Karma Automotive’s 2020 Lineup Includes A Reborn Revero and an Amazing Pininfarina Design
Good Karma.
Karma Automotive has had a tumultuous go of things, but the reinvigorated company is keen to shed its chaotic past and come forward with its own karmic rebirth. From the new cars it unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show, the company's next chapter could be defined by timeless design, future-forward technology, and growing presence in the burgeoning world of electric vehicles.
The first debut is of the Karma Revero GT and represents a rebrand and facelift of the original 2012 Karma. Offering a more evolutionary design change, the Revero GT will be available later this year. Like past Karmas, the Revero GT is electric powered with a gasoline engine as a range extender—only this time, it's a BMW-sourced turbocharged three-cylinder. Pricing hasn’t been announced but will likely be within the same range as the Revero's $130,000 starting price.
The company’s next debut, however, is a truly beautiful Pininfarina design. Karma's Pininfarina GT Coupe is the first vehicle in its partnership with the famed Italian design house, who threw out much of the donor Revero en route to a bespoke, be-couped creation. The exterior has not a single panel shared with its former four-door self, and same goes for the interior. Pininfarina’s design is said to be likely for production.
Karma’s final debut is the company’s first electric roadster. The SC1 Vision Concept aims to thrill driver and passenger alike while giving them access to technology like 5G connectivity and an infotainment system that responds to voice, touch, eye, and more traditional analog inputs. The design looks similar to Lexus’ LC500, with a slight hint of Porsche Boxster Spyder for good measure.
Speaking ahead of the debuts in Shanghai, Karma’s CEO Dr. Lance Zhou said, “ Today, Karma is ready to move forward with bold steps, a chapter we call our New Dawn. Taken together, our Shangai Big Three shows what Karma is today, what Karma can be tomorrow, and where Karma is heading in the future.” Though Karma Automotive still needs to figure out how to attract buyers outside its own niche, if cars like the Pininfarina GT and SC1 Vision Concept are any indication of the future, we’re excited to see what it brings. The world could use some good Karma.