Based in California to exploit the potential customer base there, Fisker Coachbuild brought its first two cars to Frankfurt for their world debut just seven months after the company was formed.

First to be completed was the SL55-based Tramonto, the donor car completely reskinned in carbon-fibre to a Fisker design. Next came the Latigo CS, based on a BMW 645i as the donor, although customer cars are more likely to use the M6. Again, Fisker-penned carbonfibre bodywork replaces the original. It's only when you put the standard cars beside the Fisker changelings that you see how different they really are.

Henrik reckons the closest parallel to what his company is doing is the way VW has cleverly rebodied the Phaeton to create the Bentley Continental GT. He believes this is the way forward, creating unique, limited-run, coachbuilt cars on platforms of popular, well-known models that lack exclusivity.

How well this formula works remains to be seen, though initial customer reaction to the cars is said to be good, especially in California, with punters willing to pay about double the list price of the standard donor cars.

Fisker has teamed up with an American leather specialist, Distinctive Industries, to retrim the cars' interiors. Both models will be available with 'Performance Plus' packages, which in the case of the SL-based Tramonto includes a 610bhp Kleemann-tuned engine. Details of how the Latigo CS will be uprated are yet to be announced.