Fisker is gunning for the Audi A5 Sportback with the latest addition to its eco-friendly range.
The Atlantic has been unveiled at the New York Motor Show, and slots into the line-up below the range-extending Karma supersaloon.
It’s key to Fisker’s plan to become a big-selling mainstream manufacturer and will cost around £45,000 when it hits the UK in right-hand drive at the end of next year.
As you can see, the Atlantic looks like a smaller version of the Karma, with the same sleek lines, but shorter overhangs front and rear. There is a bold grille and a set of ‘eagle eye’ headlights, giving a familiar face. Replace the show car’s gaudy red wheels with more subtle designs, and you have the production-ready version.
Under the skin is existing Fisker range-extender technology, but the Karma’s GM-sourced 2.0-litre turbo makes way for a four-cylinder BMW petrol engine, which acts as a generator to keep the batteries charged. The car will be rear-wheel drive, with four-wheel drive available as an option.
Inside is space for four adults, thanks to a long wheelbase and cleverly designed roofline. The Atlantic will be built at the former GM plant in Wilmington, Delaware.
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The biggest flaw of the EVer approach is the limited top speed. The Karma kan do only 125mph=200km/h despite the sleek shape and 400+ horses. Why? Because the range extender, the ICE, would not be able to recharge fully above this speed. In the parallel hybrid mode this technology is a waste of fuel as battery recharging and then powering the e-motors is much less efficient than a mechanical drive through gearbox, shafts etc. This propulsion makes only sense when used in plug-in mode. I guess Tesla have figured this out already.
Youve got to buy something as ugly as this to get into hybrid technology??? Not in a million years. The lights have too many curves, because........the designers were too scared to use regular curving lines? The rest of the front is a mess, starting with the almost 2 kidneys, from which famous german company? And the unnecessary blips on the top curve of the grilles is just tame enough not to be stomping on AM's toes. The rest is a mess of angles, curves, and weird little triangles on either side on the under grille/dam. The rear lights scream form before function! The rest of the car looks as though it is desperately trying to look like a Quattroporte.
Gunning for the A5 indeed.....stop playing with yourselves fellas.
This thing looks like the someone forget to disconnect the air hose when pumping up the tires of Maserati Quattroporte which then later reversed into the back of a 3200GT.