Fisker Automotive has apparently decided that 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque should be plenty of power to recharge some batteries. Those 260 galloping ponies will come courtesy of the General in the form of its 2.0L direct injected and turbocharged Ecotec four banger, an engine that we've sampled ourselves plenty of times. We feel well qualified, therefore, to suggest that this is an excellent motor, but it really sounds like a major case of overkill for this particular application. Perhaps that's better than "underkill" (if such a word actually existed) as that powerful engine ought to be able to recharge the Fisker Karma's on-board lithium ion batteries at an extremely brisk pace. The faster the internal combustion engine can charge up the battery pack, the quicker the car can revert back to its native electric-only operation. Plus, that engine is a relatively light chunk of alloy, so the Karma's motor shouldn't be burdened by the gasoline-fed boat anchor too horribly under electric power.

We also find it a bit interesting that Fisker chose GM as its powertrain supplier, which means that the Karma and GM's own Chevy Volt are now even closer cousins than before. Both vehicles will sport four doors, lithium ion batteries and an extended-range electric vehicle drivetrain; and with this announcement, both are now slated to share four cylinder engines from GM.

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Ahead of its official unveiling at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Fisker Automotive bosses had us up to a studio in Munich for a thorough advance viewing and info download on their second model, a shooting brake called Surf.

The first words out of our mouth was, "The shape is a bit like a Ferrari FF." First thing out of their mouth – as though they were utterly perched to form the words, too – "But with four doors!" Henrik Fisker and COO Bernhard Koehler much prefer hearkening back to the 1970s iconic Lamborghini Espada when talking about the Surf's inspiration.

The Surf is the second model from the Fisker design pool, and it is so-named partly because a Fisker owner can now load a surfboard either in or on it. This joins the Karma sedan on the production line at Valmet Automotive in Finland, and should be ready for deliveries worldwide by July 2012.

The Surf shooting brake could well be called the Fisker Karma station wagon since its main objective is to respond to the ridiculously skimpy trunk on the sedan, which measures an adorable 7.1 cubic feet – less than the total storage room in a Ferrari 458 Italia. The expandable room in back now measures anywhere from 12.7 to 29.0 cubes. Hardly cause for a group "Wow!," but certainly a handy improvement.



Aside from the added carriage work and its space afforded, overall weight on the Surf versus the Karma increases by just 77 pounds, putting it in the 4,400-pound neighborhood. Work is reportedly underway for creating a custom set of luggage that best makes use of those awkwardly meted out cubic feet.

The entire powertrain, chassis, and interior execution of the Surf are identical to the Karma sedan, with the only major cabin change being the additional room in back for a couple of adults. We had a six-foot colleague get situated comfortably in the driver's seat while we sat our 5'11" body in the rear seat. Memories of the Aston Martin Rapide's "rear-passenger capsule" sensation came up, but the only insufficiency really is foot room beneath the front squabs. Fisker could have done a better job there. The 1.2 inches of added rear headroom work well for those of us up to six feet in height.

Whereas the exterior rear roof-mounted solar panel on the Karma is a 120-watt gathering unit, the available panel for the Surf is a 133-watt unit. The sturdy black plastic grille insert is a new look, as are the very sharp new 22-inch standard wheels. Fisker is currently working with an outside supplier to create an easy roof rack system to slide into the standard aluminum roof rails.



When we last drove a Fisker Karma, we were critical of the sound that entered the cabin via the footwells whenever the 255-horsepower GM Ecotec turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter four-cylinder chimed in to extend the range of the 315-cell lithium ion battery pack in Sport mode. Fisker tells us that the silencers have since been swapped out to create a more appropriate $100,000-plus premium noise. We're hoping that this is true. In the meantime, the awesome "signature Fisker external sound" gently fills the eardrums in Stealth mode as on the Karma.

Fisker Automotive tells us that pre-orders remain at just above 3,000, which is where they reportedly stood back when we drove the Karma dynamic prototype in February of this year. "Those initial enthusiasts," says Koehler, "are still with us and first deliveries have happened in the U.S. We have then a list of thousands more who are simply in the 'wait and see' mode and have the firm intent of buying once they hear first-hand feedback from the first customers."



Designer and CEO Fisker also tells that the Surf should do particularly well in Europe, a continent renowned for its addiction to larger premium wagons. Fisker hopes to sell 3,500 Surf models per year, rather ambitious for a shooting brake.

Pricing is set to reflect a slight premium over the $95,900 to $108,900 range of the Karma, but no exact Surf numbers have been announced yet. They did blurt out, however, "It'll be like the FF but with four doors and at one-third the price."

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Hybrid propulsion or not, wunder-designer Henrik Fisker couldn't have picked a worse time be to starting a new car company...especially in the United States. Fisker has been adamant that his company will get off the ground and begin production of its much-hyped Karma electric sedan and S convertible, but without the capital invested, speculation was that his efforts could run out of steam prematurely. However, Automotive News is reporting that the upstart automaker has received a healthy cash injection of $85 million to help get production started.

The funds come from two investors: Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, which was one of the first financial firms to invest in Fisker's enterprise, and a new investor Eco-Drive Capital Partners LLC. Will it be enough to get the Karma out on the street? Eighty-five mil is a big hunk of cash, but as any Detroit veteran could tell you, big money has a habit of running out fast in this business, and it generally takes hundreds of millions of dollars to launch new models.

[Source: Automotive News]

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Running television ads. Taking orders. And now, setting up a network of dealerships. Fisker Automotive is starting to act like a real car company.

The company announced today that it has signed up its first group of 32 retailers. These outlets will be located in 17 states – Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, Virginia, and Wisconsin – and one Canadian Province, British Columbia (see the full list after the jump). But Fisker isn't stopping there - the company hopes to have at least 40 dealers in the U.S. signed up by June. Deliveries of the $87,900 plug-in hybrid Karma should begin at the end of this year, and Fisker hopes to sell 15,000 units a year once they get up to full production.

Like the luxury PHEVs themselves, Fisker vows that their showrooms will make efforts to be eco-friendly, with natural and sustainable materials used throughout, and a solar-powered carport available.

[Source: Fisker]

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Fisker is out to prove that green cars don't have to be boring with its extended-range plug-in hybrid Karma, available in both sedan and retractable hardtop variants. Potential buyers have already placed over 1,300 orders for the four-door model and now we hear that the burgeoning automaker is accepting deposits of $25,000 for the Karma S drop-top. Those placing orders early are being told they can expect a delivery date in late 2011.

Both Karma models come equipped with lithium ion battery packs that can provide gasoline-free travel for up to 50 miles, after which a GM-sourced 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct injected Energizer Bunny powerplant will kick in to recharge the battery. There's reportedly enough juice to power twin electric motors that offer over 400 horsepower to the rear wheels, which is sufficient to push the electric stunner to 60 in under six seconds and up to a top speed of over 125 mph.


[Source: eGMCarTech]

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Just after showing off the the production intent version of the Karma plug-in hybrid sport sedan, designer Henrik Fisker had his models pull the cover off a new concept: the Karma S. The Karma S takes the drivetrain and platform and loses two doors and the roof. The Sunset has a retractable hardtop over its four seats and, as usual in such configurations, the rear seating area loses out. Thankfully, the top folds into fairly compact pieces, so the Karma S doesn't suffer from long deck syndrome. Under the hood sits a GM 2.0L turbocharged and direct-injected EcoTec four-cylinder with 260 hp driving a generator to keep the car going after its 50-mile battery range has been depleted. Out back a pair of electric motors drive the rear wheels with 400 hp courtesy of the lithium-ion battery. If Fisker lasts long enough, the Karma S should be out in 2011.

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