2023 Fisker Ocean Extreme Sport Utility 4d on 2040-cars

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Judge rules Fisker assets will be auctioned in February

The Fisker Automotive saga will continue until at least next month, now that a bankruptcy court judge has ruled that the automaker's assets will go up for auction in February instead of being acquired flat out by a Hong Kong investor. Wanxiang Group, which owns A123 Systems, is competing with Hybrid Tech Holdings LLC for Fisker. The judge says Hybrid Tech, which holds debt on Fisker, can't use any more than $25 million of that debt as part of its bid for the California-based automaker, according to Bloomberg News. Hybrid Tech is run by Richard Li, son of Li Ka-Shing, Hong Kong's wealthiest man, and the company bought Fisker's loan from the US Department of Energy. Fisker's line of credit from the DOE was originally for $529 million, but 'only' $192 million was drawn down before the government shut that spigot off. Wanxiang Group bid $25.8 million (plus assumed debt) for Fisker in late December, then increased its offer to $35.7 million earlier this month. Wanxiang Group acquired most of the assets of lithium-ion battery maker A123 Systems in 2012, and Fisker has maintained that Wanxiang hastened Fisker's demise by holding off battery deliveries. Fisker shut down production of its extended-range plug-in Karma in 2012 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year.

Fisker plans lineup of four electric vehicles by 2025

Fisker recently declared it wants to secure the rights to use Volkswagen's MEB platform to underpin an electric crossover named Ocean. Although the deal hasn't been finalized yet, it released a preview image that sheds light on some of the other cars it plans to release. Company founder Henrik Fisker envisions a four-car range by 2025. Introduced as a concept at CES 2020, the Ocean takes the form of a battery-powered soft-roader that's about the same size as the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Although we don't know which platform it will be built on yet, it's expected to enter production in early 2021 and land with a base price in the vicinity of $38,000 before local and federal incentives enter the equation. Fisker announced it will also launch a flexible lease program. Fisker described its second vehicle as "a segment-busting super-sports sedan based on the EMotion concept," and its preview image shows the design study it introduced during CES 2018. There's no word yet on how it will evolve as it makes the transition from a show car to a production car, but Fisker explained it delayed the sedan's introduction until 2022 at the very earliest, in part because the solid-state battery technology it hopes to make available isn't ready for production yet. It also anticipates the Ocean will sell in greater numbers than the EMotion. The California-based company's range will also include a "sports crossover," which looks like a fastback on stilts in the vein of the BMW X4. Shown for the first time, it seemingly receives a much sportier design than the Ocean. Finally, it reaffirmed its plans to enter the burgeoning electric pickup segment, but the truck it plans to catapult into this increasingly crowded ring is hidden under a sheet. Fisker added all of the aforementioned models will be built using "platforms, battery packs, and components" sourced from the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers. They'll all be electric — gasoline-, diesel- and hybrid-powered vehicles aren't part of Fisker's plan. Fisker can talk the talk, there's absolutely no doubt about it, but now it needs to prove it can walk the walk. It's in the process of going public by merging with a blank-check company backed by Apollo Global Management. The deal will give it a $2.9 billion value, and provide it with $1 billion in gross proceeds it will use to make the Ocean a reality. Proceeds from that model will presumably be used to develop and launch production of its other cars.

VL Automotive hints at Fisker-based Destino convertible for Detroit

Last year around this time, we were prepping to see the first iteration of the VL Destino; a Fisker Karma with a Corvette ZR1 heart transplant. Now, with the 2014 Detroit Auto Show looming just over the horizon, there are fresh hints that the Destino is due for a sequel. VL Automotive – co-founded by Gilbert Villarreal and Bob Lutz – has revealed a few sketches of a convertible version of the Destino, this time wearing a high-zoot cabin courtesy of the auto-leather specialists at Katzkin. The interiors company was charged with crafting the custom cockpit for the original VL Destino, as well, and from what we can see in these concept drawings, the tailoring here shows real, hidebound promise. Quick studies will note that the vehicle in the images above only has two doors, while the standard Karma was only ever built with four. It's possible this is a ground-up concept, but it seems every bit as likely that the showcar's execution has been informed by the never-was Karma S folding hardtop convertible. Either way, just as striking is the removal of the former Fisker's roof. The twin cowls at the rear of the passenger compartment seem to meet up beautifully with a chrome accent piece, but of course, details like those will be won or lost in the final execution. We can't wait to see it. Any other significant changes to the VL Destino concept figure to be unleashed in Detroit, as the press release below focuses mainly on the interior work. AUTOMOTIVE LEATHER LEADER KATZKIN PARTNERS WITH VL AUTOMOTIVE TO CREATE EXCLUSIVE LUXURY PERFORMANCE CAR EXPERIENCE Katzkin Senior Advisor Bob Lutz Debuts All-New Concept Destino Featuring a Custom Katzkin Interior at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show MONTEBELLO, Calif., January 10, 2014 / PRNewswire / - Katzkin, the global leader in automotive interior transformation, continues its design mantra and enters into the ultra-premium sports car arena by partnering with VL Automotive, co-founded by Gilbert Villarreal and Bob Lutz. VL's newest concept Destino luxury performance vehicle will debut at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit at Cobo Center, January 13-26, 2014. Based on an award-winning design by Henrik Fisker, restyled by Bob Lutz, and powered by the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 powertrain, the Destino sedan was first shown at the 2013 North American International Auto Show.