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Fisker Looks for Strategic Partners in China, Hasn’t Built a Car in Six Months

The Karma might look gorgeous but things aren’t looking very good for its maker, Fisker, right now. In 2012, despite having delivered some 2,000 Karmas, it’s had its federal loan frozen, issued a number of recalls on the Karma, saw its battery supplier, A123 Systems, go bankrupt and 16 of its cars being destroyed by hurricane Sandy and, to top it all, it hasn’t built a single car in the past six months.

So the company is looking for partners and investors. And what better place to turn to than a country that wants to acquire high-end EV technology? That would be China; according to a report from Reuters, Fisker’s top executives are trying to find a strategic partner that would help them get things started again.

Newly formed automobile brand Qoros has shared fresh information about its presence at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in the beginning of March.

Besides the world premiere of its first production model, the GQ3 compact saloon, Qoros will also display two new concept models named the Cross Hybrid Concept and Estate Concept, both of which are based on the sedan.

"Intelligent modular vehicle platform technology allows us to create new vehicle concepts quickly and efficiently," commented Vice Chairman of Qoros Auto, Volker Steinwascher. "The Qoros GQ3 is the first of many models that will be based on this platform, and the technology will allow us to develop a complete model family in a very efficient manner."

Towards the end of the previous decade, we remember several Chinese automakers making their way to the Detroit Auto Shows vowing to begin selling cars in the United States. Unless we missed something, that never happened.

At this year's event, the only carmaker from China is the GAC Group (Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. Ltd), which brought along three vehicles, including the Trumpchi sedan that's loosely based on the Alfa Romeo 166, the Trumpchi GS5 SUV and the electric-powered E-jet concept saloon you see in the live shots from Detroit.

The Chinese maker of all-electric vehicles that gained a lot of attention in 2008 when investor Warren Buffett bought a 10 percent stake in BYD for$230 million, is now actively looking to build an electric-bus assembly plant in the States.

Micheal Austin, vice president of BYD America, broke the news to WardsAuto, adding that the company has not yet decided on the location for the plant. "Clearly, there are a lot sensitive negotiations that must go on before any of that happens," said Austin.

Back in September, just before the Paris Motor Show kicked off, General Motors came out with an announcement saying that over the next 12 months, its Buick brand is set to receive five new or refreshed models.

Among the cars including in the list were the Enclave and Encore crossovers, and the 250hp Verano Turbo that we've already seen, and the Regal and LaCrosse sedans.

We still have to wait and see what Buick has in store for the Regal, but as far as the LaCrosse is concerned, these spy shots of a camouflage-free prototype found in China, pretty much tell us the cosmetic story.