MotorTrend - Fisker Karma 2012 Car of the Year Contender

SoCalGuy said:

http://wot.motortrend.com/2012-motor-trend-car-of-the-year-contender-fisker-karma-133049.html

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svp6 said:

That would be nice but I doubt it given the problems they complained about: "various and numerous preproduction quirks that crept up. The driver-side A-pillar trim piece came off, and some outer panels warped in the desert sun. We had to be conscious of where we rested our left arms — a sensitive door-release button was used in lieu of a handle, and a few editors inadvertently popped the driver’s door onto its catch while in motion. The powertrain also had its issues as well, on occasion lagging considerably when it needed to switch into extended-range mode."

The left arm issue rings a bell, I like to rest my arm on long distances

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Mycroft said:

That sure doesn't bode well.

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Fabulist said:

The bigger problem is that how can they pick a car that is not really available to be purchased as the car of the year.

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LonePalmBJ said:

Motor Trend announced their Car of the Year, but it wasn't the Karma. It's the all new Volkswagen Passat

This was the biggest field ever, with 35 contenders and 55 with variants vying for the title. Here's what they had to say about the Karma:


CONTENDER: FISKER KARMA
By: Benson Kong

WE LIKE: Seduction embodied, and it's an earnest effort from an American green startup.

WE DON'T LIKE: Too preproduction to attain a suitable assessment.

Can we offer a consolation prize for looking damn good? In spite of Fisker sending a stealthy, black Karma, its seductive arches and a slammed stance never failed to harvest attention anywhere this rolling testbed went.

When we say "testbed," we actually mean it, as Fisker's decision to even commit a Karma wasn't made lightly. At the time of this writing, media access to the luxury extended-range electric vehicle has been very limited. But per our Car of the Year regimen, a Karma would need to be left in the desert with no special handlers or supervision. A preproduction tester was plucked from the engineering division. Kudos must be paid.

Hiding behind the slinky sheetmetal and bespoke 22-inch wheels is some of the most sumptuous leather and wood you'll find in any interior today. The Karma is downright plump at 5408 pounds, though the dynamics were deemed decently sprightly. After poking around in the undercarriage, Theodore was confident the chassis and suspension was gestated properly, asserting the Karma should be "a relatively good value for what may be a limited-volume vehicle."

But while Theodore liked what he saw beneath the car, every evaluator was inundated with the various and numerous preproduction quirks that crept up. The driver-side A-pillar trim piece came off, and some outer panels warped in the desert sun. We had to be conscious of where we rested our left arms -- a sensitive door-release button was used in lieu of a handle, and a few editors inadvertently popped the driver's door onto its catch while in motion. The term "kit car" circulated our notes freely.

The powertrain had its issues as well, on occasion lagging considerably when it needed to switch into extended-range mode. Truthfully, it would be unfair to continue harping on the Karma. Our particular model wasn't ready to leave the nest, and thus gets to wait prettily until next time.

BASE PRICE RANGE
$96,850-$109,850*

PRICE (as tested)
$104,850*

POWER (SAE NET)
403 hp (comb)

TORQUE (SAE NET)
981 lb-ft (comb)

ACCEL 0-60, MPH
6.0 sec

QUARTER MILE
14.7 sec

BRAKING 60-0, MPH
110 ft

MT FIGURE EIGHT
25.6 sec

EPA ECON (Comb)
52 mpge (EV mode); 20 mpg (range ext mode)

*Before federal /state tax credits


Read the whole thing here:
http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/1201_2012_motor_trend_car_of_the_year_contenders_and_finalists/viewall.html

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