Fisker has just sent us a few more shots of the production-ready Karma plug-in so that we can get a better look at the car's newly revised face. The front intake has been mildly revised in order to let the GM-sourced 260-horsepower Ecotec engine breath a bit more fresh air. It's a subtle change, but we like the results and think that it makes a big difference to the overall look of the car. We also get a good look at those unique exhaust ports that emit the turbocharged mill's spent gases just aft of the front wheels.
Lastly, we have an interesting view beneath the slinky bodywork, which shows off the aluminum space frame chassis that holds the car together. We presume that the pronounced center tunnel will house the lithium-ion battery pack. The chassis also shows the new flush B-pillars that were absent on the concept and are necessary to meet future safety requirements. Fisker plans to show the Karma, including its never-before-seen interior, at the Detroit Auto Show in January. We'll be there to deliver the goods in person.
Up until now, the Fisker Karma hasn't really been much more than a pretty face to go along with a promise. That changes today, thanks to a spy photographer who was lucky enough to catch the upcoming plug-in hybrid sedan out testing in California. Lawsuits often seem to have a dampening effect on enthusiasm, so it's good to see the Karma out and about. We can clearly see that the body is the same shape as what we all saw at its introduction earlier this year in Detroit. What we don't know yet is what's powering those shapely curves down the road. The first inclination from Autocar is that a Volkswagen 1.4-liter four-banger will provide power to the lithium ion batteries via a generator, but we really can't be sure what's being tested. Still, given the amount of electric know-how that Quantum Technologies, the electric powertrain supplier to Fisker, already has, we wouldn't be too surprised if something close to final-spec components were being run through their paces.
