The Fisker Surf to debut in production form in Paris

The Fisker Surf Shooting Brake Concept made its debut last year at the Frankfurt Motor Show and from the exterior design to the drivetrain – the Surf is nearly identical to the Fisker Karma sedan that has recently hit the US market in production form. Like the Karma, the Fisker Surf is powered by a pair of electric motors mounted at the rear wheels that are electrified by a large lithium ion battery mounted in the middle of the car. Up front, the Fisker Surf will feature a turbocharged 2.0L gasoline engine connected to a generator system that helps keep the massive lithium ion battery recharged and alleviating the risks of range anxiety. In addition to providing emission-free driving, the drivetrain sends over 400 horsepower and over 950lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels so the Fisker Surf will provide as much high performance fun as it can green driving. The Surf will also likely benefit from a regenerative braking system and solar panels mounted in the roof to help charge the battery to maximize the emission-free driving experience that is associated with the Fisker brand.

Where the upcoming Fisker Surf Shooting Brake differs greatly is along the back end; where the Surf derives the “shooting brake” portion of its name. While the term shooting brake has come to refer to a large spread of 5-door vehicles that many Americans would call “station wagons”, Europeans recognize the shooting brake as being a roomy 5-door that also generally offers a sporty look and feel.
Along the front end, the Fisker Surf bears a striking resemblance to the Fisker Karma sedan (at least in concept form – and we can expect the production model to be pretty similar to the concept that debuted in Frankfurt). The curvy, sensuous front end complete with the distinct Fisker grille and front fascia with the double diamond design is identical to the Karma and even along the sides; the Shooting Brake concept sports the same lines as the Fisker sedan. More importantly, the Surf Concept wears the lines of the Karma sedan very well with the accentuated, high wheel openings combine perfectly with the new longer roofline of the Surf. With the exception of the 5th door opening, the rear end of the Fisker Surf is very similar to the Karma sedan but with the added cargo space behind the rear seats – the Surf should offer quite a bit more room for those who want to carry golf clubs, a hockey bag or luggage for a cross country trip with the family…you know, because the Fisker drivetrain allows that sort of thing.

The Fisker Surf Shooting Brake is expected to make its production debut at the Paris Motor Show in September. Production is expected to begin after that at the Valmet Automotive factory in Finland where the Fisker Karma is currently produced. Fisker expects that the Surf will only account for a small portion of their global sales, possibly as few as 3,500 total units while the company expects Karma sedan sales to hit 7,000 units per year in the near future.

Fisker has a press announcement planned for later today so by the day’s end, we could have more information on the Surf Shooting Brake. Then again, today’s company announcement might not have anything to do with the new model. TorqueNews will be reporting the results of today’s announcement as soon as they become official.

Source: GTSpirit