VL Productions, which is converting the Fisker Karma electric vehicle that is renamed the Destino and powered by a 556-hp General Motors V-8 engine, won’t be adversely affected by the niche auto maker’s sliding fortunes.
That’s the word from Bob Lutz, who with partner Gilbert Villarreal is developing the $185,000 Destino supercar for sale later this year.
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... VL may obtain Karmas from dealers seeking to liquidate their inventories.
Lutz estimates VL could convert existing electric Karmas to V-8s for about $85,000 to $90,000.
“We’ve heard from hundreds of Karma owners, with about 10% who may want to convert their cars, because sooner or later the cars might wind up as boat anchors,” he says.
VL originally intended to use the Chevrolet Corvette’s 6.2L, 638-hp supercharged LS9 ZR1 V-8 in the Destino in its quest to build the fastest car on the U.S. market at plus-185 mph (295 km/h).
That’s still the goal, but the company instead has switched to the 6.2L, 556-hp supercharged V-8 used in Cadillac’s CTS-V.
“Most people want automatics in these types of cars, and we didn’t have a suitable 6-speed for the ZR1 (Corvette) engine,” Lutz says, adding the CTS-V will be mated to a GM-supplied 6-speed.
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Bottom line: “If Fisker disappears, it won’t affect us,” Lutz says.
