Has VP Joe Biden leaked Fisker's product plan?
Regardless of what side of the political fence you find yourself on, it's hard to dispute that vice president Joe Biden has a reputation for saying more than he should. That's not always a good thing when you're privy to some of the most important secrets of what is arguably the most powerful nation on earth. Happily for car fans, our veep's "gift" seems to apply to automakers as well. When Biden addressed the media at Fisker's recently purchased Wilmington, Delaware plant, the VP reportedly got pretty glib with Fisker's future product plans. Among the tidbits that Biden spilled beans on was the planned production volume of Project Nina. We already knew that Fisker was gearing up to build Project Nina – a plug-in hybrid rumored to cost less than $40,000 – somewhere in the States, but we didn't know that the fledgling automaker planned to build up to 100,000 copies of the still unseen and unproven PHEV, and that's exactly what our VP indicates. Biden also reportedly described the new sedan's design, saying it looks like a 'four-door Ferrari.' After the press conference, company founder Henrik Fisker apparently told Fox News that Biden "definitely told what our product plans are." Oops.
We don't know if Biden actually spoke out of turn or not, but given the VP's reputation for doing so, we're wondering if Fisker intended to tip its product plans hand this early in the game. Fisker can't complain too much, though, since the U.S. government loaned his company $529 million in spite of the fact that it won't make a car in the U.S. until the middle of the next decade. The automaker's first offering, the Karma, doesn't arrive until late next year, and it will be made in Finland.
[Source: The Car Connection | Image: Jeff Fusco/Getty]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
FThorn 2:36PM (10/28/2009)
Biden sometimes or ever speaks NOT out of turn? Uh, yeaaaaaah, right.
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Gruv 1:43PM (10/30/2009)
See, GM needs to just die already to make room for more startup companies like this.
Monica Dickey 5:16PM (10/28/2009)
oh joe, will you ever learn to control your mouth? This is hilarious
BoxerFanatic 2:37PM (10/28/2009)
what the hell does Biden NOT let fall out of his mouth?
Does gaff #734867 really surprise anyone?
How about if you want to keep a secret, Fisker... YOU DON'T TELL BIDEN!!!
For what purpose does the heck does the VP of the US need to know that information, anyway?
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Luis 2:42PM (10/28/2009)
Biden rocks.
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Sea Urchin 3:18PM (10/28/2009)
I heard Obama wanted to trade him under the Cash for Clunkers program.
Thomas 3:37PM (10/28/2009)
I heard that Joe Biden would give away state secrets if he were ever to be captured by terrorists. All they would have to do is sit him down on a chair, and ask him: "Hey Joe, what do you know?"
PJ 4:08PM (10/28/2009)
Biden really didn't divulge anything we didn't know already. This post is just kind of a cheap shot at a guy who was (somewhat prematurely) typecast. Don't take the bait.
larry raines 4:13PM (10/28/2009)
PJ - U R right!!!!!!
Andromeda 2:01AM (10/29/2009)
Indeed ;-)
iQuack 2:44PM (10/28/2009)
Biden is a consummate doofus. The whole gang in Washington is a mess and its war on capitalism is repugnant. Let's hope these people destroy themselves before they destroy the U.S.
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Matt 2:57PM (10/28/2009)
War on capitalism? I wasn't aware that we were continuing to wage war on concepts. Looks like I better get back in the bunker before the communists/terrorists/drug lords/bird flu/swine flu get me. I'm so glad the media is keeping us scared... I mean informed.
Luis 10:06AM (10/29/2009)
That must be the new milk coming out of Rush's tit: "War on Capitalism". Too bad "capitalism" almost blew up the entire economy.
DJ 2:48PM (10/28/2009)
Is it just me or does everyone else see a lot of a certain Jon Lovitz character in the Veep?
Biden: "Yeah, while having coffee at Starbucks the other day, Henrick told me they were going to build 10,000, no I mean 100,000, no no it's a MILLION cars in Dealaware."
"Yeah, that's it, a MILLION cars."
"And and, uh, I'm going to get the first one. Yeah, and um I'm gonna paint it green. It's a green car you know."
"Yeah, that's it, a green car"
"I'm designing the car too, yeah that's it."
"It's gonna have not four doors, but 6 doors." Yeah, 6 doors, that's it." "And I'll make it run on air, hot air. Cuz I know all about hot air."
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DiRF 3:02PM (10/28/2009)
"...yeah, and we've also got a spokesperson... my wife, uh, Morgan Fairchild, yeah, that's the ticket!"
the4thheat 6:43PM (10/28/2009)
Eh who cares, the VP doesn't really do much of anything (Cheney being probably the only exception in modern times) so at least it's nice to have funny sideshows with Biden saying utterly hilarious stuff.
On the bright side people pretty much expect it so it's not like anybody really gets seriously offended anymore.
Clavius 2:52PM (10/28/2009)
Haha.. classic! Though they do have their speech's prewritten I'm sure Fisker knew this and if anything was hoping they'd garner more investors with this supposed mess up.
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mapoftazifosho 2:52PM (10/28/2009)
I'm convinced that Biden is a source that people/companies use to "accidentally" leak out information they don't "want" people to know about...
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larry raines 2:53PM (10/28/2009)
so since the last article told us that Fiskers plans are: "The current schedule is to have the car in production by the end of 2012 with volumes getting up to 75,000-100,000 units annually by 2014."
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/fisker-gm-delaware-plant-official/
The only real news here is that Joe said it looks like a Ferrari.
Probably everything with a pointy nose looks like a Ferrari to this guy - so, what's the news here?
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Jared 3:00PM (10/28/2009)
Henrik Fisker is evidence that reincarnation is real -- he's got to be P. T. Barnum reincarnated.
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