Good Karma? Fisker Karma @ 2009 NAIAS

MORE DETROIT AUTO SHOW: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/autoshows/detroit/2009/fiskerkarmadebutnews.html Fisker Automotive will unveil the production version of its Karma plug-in hybrid sports car at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, the company has announced. The car has only "minor design enhancements" from the concept that made its debut one year ago. This is the first production vehicle from the California-based company. Fisker has already said that its initial production run has been sold out and new orders can't be taken until mid-2010. The Fisker Karma will start delivery to the initial buyer list in November 2009. The car is priced at $87,900. The Karma has Fisker's "Q-Drive" powertrain with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and a lithium-ion battery pack. It's a setup that gives the car a range of 50 miles on electricity alone and then calls on a gasoline engine with a generator that charges the lithium-ion battery. Fisker says "most" Karma drivers who plan to charge the vehicle overnight and drive less than 50 miles per day will get a whopping 100 mpg in fuel economy, averaged over a year. Top speed is 125 mph. Powertrain-related physical attributes of the Karma are an enlarged lower air intake and diffuser in front, with a cooling cover for the electric drivetrain, an exhaust pipe routed directly behind the front wheels and a functional side vent to release hot air. The Karma is built on an all-aluminum spaceframe and has aluminum and composite body panels. There's also a glass solar roof panel with a splayed solar cell array that converts the power into stored electric energy to increase driving range. The interior seats four, but other than calling it "a luxurious tailored space," Fisker has revealed few details prior to the Detroit show unveiling. The Karma will be built by Valmet Automotive in Finland, and Fisker plans to build 15,000 per year.