All told, about 1800 Fisker vehicles were built before the company’s collapse, all of which were 2011 and 2012 Karma sedans. First shown at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show was the Surf, a rakish wagon based on the Karma. Sadly, Fisker ran out of cash before the Surf would see production. Presented here are Consumer Guide’s original highlights written in anticipation of Surf’s 2013 arrival.
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2013 Fisker Surf: What Is It?
The 2013 Fisker Surf is a hatchback “sport wagon” version of the company’s premium-large car, Karma. The Surf was shown in concept form and a production version was slated to follow, but Fisker’s bankruptcy means it’s extremely unlikely that car will ever be released.
2013 Fisker Surf: What’s New
The Fisker Surf may be a new model for 2013, but no model-year information is available.
2013 Fisker Surf: Model Lineup, Features, and Options
Since it is a variation of the Karma, the Surf should share most of the Karma’s design and equipment. The Karma comes in three trim levels (EcoStandard, EcoSport, and EcoChic), and we would expect the same amount of features and options to be offered on the Surf.
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2013 Fisker Surf: Engines, Transmissions, and Drive Wheels
The Fisker Surf will likely use the Karma’s drive system which consists of a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine joined with electric motors and a battery pack for a total of 403 horsepower. The Karma runs primarily on its electric motor and battery pack. On a full charge from a 110-volt wall socket or 220-volt charger, Fisker says the Karma can travel 50 miles on electric power. When the battery is depleted, the gasoline engine turns on automatically and provides electricity to the motors to drive the car. In this mode, the Karma is said to go an additional 250 miles. The gasoline engine never drives the wheels directly.
2013 Fisker Surf: Fuel Economy
The EPA has rated the Karma at the equivalent of 54 mpg on electric power, and 20 mpg city/21 mpg highway when running on gasoline. We expect similar numbers from the Fisker Surf.
2013 Fisker Surf: Safety Features
The 2013 Fisker Surf should come with a standard complement of expected and federally-mandated safety features.
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