Car Throttle

There has been a lot of hubbub over GM's much-trumpeted 230 miles per gallon figure on the range-extended Chevrolet Volt. The back and forth on whether or not that is a correct number (GM says the EPA cycle will result in that rating) has been intense. Now its Fisker's turn to make a splash, announcing the MPG rating for the Karma. In Fisker's announced figures, they are using results from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) methedology for measuring plug-in hybrids. Speaking of which, Fisker still continues to call the Karma a plug-in hybrid when really it's a range-extended electric vehicle. Anyways, the Karma will achieve 3.5L/100km (or 67.2 mpg U.S) and CO2 emissions of 83 grams per kilometer. Fisker says that "941 million liters (248 million gallons)

I love to see people accomplish their dreams - and it looks like Fisker is doing just that. Henrik Fisker and his company is continuing to move forward on schedule with the launch of the Karma range-extended electric-vehicle. If all goes to plan, the Karma will be the first luxury vehicle of it's kind on the road. Other than in Fisker's commercial that displayed the Karma in motion, we've yet to see the car driving on the road. It looks like that is about to change though. How? Well a lot of automotive events are going on in Monterey, California next month. One of those is the Historic Automobile Races in California. The races are part of the car themed Monterey Weekend, where 3 car events are

The ink is hardly dry on the announcement for Fisker's new range-extended electric vehicle, the Karma and yet the company head Henrik Fisker is already talking about a successor. The company has come such a long way since its original inception. Originally the company sold coach built vehicles like the Tramonto and Latigo CS. The Tramonto was based on the Mercedes-Benz SL and the Latigo CS on the BMW 6-Series. Smartly, the company used those models to produce a profit that would help investors kick down the cash to develop dedicated vehicles like the Karma.   Henry Fisker's dream is being realized! Like Tesla, the company has applied for Department of Energy loan guarantees. Fisker hopes to use that money to develop a new low cost model, using the same

Fisker scaring you, Jaguar? After receiving a £340 million loan (Around $450 million at current exchange rates) from the European Central Bank (EIB), it looks like Jaguar is moving quickly to show it's putting the money to good use. The loan was given to Jaguar-Land Rover to speed up by the European Central Bank to speed up investment and production of green technologies. Jaguar must have been working on the EREV Jaguar XJ ahead of time and showed it to the EIB in order to garner the necessary funds to produce it. Otherwise, 2011 is an very quick time frame to see this hit production. In the high-ende luxury market, the electrified Jaguar XJ would go head to head with the Fisker Karma. Who would have thought? An

Model S envy? Maybe. Don't worry, I'd be jealous too Fisker. Tesla has been capturing all the headlines as of late with the Model S while Fisker, who is farther along on the journey to production, has been avoiding the limelight. Fisker has made it clear, espessially recently, that a lower-cost model was always in the future plan. A higher-end vehicle was needed to help subsidize some of the cost at the beginning. Even given the high cost of earlier entry that usually impairs new technologies, I'm impressed with the price that Fisker is able to offer the Karma. It certainly seems like something that will catch on with enough well-heeled customers. $87,900 for a beautiful, 4-door sedan with a 50-mile electric only range, available very soon? Sounds

Finally! Finally as it's been forever seen we've first heard about the Model S and finally since it's been a few hours since the reveal started at 12PM PST. So here's everything I've got on Tesla's latest introduction, the Model S sedan. Maybe, just maybe if all goes to plan, you'll be seeing this car and 20,000 like it on the road sometime in 2012. Production is scheduled to start in late 2011. Tesla and CEO Elon Musk seem very confident about this car, and if this it's for real, then they indeed have a reason to be. In one way, this seems a bit like vaporware, with the company beginning to take orders and deposits already (there was even a card that circulated with details on the bank account

 Take that, naysayers! I can hear Fisker saying it now. While it's too early to declare victory, the company keeps moving along and advancing toward it's goals. Further proof comes by it's success in signing up dealers for it's new Karma sedan. Thirty-two dealers ("retailers" in Fisker's terminology) in 17 states have signed up to sell the Karma. You might remember the company set a goal for 40 dealers by June 2009. Looks like they're well on their way to achieving that goal, and that's an impressive feat! Each one has experience in selling premium automobiles, and that experience will be invaluable in delivering the kind of experience Fisker's customers will require. I'm glad to see California will be well-served as well (Test drives? I've GOT to do

Well, who saw this coming? Fisker, the pet brand of famed stylist Henrik Fisker, introduced the production version of their Karma hybrid sports sedan today at NAIAS.  While this isn't the best economy to introduce a complicated, $87,900 sports sedan, the Karma just might have a fighting chance - and here's why. For one thing, it's stunning.  The Karma is the brainchild of Henrik Fisker, who was previously a stylist for Jaguar - who knows a thing or two about making beautiful cars.  The car h,,as hints of Maserati, Aston Martin, and speedboat - it's different, but pretty.  What's really interesting about this sexy, low slung road rocket is how it's propelled. Under the hood of the Karma is General Motor's highly acclaimed LNF four cylinder, a