If Infiniti and Cadillac can force us to relearn model names, so can a Chinese parts supplier hoping to revive a bankrupt automaker. The Fisker Karma will be renamed the Elux Karma, perhaps in a respectful nod to Electrolux dishwashers and a certain billionaire's first name.
That's the only explanation we have for this news, which Reuters reported from anonymous sources connected to Wanxiang, Fisker's new owner for the past year. Wanxiang is essentially planning a mid-cycle refresh for the Karma—or what would be a refresh had Fisker not stopped building the cars in late 2012—with an upgraded powertrain, revised styling, and a higher price.
Wanxiang promised it would restart Karma production this year, but since the company is purportedly spending millions to "update the car's hardware," new ones won't arrive until mid-2016. At that time, the new plug-in hybrid with the freshly invented nameplate and nonexistent dealer network will cost $135,000, or what the most top-level, dual-motor Tesla commands. Reuters says Wanxiang may update the battery pack, too—the Chinese firm also owns the original car's bankrupt supplier, A123 Systems—and it probably should, lest it get completely thumped by Tesla's proven, 691-hp luxury EV with a 200-plus-mile range.
- Fisker May Just Go Bankrupt Again in Pursuit of EV Dominance
- 2015 Ford Mustang Galpin Rocket: A 725-hp, Fisker-Designed Showstopper
- Eating Sushi with Bob Lutz: He Talks Mid-Engine Corvette, New Fiskers, and Plug-In Pickups
Wanxiang's other promise to bring all of Fisker's three concept cars into production is a further stretch, as is any semblance of a U.S. factory as once envisioned by the Energy Department, which approved a $529 million loan so Fisker would build cars in Delaware. All bad moves aside, this a futuristic car that's one letter away from an epic name. Elux? Call it Flux, Wanxiang. Flux!
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
Put the internet to work for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment