Sneak Peek: Fisker Sunset

The bad economic situation doesn't seem to be getting in the way of the plans Fisker Automotive, the boutique hybrid electric automaker. Fisker is taking advantage of its 2009 Detroit Show presence by announcing that it will roll out a concept vehicle called the Fisker Karma S alongside the $87,900 production version of its slick-looking Karma sedan.
An educated guess is that the S -- short for the Sunset on the fender -- is a convertible concept vision of the Karma. Fisker has experience building open top vehicles in the past with the Fisker Coachbuild Tramanto. The Karma S also appears to have some sort of cooling duct cue in the fender behind the wheel well, which scallops into the door, lending it a side pipe feel -- an indication that the vehicle will be more than just a chop-top Karma from a design standpoint.Fisker says the Karma Concept S will generate 403 total horsepower from its two electric motors, slightly lower than the Karma's reported peak output 408 hp. We're also assuming the 2.0L turbocharged Ecotec four sourced from General Motors that produces 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque will also be on board as well. The engine doesn't send its power directly to the wheels. Instead, much like the E-REV system on GM's coming Volt, it merely serves to charge the lithium-ion battery pack of the Karma's electric drivetrain though a generator.The Karma S Concept will also employ Fisker and Quantum Technologies "Q-Drive" powertrain. In friendly, eco-conscious "Stealth" mode, the Karma moves under electric-only power and can travel 50 miles using only energy from its lithium ion battery pack without using the engine. To conserve energy, acceleration and top speed are limited (the latter to 95 mph). When shenanigans are desired, the driver can select "Sport" mode for the full array of power. Here, the Karma can reportedly accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 125 mph. All this while the car behaves like a normal hybrid vehicle complete with regenerative braking, and engine start/stop technology. Fisker estimates the total range at 300 miles.