Gaari Means Car. Car Reviews & Car News

The North American International Auto Show which is held every January in Detroit has seen some tough times lately. In 2008, Porsche pulled out of the show, citing not enough local customers to warrant the expense of visiting Detroit. For 2009, a number of other automakers including Nissan, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, and Land Rovers are staying away, citing economic concerns as one reason to avoid the Motor City.Collectively, the Detroit show is in danger of losing its status as the premier auto show in North America, but news that Fisker Automotive will debut its all electric production Karma sports sedan there this January could bolster the show.”We are very excited to be bringing the Fisker Karma back to NAIAS,” said Fisker Automotive CEO Henrik Fisker. “In the year since we debuted the Karma, the reception we’ve received has been tremendous. I’m proud to announce at this time that we are already sold out on the car until mid-2010.” With a base sticker price of $87,900, the Karma isn’t your every day family car. Likely, buyers of the car will be customers who already own high end vehicles such as Mercedes and BMW, people who are intrigued by the all-electric power that the Karma runs on. Environmentally friendly, the Karma utilizes a large, powerful lithium ion battery and a powerful 2-liter direct injected turbo-charged 4-cylinder gasoline engine developing 260 hp, which enables the Karma to achieve a continuous top speed of 125 mph and a 0-60 of 5.8 seconds. The large powerful lithium ion battery provides 22.6 kWh, which has unique control software. The two powerful electric motors deliver a combined 408 hp. The production model to be featured in Detroit will include an upper grill that is graphically enhanced, being slightly larger towards the outer corners. The lower air intake has been enlarged to allow for more airflow and underneath the rear bumper, an aerodynamic diffuser includes the integration of a cooling cover for the electric drive train. The Fisker Karma will be assembled by Valmet Automotive in a highly automized assembly facility. Valmet Automotive is currently producing the Porsche Boxster and Porsche Cayman. The first Fisker Karma will be delivered to customers in November 2009. Production volume is anticipated to reach 15,000 units annually. A total of 40 retailers for the U.S. will be established by October 2009 just before the car goes on sale stateside. Fisker Automotive will announce 20 of their retailers in January 2009. European pricing will be announced at the International Geneva Motor Show in March 2009.