Update: This was written in 2012. Since then, BMW has released a 3-series hybrid. Fisker no longer sells the Karma but are planning to sell the Motion model, at some point. Having gone out of business and now back in business, I would guess they are figuring out things like funding.
Super high-performance and green? As you think about your next luxury sedan, you may be thinking about buying a Fisker Karma.
I say that fully kidding – I know that none of my readers are thinking about buying a Fisker Karma.
Anyhow, I read with interest a Car & Driver magazine review of the new Fisker Karma. Think of it as a much faster Chevrolet Volt with a super beautiful body.
The gas engine powers a generator that charges an electric motor that moves the wheels. So it can run only on electric power for about 25 miles.
Why am I comparing the $116,000 Karma to a $44,000 BMW 335d? Here are several reasons:
1. Performance? The BMW is faster than the Karma… BMW = 0-60 miles per hour in 5.3 seconds. The Fisker does 6.1 seconds.
2. Interior room? Similar.
3. Quality of materials, fit and finish? Similar.
4. Fuel economy? BMW wins… 27 miles per gallon vs. the Fisker’s 24.
5. Green? Disposing of all those lithium-ion batteries when they fail to hold a charge anymore will be a nightmare. And diesel is more dirty than gas in some measures but cleaner in others.
The Fisker is a clear winner in the distinctiveness realm. You won’t see another on your block, guaranteed – no matter where you live. But for everything else, the BMW wins.
A final note: the Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid is definitely a closer vehicle to compare. It costs a closer $100,000, does 0-60 in 4.4 seconds and gets similar fuel economy to the BMW.
Photos are courtesy of the Fisker and BMW websites.
Hey readers, I wanted to say that I love you.
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I bought this knife when I was about 12 years old. I still have it. As you might guess, it’s a little too bulky to carry around in my pocket. But I do throw it in the luggage when we’re heading for an overnight.
Growing up in the late ’60s and early ’70s, we kids knew there was a condition in our home for watching TV. Our dad had a firm rule that the commercials had to be turned down! As this was before the invention of remote control devices and “Mute” buttons, it involved jumping up from your seat as soon as a commercial break started, running to the TV set and turning the volume knob counterclockwise all the way. Then the whole process would be repeated in reverse once the show was back on. He did this because he wanted to spare us (and the adults) from the experience of having commercial jingles running in our heads (or humming them around the house). In those days, most commercials contained a jingle (song) written specifically for the product, and they were indeed quite catchy. A few must have snuck through from those infrequent times when commercials weren’t turned down – to this day, I can sing you the opening bars of “Wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick?” or “Winston tastes good, like a cigarette should.” (Yes, cigarette commercials were allowed on TV for part of that time.)
When you buy a car, you have a choice to make: fun or practical. Fun = expensive. Practical = saving money in the long or short run.
Last summer we went to Paris.
One surreal moment was seeing scores of Chinese people getting wedding pictures taken in front of the 
I love writing. As in, taking a pen out and dragging it across a piece of paper. It’s a dying art.
It’s hard to operate a remote when you’re asleep.
