Maybe we should start a new column? You may love your cars and can identify them by looking at the smallest details – but “did you know” the cars we show here?
What do an Aston Martin DB9, the Artega GT and the BMW Z8 have in common? C’mon … YES! The designer! Danish-American automotive designer and entrepreneur Henrik Fisker is known for many beautiful luxury cars, and even more for his very own car, the Fisker Karma, the world’s first premium plug-in hybrid. Currently, he is the founder, chairman and CEO of Fisker Inc.
However, very few people know that Fisker started Fisker Coachbuilding after he left Ford in 2005 and before he teamed up to launch Fisker Automotive, the original company behind the Karma. Fisker Coachbuild, which he started with a colleague, was based in Orange County, California, and was meant to establish a modern version of coachbuilding, dealing in runs of 150 cars. The company’s first car was the Fisker Tramonto.
Have a closer look at this stylish roadster. Follow its lines, check out the details. Some hints: Have a closer look at the windshield, the rearview mirrors, the door handles – and the hardtop roof. YES! It is a re-bodied Mercedes-Benz SL (R230). The SL55 AMG, to be exact. Rebodied in aluminium and fibreglass, the interior pretty much stayed the same (other than luxurious leather and some extras here and there). The AMG engine was tuned by Kleemann, resulting in around 700hp. Fisker wanted to build 150 cars but in the end, only 15 were made.
The same question: Which car is this based on? Correct, it is the BMW 6 Series (E63). The original exterior is replaced by a partly new body. Only the bodyshell and doors remain. Customers could then choose from a number of customized upgrades to the engine/drivetrain, interior, and exterior. Ultimately, 150 cars were to be built, but only two Latigos were ever produced: #000, which was the silver prototype car built on a BMW 645i chassis, and car #001, which was ordered by a Southern California Customer in the Spring of 2007.
