Autoblog

Click above for more Fisker-supplied spy shots of the Karma

Isn't it fitting that Fisker Automotive's upcoming series-hybrid sports sedan is named Karma?. After having commissioned Fisker to help design its second product, the Whitestar sedan, Tesla Motors sued Fisker claiming it stole trade secrets that were then used on the Karma. Following that lawsuit, Tesla was then sued by Magna, one of its former transmission suppliers, Tesla's suit against Fisker came several weeks after Tesla themselves were sued by Magna Powetrain who had been contracted to develop a new transmission for the Roadster and now Fisker is slapping the upstart electric car company with its own arbitration suit. That's karma for you, right there.

Fisker will attempt to first derail Tesla's original lawsuit by seeking to have it moved from San Mateo, CA to Orange County, after which it will then try to prove that Tesla is attempting to divert attention away from its delayed all-electric Roadster by suing Fisker. To that end, Henrik Fisker himself called the whole mess "ridiculous" and referred to Tesla's behaviour as "sour grapes". An arbitrator will likely determine whether he's right or not, but until then we lowly consumers must await ramped up production of the Tesla Roadster and the eventual arrival of the Fisker Karma. Thanks for the tip, Doug!


[Source: CNET News]

Click above for high-res gallery of the Fisker Karma

Fisker Automotive may be knee-deep in a legal battle with electric car pioneer Tesla Motors, but the fledgling automaker is still committed to producing its stunning Karma plug-in electric vehicle by Q4 2009. Henrik Fisker and crew have received so much negative press regarding the pending lawsuit that it issued a press release to ensure prospective buyers that that the Karma was on its way, but also to explain where its PHEV technology originates.

Fisker calls the lawsuit "nonsense," and points out that his design company, Fisker Coachbuild, has non-exlusive design contracts with many automakers. The press release, which is available after the jump, shows that Fisker is getting its PHEV tech from a company called Quantum Technologies, which has also created electric vehicles for the U.S. Armed Forces. The release doesn't specifically address Tesla's contention that Fisker stole electric vehicle design secrets, but then again it's probably not a good idea to discuss pending litigation in any real detail.

It seems as though Tesla Motors is just a little peeved that the Karma's design is superior to the one Fisker Coachbuild designed for its upcoming WhiteStar sedan, which we're hoping to see soon so we can know what all the fuss is about.


[Source: Fisker Automotive]

Click above for high-res live gallery of the Fisker Karma

A site of which this blogger previously wasn't aware is reporting that the body of the soon-to-be-revealed Tesla WhiteStar sedan was originally penned by one Henrik Fisker. According to Street Import Online, a mole deep within San Carlos has spilled the beans that the designer who recently unveiled his own plug-in hybrid super sedan, the Fisker Karma (above), had previously been contracted by Tesla Motors for its second product. According to Street Import Online, Tesla had backed out of a deal to have Fisker create the body for the WhiteStar electric sedan but kept the design.

We contacted Tesla's Marketing VP Darryl Siry to verify the accuracy of this story, and Siry declined to either confirm or deny the report, which you can interpret however you choose. If the story is true, it may well have prompted Fisker to pursue building a similar vehicle under his own name, which led to the Karma. The WhiteStar sedan is planned as a battery electric sedan, although Tesla has acknowledged that is also developing a range-extended electric hybrid version. Regardless of who actually drew the WhiteStar, Tesla has said it plans to reveal the sedan's design later this Spring after it begins delivering a steady stream of EV Roadsters. Thanks for the tip, Jose!

Update: Our own sources indicate that Tesla is not using the Fisker design for the final car. Other than having four doors and a similar number of wheels, the Whitestar is completely different from the Fisker proposal.

[Source: Street Import Online]

Of all the auto shows and random events we attend throughout the year, it never dawned on us to book a ticket to San Francisco to scope out the J.D. Power Roundtable meeting. Too bad, considering that Henrik Fisker showed off a "top secret" photo of the bespoke automaker's next project.

According to Automotive News, Fisker flashed a picture of the concept on stage and said that it would use the same lithium-ion plug-in hybrid drivetrain as the Karma sedan. Fisker went on to say that the four-seater convertible would go on sale around the same time as the Karma sedan, sometime in late 2009. A spokesman said that it's expected to be unveiled sometime this fall.

Unfortunately, Fisker wouldn't provide us with an image of the 2+2 cabrio, but if you happen to have a subscription to Automotive News, you can see a shot of the two-door convertible with plenty of styling cues pulled from the Karma, including the flared fenders, elongated hood and patented Fisker haunches.

UPDATE: We decided to post the picture from Automotive News since it now can be seen on sites such as World Car Fans and eGMCarTech, though we've also spoken with Fisker and are trying to obtain an official image of the 2+2 convertible.

[Source: Fisker, Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Click the image above for a gallery of high-res pics.

We've only seen the Artega GT twice, but both times we came away completely smitten with the svelte, MX-5-sized coupe. It has everything we love in an automobile: lightweight (through the use of carbon fiber body panels and an aluminum space frame), power (a 300 hp, 3.6-liter rear-mounted V6) and achingly gorgeous lines (it was penned by ex-Aston designer Henrik Fisker). What more could we ask for? Well, for starters, we'd like to have it here in the States, but that's not likely to happen in the first few years of production. And apparently, it won't be selling in the UK until Artega is able to recoup the costs of converting the GT to right-hand drive.

Regardless of the logistical downsides, everything is a go for sales to begin in May of next year. The company has begun work on its factory and with its new digs running full bore, Artega expects to produce 170 units in 2008 and 320 the following year.

[Source: Autocar]

Click the image above for a high-res pic of the Fisker Hybrid Sedan concept.

Henrik Fisker is a car designer. It's not his fault that his designs -- some of the finest -- have clothed some of the thirstiest (and beautiful) cars. But design is a portable endeavor, and Fisker has transferred his métier over to the frugal side of things. The car you see above is undeniably Fisker, with some Maserati Gran Turismo thrown into the mix up front and a healthy dose of Artega out back, gracefully sculpted sides in between. We like.

The sedan doesn't have a name yet, it's simply referred to as a premium sports sedan, and it's a plug-in hybrid. Engineered by ex-BMW man Thomas Fritz, the car's battery pack is in the middle of the car for better dynamics. Supposedly, it will have a 50-mile range running on electricity alone, and with a gas or diesel engine in place, the car can go 620 miles (though Fisker doesn't yet say how that system would work). Additionally, it will get 100 MPG, so the word goes. The car is being developed by Quantum Technologies.

Irony of ironies that a man associated with premium guzzlers could lead the way in premium green designs. Fisker's new baby will debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January. According to the company, it will go on sale in late 2009 with a price tag of $80,000. Follow the jump to read the full press release.

[Source: Fisker]

Fisker Tramonto shown for demonstration purposes

Although it barely registered on most of our radars when it was announced a few weeks ago, Fisker Automotive is set to debut an all-new hybrid vehicle. Best known until now as a custom coachbuilder that adds a new suit of custom tailored duds to Mercedes SLs and BMW 6-Series cars, Fisker is set to debut a unique hybrid at the Detroit Auto Show next year. While we reported the basic idea a little while ago, now we have a few more details to share, but still no photos. The car will be a sedan. It will be a plug-in hybrid. It will start at around $80,000. It will debut at NAIAS in January and go on sale sometime in 2009.

Fisker Coachbuild is the company that Henrik Fisker founded after leaving Aston Martin as chief designer. His designs are some of the most elegant and stylish in recent automotive history. The Aston Martins alone earn him a spot in the automotive hall of fame, but he was also with BMW for a while, helping with the Z8 among other projects. So now you might better understand why we eagerly await a glimpse of this new plug-in sedan, that could conceivably beat the big manufacturers to market.

[Source: Fisker via Fortune]

Too many trips to SEMA have left us immune to the shiny detritus that populates the pages of some of our favorite mags, but when Henrik Fisker, the man who penned the BMW Z8 and the Aston Martin DB9, gets into the wheel business, we take notice.

Beyond his newest coachbuilding projects, Fisker has released two new wheels, designed to fit within the arches of several BMW and Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The ten-spoke FL10 has a bit more of a competitive aura, while the FT5 gets away with the right amount of style and substance. Both are available in gunmetal or titanium finishes, with prices starting around $1,500. But if you ask nice and are willing to exercise your Black Card, they'll customize your wheels with the paint scheme of your choosing.

You can see if you can purchase Fisker's wheels for your own whip by following this link to their website.

[Source: InsideLine]

Click the image for Noah Joseph's gallery of pics.

It's hard to choose our favorite unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, but one of our top picks was the Paragon Artega GT, penned by Henrik Fisker of Aston Martin fame. The sleek coupe had a diminutive footprint, but was easily one of the design heavyweights of the show.

Paragon, a German automotive supplier, intended the Artega GT to be a rolling showcase of what the company was capable of. The coupe is powered by a VW-sourced, mid-mounted 3.5L V6, producing 300 HP and sending power through a six-speed DSG. Under the carbon fiber body panels resides an aluminum space frame that allows the Artega to tip the scales at just over 2,400 pounds. Coupled with the aforementioned V6, the GT can climb to 60 MPH in five seconds and on to a top speed of 168 MPH.

Approximately 500 Artegas will be produced, with orders being taken in November and deliveries beginning sometime next summer. Pricing wasn't announced, but it's expected to be below the $100k mark.