IRVINE, California — One year after the Karma concept car made its debut in Detroit, the production version of the $87,900 plug-in hybrid will roll out at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. But a company official said on Tuesday that Fisker Automotive is "already sold out on the car until mid-2010."
The company said that it will have 40 U.S. retailers by October 2009. It will announce the names and locations of 20 of those retailers at the Detroit show. European pricing on the Fisker Karma will be announced at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show. Yearly volume is pegged at 15,000 cars per year.
Deliveries on the Fisker Karma will begin in November 2009. The company said the final production interior will be unveiled "for the first time in its final form" in Detroit on January 15. Fisker Automotive noted that there are "only minor design enhancements" to the four-passenger production vehicle versus the concept vehicle. Details include standard 22-inch light alloy wheels, a large glass solar roof panel and a lightweight aluminum spaceframe.
"The production model to be featured at the 2009 NAIAS will include an upper grill [sic] that is graphically enhanced, being slightly larger toward the outer corners," said Fisker Automotive in a statement. "The lower air intake has been enlarged to allow for more airflow and underneath the rear bumper, an aerodynamic diffuser includes the integration of a cooling cover for the drivetrain."
The Fisker Karma gets a lithium-ion battery and a 2.0-liter direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine that delivers 260 horsepower. The Karma sprints from zero to 60 miles per hour in 5.8 seconds and has a top speed of 125 mph. The company said the vehicle will have an all-electric range of 50 miles. Afterward, the gas engine turns a generator to charge the lithium-ion battery.
"Fisker Automotive estimates that most Karma drivers who charge the Karma overnight and commute less than 50 miles per day will be able to achieve an average fuel economy of [the equivalent of] 100 mpg," the company said.
Inside Line says: Fisker Automotive pledges to show up in Detroit with its first production car — but the bad news is that it is sold out. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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