Bob Lutz Is Planning To Sell A Fisker Karma With A Corvette's V8 Engine

Forget the loss of taxpayer money. The true tragedy of the demise of Fisker Automotive was the end of production of the Karma, the company's undeniably gorgeous hybrid electric car.

But VL Automotive, an upstart company founded by former vice chairman at GM Bob Lutz, has a way to keep the Karma on the road: Kill the hybrid electric idea, save the corpse, and revive it the engine of a Corvette.

Lutz put in a bid to buy Fisker from the government back in May, but now it looks like Hong Kong billionaire Richard Li has won out.

Even so, that won't stop Lutz: He told Automotive News last week that his company is moving ahead with its plan, having picked up 25 unsold Karmas.

He plans to remake the cars by taking out the hybrid electric powertrain and putting in the engine and transmission used by the Corvette. He'll also change the grille, make it "silky and buttery to drive," and sell it for $200,000, Lutz told Automotive News.

Yes, for $200,000, you can have the body of a Karma powered by a 450 horsepower V8, or a 638 horsepower supercharged V8.

The car will be called the Destino. Its estimated time of arrival is unclear, but Lutz said "It's going to take time."

Lutz also told Automotive News that he will offer to convert hybrid Karmas into gas-powered ones for around $100,000, and has a plan to buy "Karmas" without drivetrains, which he will fill with gas-powered engines and sell down the road.

Here's what the Destino will look like:

And the original Fisker Karma: