Spy Shots: Fisker Karma caught testing in California
Come rain, come shine... come lawsuits, Fisker appears determined not to let anything get in the way of a late 2009 launch for its upcoming Karma electric sedan. Along with the spy shots over on Autocar, the first indication of what on-board powerplant will charge the batteries is mentioned: a Volkswagen 1.4 liter. No mention is made of which 1.4 liter engine is being considered for the Karma, but we'd imagine it'll be a basic engine without forced induction of any sort if we had to wager an early guess. There is also no mention of whether or not the photographed sedan was using battery power or dino power. Regardless, seeing the Fisker Karma undergoing testing in California gives a bit of a the "warm fuzzies" to those who are in anticipation of the vehicle, which, as its second place finish in our list of the Top 20 most exciting green cars proves, definitely includes AutoblogGreen.UPDATE: For what it's worth these photos were not captured by a photographer hiding in the bushes. They were apparently actually put out by Fisker's Beverly Hills PR agency Rogers & Cowan. We still don't know anything about the mechanicals of the car in question, only that Fisker is trying to generate some buzz.
[Source: Autocar, Autoweek]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GoodCheer 12:30PM (5/09/2008)
Holy Crab! That's exciting news.
I take back all the nasty things I said about only seeing virtual cars and trade-show mock-ups. Go Fisker!
4-doors, looks robo-sexy, a bit less cash than a Tesla... they might just have a winner.
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goehring 12:52PM (5/09/2008)
Why the camoflage?
Don't we already know it looks like a Totoro?
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Doug 1:46PM (5/09/2008)
I'm thinking the purpose of the camouflage is to encourage spy shots and thus this article.
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stevejust 1:59PM (5/09/2008)
I don't understand the camo either. I don't think them testing that car would get any LESS press if they didn't have it masked. Maybe they're redesinging things like door handles in subtle ways? Also, I'm #123 on the waitlist, so they've sold more than the 99 reported by Autocar.
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KarenRei 3:03PM (5/09/2008)
They're just trying to make it less of an eyesore than it looks when unmasked ;)
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Throwback 3:06PM (5/09/2008)
Great news, I am still skeptical he can hit that 80K price point for a fully bespoke car though. Jeremy do you know where this car will be built?
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Doug 4:29PM (5/09/2008)
If I had a reservation, I'd be concerned that they feel the need to use these kind of PR stunts. It would have been better (i.e. more honest) if they had put out a press release and maybe some updated photos.
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jake 5:45PM (5/09/2008)
Seems like that whole Opel Insignia marketing campaign. But the thing is we already saw how it looks like, so I don't get why they still need camo. Seems kind of desperate to have to put out "spy shots" just to create some buzz; I don't think it needs this kind of marketing to succeed because there was a lot of interest when it was unveiled. Would be great to know more details though on the process.
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jake 2:48PM (5/11/2008)
@Jeremy Korzeniewski
The Fisker Karma also had video with it from autospies; not sure if it's worthy of a news post, but engadget had the scoop:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/11/fisker-karma-hyrbid-sports-car-spotted-on-test-track-complete-wi/
video's on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPYUd9pLEKo
Sounded like they do have at least an EV drivetrain inside the car to me. There is that signature whine.
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