Auto Show: Going Green, and Mean

If the Prius is too pious for you, consider the Fisker plug-in hybrid sports car, which is drawing attention at the North American Interational Auto Show in Detroit. Think of the sporty, sexy coupe as an environmentally sensitive Corvette, whose styling the Fisker resembles.

The first Fiskers will arrive late this year (dealers are taking orders now) at a base price of $87,900. The car will be built in and imported from Finland.

The company is backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the Silicon Valley venture capital firm. The car was designed, and named after, Henrik Fisker, who previously has done sports-car designs for Aston-Martin and BMW.

The Fisker weighs about 4,000 pounds -- as much as a hulking, full-size SUV. About one-fourth of the body weight comes from the enormous battery, which runs virtually the length of the car, and will propel the Fisker from zero to 60 miles an hour in a lightning-quick 5.5 seconds.

The Fisker, like most of the new plug-in hybrids being developed, will go the first 50 to 60 miles on a full battery charge. After that, the small gasoline engine will kick in to recharge the battery, which will continue to power the car.

And, yes, the Fisker will hold two fully loaded golf bags in its trunk.

by Paul Ingrassia