Geneva Preview: 2011 Fisker Karma

Mere weeks after stealing the spotlight at the Detroit Motor Show with the voluptuous Karma S convertible, Henrik Fisker and his eponymous carrosserie have announced pricing and specs for the Fisker Karma hybrid luxury sedan, due to hit the road in early 2011.

Under the skin, the Fisker Karma uses a gas-electric drivetrain, which Fisker calls Q-Drive, developed with help from Quantum Technologies. The Karma relies on two electric motors and a 22.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery to drive the car’s wheels.

Fully charged, the Karma delivers 50 miles of all-electric range before a 2.0-liter turbocharged four kicks in to drive a on-board generator. A 130-watt rooftop solar panel also helps charge the battery and, when the car is parked, keep the interior cool.

All of this is wrapped in an aluminum spaceframe and draped with a svelte composite and aluminum body guaranteed to leave valets and fellow drivers slack-jawed. And despite weighing the better part of two tons, Fisker claims the Karma’s 300 kilowatt drive motors will hurl the car from zero to 60 in 5.8 seconds and on to a limited top speed of 125 mph.

While the $87,900 MSRP isn’t a paltry sum, Henrik Fisker expects to sell 15,000 units in the Karma’s first year of production. Given the state of the world economy lately, one wonders where all these well-heeled eco-conscious drivers will come from in the next three years.

Mild skepticism and global economic meltdowns notwithstanding, we will learn more about ordering and delivery dates when the Karma makes its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

In the mean time, feel free to salivate over the newest photos. New wallpaper, anyone?

[Fisker Automotive]