Detroit 2009: Fisker Karma

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 2.0L direct-injection turbocharged gasoline four cylinder that creates 260 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque.  This engine is used in the Solstice GXP, Sky Redline, Cobalt SS, and HHR SS.  In the Fisker, however, it's used as a generator.

Both of the rear wheels are driven by individual electric motors that create 201 horsepower each.  A large lithium-ion battery pack is constantly charged by the four cylinder motor.  This means the car is quite powerful - 0-60 in 5.8 seconds, 125 miles an hour - but Fisker claims the car gets an estimated overall 100 mpg.  The validity of this claim remains true, but even if it only gets half that, it will be a fantastic mixture of economy, performance, and sexy styling.

The Fisker is also a plug-in hybrid.  It can use any 110, 220, or 240v outlet and a full charge can take the Fisker 50 miles without even using the gas engine.  In Sport mode, it uses the engine as a generator and the Fisker has a total range of over 300 miles.

I am usually tempted to dismiss these kind of wondercars as vaporware, but Fisker says they've already got 22 dealers on board (shooting for a total of 40 by year's end) and there are 1,300 preorders for the Karma so far.

I'm still curious to see how they're going to make money on these cars at $88k a pop (although the consumer pays closer to $80k after government alternate fuel vehicle rebates) considering the large amount of research and development and initial costs required to design and produce the Karma.

I wish 'em the best of luck, though!

As a side note, Fisker also showed a concept version of a Karma S (for "Sunset," ugh) convertible at Detroit as well.  It sheds two doors and gains a folding metal hardtop, but still uses the same GM Turbo I4 and dual 201-horsepower electric motors to drive the wheels.  Fisker says the Karma S could be in production by 2011, which would make it the world's first hybrid convertible.  I leave it up you to decide if that's significant.