The Karma's been spotted driving in "official spy photos" in the past, but it's been a while since the Karma was in the headlines, so driving it at the Monterey Historics will jog everyone's memory. We still don't know when the car is going on sale though the original boast was in the last quarter of this year, we shall see.

FISKER KARMA TO MAKE PUBLIC DRIVING DEBUT AT ROLEX MONTEREY HISTORIC AUTOMOBILE RACES
Event to be a highlight of Monterey Peninsula's Classic Car Week

IRVINE, CA – July 23, 2009: The Fisker Karma Plug-in Hybrid will make its public driving debut during the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races on Saturday, August 15, just 19 months after being unveiled as a concept car. It will be the first time a PHEV has appeared on track at the event. The Fisker Karma will also be on display at Concorso Italiano on Friday, August 14, alongside the Karma Sunset hardtop convertible concept. The Karma Sunset will again be on display at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Sunday, August 16.

The Fisker Karma PHEV represents a paradigm shift in alternatively-powered transportation. A full-size luxury sedan with seating for four, the Karma has a range of 50 emission-free miles on a full charge of its Lithium-ion battery, and a total range of 300 miles thanks to an on-board generator turned by traditional but efficient 260hp Ecotec engine. Two 201.5hp electric motors send enough traction through a single-speed differential to reach 60mph in about six seconds and a top speed of 125mph. Together, these components make up the Q-DRIVE® powertrain exclusive to all Fisker automobiles. Q-DRIVE® delivers not only performance, but can average more than 100mpg with a lower carbon output than current hybrids.

"The Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races is the best stage in the world for great moments in automotive history," said Henrik Fisker, Fisker Automotive CEO. "Fisker is honored to be a part of it."

The Fisker Karma prototype is scheduled to complete two laps on the legendary 11-turn Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca course at 11:10 a.m., starting and finishing just ahead of the pedestrian bridge at Turn 5, before returning to the Price Family Dealerships display area on the infield. Fisker executives Henrik Fisker, CEO, and Bernhard Koehler, COO, will be available for media interviews throughout the weekend.

ABOUT FISKER AUTOMOTIVE, INC.

Fisker Automotive, founded in 2007 by Fisker Coachbuild, LLC and Quantum Technologies (QTWW), is a privately owned American car company producing premium green automobiles, with Henrik Fisker as CEO. Global headquarters are located in Irvine, Calif. The company is backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Palo Alto Investors and the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). More information is available at www.fiskerautomotive.com.

The Ron Tonkin dealership network is considered one of the largest dealers in the Pacific Northwest with franchises selling Honda, Acura, Chevrolet, Dodge, Kia, Hyundai, Lotus and even Ferrari and Maserati. It's also Oregon's 17th largest private employer and they've been voted "One of the Best 100 Companies in Oregon to Work For." Sounds like the perfect place for some hot plug-in-plug hybrid action.

It is. They've recently announced that they'll become the world's first Fisker dealership and will be ready in 2010 for the first (scheduled) deliveries of the Fisker Karma luxury plug-in hybrid sports sedan.

Dealership owner, Ron Tonkin says this of their new venture:

"We have taken the changing role of the automobile and our environment very seriously. We were one of the very first dealership groups in America to form an alternate fuel division. Until now our product line was electric bicycles, and in the last few years a growing number of hybrid propulsion vehicles of various makes and models."

According to Tonkin, they are now accepting pre-orders for the Karma. Although they don't mention how much of a hit your wallet will take to get your name on the list, we're guessing it's close to the $5,000 fee that Fisker themselves are asking for. At this point they haven't announced that they'll be accepting pre-orders for the Karma S convertible, but we're sure that they'd gladly hold on to your $25,000 if you want them to. We'll be sending them our check ... oh wait, we don't have any money since we gave it all in forced support of the government bailout.

Press Release:

The Ron Tonkin Family of Dealerships is appointed as one of the first Fisker Dealers in America

The Ron Tonkin Family of Dealerships continues their innovative retail strategy as one of the first Fisker Automotive Dealers

Portland, OR
February 17, 2009

The Ron Tonkin Family of Dealerships continues their innovative retail strategy as one of the first Fisker Automotive Dealers appointed in America. Fisker Automotive, the new American manufacturer of premium green automobiles, is building a worldwide retail network to support initial deliveries of the Fisker Karma luxury plug-in hybrid sedan in the fourth quarter of 2009.

"We have taken the changing role of the automobile and our environment very seriously. We were one of the very first dealership groups in America to form an alternate fuel division. Until now our product line was electric bicycles, and in the last few years a growing number of hybrid propulsion vehicles of various makes and models" states Ron Tonkin.

With a top speed of 125 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 5.8 seconds, the Fisker Karma is the world's first true premium plug-in hybrid sports sedan. The four-door, four-seat Karma fuses the traditional and timeless styling of veteran auto designer and Fisker Automotive CEO Henrik Fisker, with Quantum Technologies' clean Q-DRIVE® plug-in hybrid powertrain to become the world's first luxury plug-in hybrid car. Karma buyers will choose from three trim levels: EcoBaseTM, EcoSportTM and EcoChicTM. The most advanced sustainable material series, EcoChicTM, is based on an animal-free approach that still offers a luxurious environment. Leather is replaced by 100% Bamboo Viscose, a soft hand textile, while EcoGlassTM trim frames authentic fossilized leaves. Karma's EcoSportTM series incorporates hand-wrapped premium leather using a 100% sustainable manufacturing strategy, which minimizes the number of hides required and highlights natural markings using non-branded hides from cows allowed to live a full life expectancy and fed a special diet of grain and grass.

Ron Tonkin is accepting preorders for the Fisker four-door plug-in hybrid sports sedan - the FISKER KARMA to be delivered in 2010.

The Ron Tonkin Family of Dealerships is Oregon's 17th largest private employer and was voted "One of the Best 100 companies in Oregon to Work For". The family-owned business is a Portland icon and has been outfitting the Pacific Northwest in automobiles for nearly 50 years.

To learn more visit www.Tonkin.com.

[via rontonkin]

As both cars are completely covered it's hard to get a clear view of what the cars will look like. We're guessing the car on the left is the original Fisker Karma with the S Concept on the right. Thankfully, we've got the KORSdesign-penned Karma S Sunset rendering to fulfill our fantasies of drop-top hybrid driving. A fantasy we never knew we had.

[via AutoSpies]

Henrik Fisker’s little coachbuilding shop will take the wraps off of the Fisker Karma production car at the Detroit Auto Show and will have a little something extra to show off their range of abilities. Fisker’s little something extra will actually be a little less by removing two of the doors and the roof from the Karma sedan. Officially dubbed the Fisker Karma S Sunset, the concept will feature the same plug-in Q-DRIVE lithium-ion battery powertrain good for 50 miles on a single charge and roughly 408 horsepower from two electric motors. A small gasoline engine turns the generator and should allow for extra range, though it’s not yet been determined what that range will be.

The Karma S Sunset Concept will feature a very similar design to its production sedan sibling, though the four-door setup will be replaced by two larger coupe-like doors and the roof will be missing, instead replaced by either a retractable soft or a hard top convertible. Other changes will occur to the lower rocker area with a newly sculpted body side and detailing. The front end design will likely remain the same in order to share the Karma family face, but could receive unique treatment if there should ever be a production version. The interior will be similar to the Karma production sedan, but rear seat occupants will be a little more squeezed due to the packaging of the convertible top.

The Fisker Karma S Sunset will officially make its debut on January 12th at the Detroit Auto Show, until then take a peek at the illustrations from KORSdesign.

The price has been revised from the original $80,000 upwards to around $87,900 but along with the price we get specs. The Karma will get not one, but two electric motors as part of its "Q-drive" powertain system, and they augment a 265 HP GM Ecotec turbocharged four cylinder for a grand total of 408 HP and 959 lb-ft of torque. In full sport mode that car will scoot from zero to 60 MPH in only 5.8 seconds, top speed is pegged at 125 MPH. Switch it down to miser mode and you can go 50 miles in all electric mode, drawing power from the lithium-ion battery pack. Production is planned for 15,000 cars a year when the line gets rolling, but don't get too excited, it's already sold out until mid-2010. We'll bring you more details as they emerge, but keep it tuned here for the latest. [Road And Track]

Considering this preview image looks pretty much exactly like the original concept right down to the solar panel roof, it's going to be tough for the decidedly less sexy Prius and Insight to keep up. The car will be debuting at the Detroit Auto Show just one year after it rocked the boat with its debut and ambitious production timeline. We can already see where this is going.

Looking deeper into that crystal ball, we can already hear the sensationalist articles spouting off about how the Karma is proof of the ineptitude of the Not-So-Big Three — look what they were able to do in only one year after all! That'll be fun, but those headlines will probably also ignore the GM sourced Ecotec inline 4-cylinder under the hood, the outsourced assembly happening at Valmet Automotive, the asking price many times higher than other hybrids and the low volume production plan. It'll all be there, and the mainstream media will eat it up with a spoon. Click here for a full resolution image and bask in the glory of the hybrid sports cruiser that'll be displacing the Porsche Panamera, the Aston Martin Rapide, and the Maserati Quattroporte on all of Hollywood's most self-satisfied red carpets. [Fisker via Autoblog]

Fisker Statement On Arbitration
Fisker Automotive Inc, and Fisker Coachbuild, LLC today announced that a JAMS Arbitrator has issued an interim award finding in favor of Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, Fisker Automotive, Inc., Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler and against Tesla Motors Inc. on all claims.

The Arbitrator selected by the parties to decide Tesla's allegations ruled in favor of Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, Fisker Automotive Inc., Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler. In so doing, the Arbitrator expressly found that "the evidence is overwhelming that Fisker did nothing wrong" and that "Tesla's assertion of violations of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act by Fisker were baseless and neither brought nor pursued in good faith."

"The finding by the Arbitrator says it all," said Thomas Newmeyer of Newmeyer & Dillion, Fisker's lawyers in the case. "My clients have been completely vindicated of any wrongdoing."

"We are very pleased with the ruling in favor of Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, Fisker Automotive, Inc., Bernhard Koehler and myself," said Henrik Fisker, CEO of Fisker Automotive Inc. "Despite the burden and expense of Tesla's lawsuit, Fisker Automotive, Inc. has been able to continue with its business plan and production schedule. We are still on schedule to deliver our first production vehicle, the Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid, 4 door luxury sports sedan by 4th Quarter 2009. Today's world needs new alternative energy vehicles and the focus should be to build and deliver these vehicles as soon as possible."

[Source: Fisker]

Production is to start next year with exports bound for the USA, and sales in Europe will begin the year after. Maximum volume is targeted at 15,000 cars a year, which means demand from smug, wealthy motorists will be happily met. Yep, 2010 is shaping up to be one hell of a fuel-mileage battle royale. (Thanks for the tip manic-cynic) [Taloussanomat (translated)]

We can't promise this is anything other than a body and chassis mule, there could be no hybrid power train under that sleek sheetmetal, but we can't help but drool over the idea this thing might actually become reality. Check out Wired for the whole photo set.

Our first introduction to Kleiner Perkins and the world of electric vehicles came with their investment in EEstor, a company based in Texas working on an electric battery for ZENN Motors. Unfortunately, the Canadian governor is making it hard for ZENN to sell cars in Canada. So as of now, things aren't looking great, though battery development continues.

Most recently, Kleiner Perkins came up with relation to the Fisker Karma Luxury Hybrid, which is a vehicle that piqued our interest due to its attractive proportions and relatively low price tag of $80K. Though the company has yet to experience the usual electric car delays, it is dealing with an incredible amount of litigation in the Fisker-Tesla girl fight. Will this delay production of the car? Maybe, maybe not.

Speaking of production delays, what about the Tesla roadster? Everyone was so excited about it but it has been delayed thanks to transmission problems, lawsuits, et cetera. Yes, they claim they're shipping production units now, but not only is it in low volumes, it's not even enough to fulfill the backlog of orders. Did we mention Tesla is backed by Kleiner Perkin's VC rivals at Draper Fisher Jurvetson.

And don't get us started on the 2011/2012/201X Chevy Volt. An ongoing development that is being backed by an OEM — thus it relies not-so-much on VC dollars so much as R&D dollars. When will we see a production version of that particular vehicle? Your guess is as good as GM's word.

But hey, a 65 mph-capable electric car with potentially a 110-mile range for $25K, which Th!nk is offering, doesn't sound bad. Excuse our skepticism, but we'll believe it when we see it clear all the hurdles and successfully market itself to the tens of thousands of consumer they're planning to reach. Do we want cars like this to succeed? Yes. Electric cars, hybrid cars, biodiesel cars... whatever. Is it good, then, that firms are putting up the bank for these projects? Yes. We're just glad it isn't our money.

If you want an electric car for the city, full hybrids like the 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid can be driven in a way that they provide mostly electric power. While we're not huge fans of these hybrids in spirited driving, you can stretch a gallon of gas pretty far in slow city commuting. That's something.

[Photo: Th!nk]

Fisker goes on to claim that his company has been receiving "between 50 and 100 orders a week" for the Karma, meaning it now has a one-year waiting list. Most of those orders have come from Europe.

The $80,000 Karma was first unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January. It has a top speed of 125mph and reaches 60mph in six seconds. [Via Forbes Autos]

What the heck does karma really mean, anyway? Well, it's tricky—it has to do with actions in life shaping one's destiny, although because Eastern theology doesn't necessarily conceptualize existence as linear... OK, I'll shut up. But serious, karma is a difficult thing to grasp. It's as a Supreme Court justice once characterized porn: You know it when you see.

Astute commenter Doctor Nine certainly did know karma in action, provoked by our post on the wintertime mishaps of a Range Rover:

This is simply Karma coming back to bite the fool using a Range Rover to commute in Suburbia. Somewhere in Kenya, the ghost of a rusted out Defender is smiling.

And hey! Bonus COTD points for calling out a recent inductee to the Jalopnik Fantasy Garage.

While he couldn't give us exact specs, he did reveal it's based on a setup developed for certain stealth reconnaissance vehicle used by the US Army's secretive Delta Force. Thus, the Karma could be the first passenger hybrid vehicle whose powertrain trickled down from the big G, rather than bubbled up from the marketplace, just like jet aircraft, Silly Putty and the Internet. And lest we think that, like Fisker's last project, the Karma's based on an existing automotive platform, we're assured it's entirely proprietary. More to come as we know it.

According to the handout passed around by Fisker, the company is ready to start taking pre orders at only $1,000 (they take Visa). If you want the "premium version," which was shown on the floor of the DAS in the exclusive color with signed plaques you're going to have to put down $5,000. But whether this is a resounding success or a huge failure, that $100,000 plaque could help you earn back the value.

German auto design and engineering suppliers, Karmann and ZF created a conceptual droptop luxury SUV as a showcase car for the companies' technologies and expertise. When the wraps came off the road-ready Karma (oh, c'mon) concept at the Frankfurt show, it attracted more suits to its beefy haunches than Ruth's Chris Steak House. Presumably, they were there to see if the new market niche Karmann and ZF seem to have identified is worth pursuing. We'll probably see something like this in a low-volume context sometime in the future, maybe even by decade's end.

Related:
The Ghia Monster: Loopy Electric VW Dragster [internal]