Fisker Latigo CS
by: Emily Gee
Posted on: Monday, April 14th, 2008 at 12:14 pm by: Emily Gee
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Fisker Coachbuild, LLC first announced the creation of the Fisker Latigo CS in 2005; it was one of two cars it would be staking its future reputation on. The focus of the company is to create cars for the true motoring enthusiast, blending finely crafted design with high sports performance. The Fisker Latigo was to be the epitome of this.
Based on the BMW 6 Series 650Ci Coupe, the latest version of the Latigo CS is slightly shorter than its original 2005 predecessor, with both the front and the back slightly redesigned to feature thinner head and tail lights and a wider power bulge above Fisker’s trademark grille.
Over the sculptured framework, Fisker has added a lightweight, high-strength carbon-fiber-and-steel body that gives the car a clean, unbroken line right down to the integrated rear bumper. The grille comes with a black-powder finish as standard, but can be finished in an iodized aluminum to match the twin stainless-steel exhausts and milled-aluminum badge. The C-pillars have also been redesigned to fit in with the sculptured feel, sitting solidly over the rear wheels.
Inside, all the original technological features remain intact, including the state-of-the-art Logic7 audio system with heads-up display available as an optional extra. Perhaps the most notable interior design feature, however, is the abundance of premium, hand-stitched leather, from the seat backs to the sunroof cover. If required, even the trunk can be lined with leather. This is accented with carbon-fiber sill panels and aluminum highlights on the sun visors, vanity mirror and sill plaques, engraved with “Fisker Coachbuild.” The combination is a fabulous mix of organic and state-of-the-art, which, according to Cristina Cheever, Fisker’s vice president of marketing and communications, creates “an environment that customers appreciate as both a powerhouse and a sanctuary.”
Of course the real test of the Latigo CS is how it performs, and it doesn’t disappoint. The standard model comes with a 32-valve, 4.8 liter V8 engine, producing 367 hp, but an optional V10 engine is also available that generates over 550 hp. It has a top speed of around 155 mph, does 0-60 mph in around 4.6 seconds and has a power/weight ratio of 10.2 pounds/hp.
It compares favorably with similar cars in its class, particularly if coupled with the optional V10 engine, outperforming both the Volvo S60R and the new BMW M3 in terms of horsepower. Combine this with the unmistakable class of Henry Fisker’s design and you have something that is really in a different league. As Henry Fisker himself said, the Latigo is “beautiful, a true gentleman’s coupe; sporty and aggressive but also something you could drive to the office without feeling … overdressed.”
