Panamera hit the market. It will be interesting to see if Fisker’s ambitious goals prove feasible.

Fisker Karma Hybrid Sedan - Car News - Car and Driver January 2008

I said Corvette earlier, but they're saying Maserati too. I guess I can see that.

M

PanterroR · 01-15-2008, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merc1

I think I like it, inside and out. Sure there is a some BMW up front and some Corvette in the side profile, but still nothing else looks quite like this and it is far from being ugly.

M

I agree with my friend Marcus here... This is definitely far from ugly!

PanterroR · 01-15-2008, 03:59 AM

German Car Zone

Fisker Karma Hybrid Sports Sedan