2023 Fisker Ocean on 2040-cars

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Fisker tells its staff that four companies are interested in buying it

Fisker is nearing bankruptcy, but there might be a light at the end of the long, dark tunnel it's been traveling in for the past few months. Four companies have shown an interest in buying the troubled brand, according to comments made during a meeting by founder Henrik Fisker. "We still have some time to get other offers on Fisker. We do have four car companies that have signed NDAs," the executive said during what's described as an "all-hands meeting" for staff members held earlier this month. "However, they obviously need time to get some diligence." Business Insider, who reported the comments, adds that Fisker didn't reveal the identity of the four companies. He specified that they're car companies, but that's a vague term that could refer to anything from a small startup with shady backing to a major group that's been around for over a century. Similarly, there's no word on how long it will take for these companies to decide whether to make an offer on Fisker. In spite of its setbacks, including damning reviews of the only model it has managed to bring to production, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) probe, and reports of thousands of canceled orders, Fisker seemingly remains fairly attractive to investors. Nissan briefly considered buying the carmaker earlier in 2024 but the talks ended without a deal, according to an earlier report. Deutsche Bank is helping Fisker look for takeover candidates, and the company has already turned down one offer that wasn't "sufficient," its CEO said. Fisker hasn't commented on the report. Meanwhile, industry trade journal Automotive News (subscription only) reports Henrik Fisker has listed his personal home — an 11,800-square-foot mansion in Hollywood Hills — for sale at $35 million, though you can also rent it for $125,000 per month. The publication notes $35 million is more than Fisker's market cap, which stood at $33.7 million when it was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.  

Henrik Fisker designs a chopper for Lauge Jensen [UPDATE]

UPDATE: An earlier version of this post incorrectly credited Henrik Fisker with designing the Tesla Model S. While Fisker was contracted for design work early in the development of the Model S, Tesla ultimately rejected his design in favor of Franz von Holzhausen's. Mention of the Tesla Model S has been removed from the list of Fisker's designs below. Henrik Fisker has designed some seriously beautiful vehicles over the course of his career thus far. You'd naturally associate his name with the Karma hybrid that shares it, or maybe the reskinned Mercedes SL and BMW 6 Series he crafted as a coachbuilder, but he was also responsible for such beautiful shapes as the BMW Z8, Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage, and Artega GT. And now he's turned his attention to a motorcycle. Called the Viking concept, the Fisker-designed chopper is the product of a collaboration with Lauge Jensen, a Danish custom bike shop owned by Lego scion Anders Kirk Johansen. The 660-pound Viking packs an air-cooled 45-degree V-twin engine (built, incidentally in Wisconsin, we wonder by whom) churning out 100 horsepower with a six-speed transmission to propel it to a 130-mile-per-hour top speed and meeting Euro IV emissions regulations. It's packaged into a rather sleek take on the classic hog, the curve of the fuel tank melding into the seat and the rear fender. The Viking is set to be unveiled this week at the Top Marques show in Monaco where Lauge Jensen will watching to see how it's received. Given a positive reception, it could soon join the Great Dane in the company's lineup. Considering that bike already sells for ˆ42,800 (about $60k), and that the Viking would likely command an even bigger premium, that would make for one very expensive chopper. Still, it might be one of the least expensive ways to get your hands on a Henrik Fisker original. Featured Gallery Lauge Jensen Viking Concept by Henrik Fisker View 10 Photos News Source: Lauge Jensen Misc. Auto Shows Fisker Motorcycle Concept Cars Henrik Fisker

Fisker recalls all 2023 Oceans, but for a rather weird reason

Recalls come in all sizes and styles, and that's actually the crux of this recall for all 2023 Fisker Oceans. Yes, the recall, according to NHTSA documentation, affects every single one of the 6,864 examples of 2023 Oceans on the road. But the good news is that, rather than something that could cause a crash or severe injury, this is for fixing the fonts and colors of some warning lights. You see, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard code dictates the size and style of font for warning lights, as well as the colors for said lights, with each color corresponding to certain warnings and their importance. All automakers have to follow these rules, and when they're incorrect, they need to be fixed. In the case of the Ocean, the recall notes that the font size for the brake, park and ABS warning indicators were too small, the brake warning lights were in amber and not red, and some of the tire pressure warning light operation weren't correct. These do sound nitpicky, and unsurprisingly, no injuries or damages have occurred due to this issue, but the regulations are in place to ensure that warnings are universally understandable, and that they're in colors and sizes that are easy to read and understand. The good news is that all of these will be rectified easily. The warning lights display on the car's screens, so an over-the-air update will go out with revised font sizing, colors and operation. All of this should bring the Oceans into federal compliance. And of course the update will be completely free, and because it's over-the-air, won't require a trip to a dealer or service center. Letters will be sent to owners on June 30 to alert them to the recall, and customers with questions can call Fisker at 1-844-347-5371 with regard to recall number TSB70062404.