[Karma 2012]

After looking at some of the Karma photos online. I realize half of them do not have exhaust pipe showing (looks better in my opinion). Are the exhaust pipe cutouts an afterthought?

 

[Lormax]

The exhaust pipes come out in front of the doors on either side. There are no exhaust cutouts in the rear

 

[Stefan]

Karma 2012, what do you think, the other half is showing as the exhaust cutouts?


Stefan
German Karma Forum
www.karma-forum.de

 

[Karma 2012]

Karma 2012, what do you think, the other half is showing as the exhaust cutouts?


Stefan
German Karma Forum
www.karma-forum.de

Stefan,

Yes, I believe that was the original plan. If you look at the car far from the sides. The bottom cutout is just distracting to all the beautiful lines of Karma. I know I maybe over critical, but this is just my own thoughts.

 

[Sandy Eggo]

Karma 2012 - if you don't mind, please post a picture of an example that you're talking about.

No cut-out would mean excessive heat buildup and probably ruin the paint as well as the wheel liners. Somewhere along the way, I read that the diamond shaped vent above the exhaust cut out was added to help with heat dissipation for that very reason - the wheel liners were being ruined.

 

[SoCalGuy]

I think Karma 2012 is referring to the concept car which did not have the front side exhausts. I personally like the look of the side exhausts - breaks up the monotony of the wide expanse of panel and looks cool. The one thing I do wish Henrik kept from the concept is the higher placement of the gas cap and the plug cap (it wasn't visible from the side, because it was higher up, near the trunk panel). Here are the two cars:

2008 Concept:

2012 Production:

 

[Sandy Eggo]

Thanks for the pics, SoCalGuy.

I think it's truly amazing how few changes there were between concept and production. The Karma is a very special automobile.

Also, I agree that the cut-outs give the car a bit of character along that long side view. I am just very glad they didn't "go nuts" with venting and aero effects that seems to be all the rage these days with exotics and sports cars - Exhibit A, the new Corvette. Very functional and highly engineered - no doubt - but from a design point of view it will never stand the test of time.

 

[Karma 2012]

Try this photo. Look at the exhaust pipe compared to your Karma. I think the lower cutouts in our cars are afterthoughts.

 

[Lormax]

That's probably an early concept. I've seen, and driven, the first 'true' prototype car. The exhaust exit points haven't changed much.

 

[Fabulist]

From the Fisker Karma Suspension Walkaround, here's a picture of what the exhaust looks like from below:

A car-spanning cast aluminum front subframe cradles the 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine. There's nothing in the central tunnel but batteries, so the entire exhaust system lives in front of the firewall.

After exiting the turbo and catalyst, the exhaust dumps into a central muffler before splitting in two, with each half flowing through another silencer to exhaust pipe. The dual exhausts exit from a cutout low in the front fender, ahead of the front door and behind the front tires. Each front fender sports a small grille opening directly above the exhaust pipe to help expel exhaust system heat.

As you can see from the photo, the exhaust pipe is angled down and the end lines up with the bottom opening. The opening above is for heat dissipation.

 

[LonePalmBJ]

Try this photo. Look at the exhaust pipe compared to your Karma. I think the lower cutouts in our cars are afterthoughts.

This is one of the concept vehicles. You can also see illuminated side mirrors and possibly drilled rotors.

Even the preproduction "roadshow" cars had the cutouts.