Back in July we told you that Fisker had tabbed Valmet Automotive to build its upcoming Karma. Now we get word that all of the contracts have been finalized and production looks certain. Valmet will be doing all of the engineering and manufacturing for the Karma, that sexy new four-door plug-in hybrid sports sedan designed by ex-Aston Martin designer, Henrik Fisker. Production should start about a year from now, in late 2009. The first cars should show up Stateside, with European deliveries following soon after, in early 2010. The companies are planning an annual production of about 15,000 cars worldwide.

Click above for high-res gallery of the Fisker Karma

The Big 3 may be laying off workers left, right and center, but at least one start up is moving into town to swoop up some skilled workers. That start-up is Fisker Automotive, the aspiring luxury-hybrid automaker headed up by noted designed Henrik Fisker. The new facility is based in a leased property in Pontiac, Michigan, in suburban Detroit, and will help Fisker's engineers get the Karma, first shown in concept form at the last Detroit show and ambitiously gearing up for a production preview at the next one.

Click above for high-res gallery of the Fisker Karma

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Artega GT

As production ramps up on the impossibly gorgeous Artega GT, parent company Paragon has announced that the compact sportscar will sell for €74,983 across the pond. The pricing makes it compelling competition for a well-equipped (and similarly proportioned) Porsche Cayman S. As we previously reported, final assembly is scheduled to begin this summer at a rate of two per day, ramping up to 20 per week for a total production run of just 500 vehicles.

Click above for high-res gallery of the Fisker Karma

Up until now, the Fisker Karma hasn't really been much more than a pretty face to go along with a promise. That changes today, thanks to a spy photographer who was lucky enough to catch the upcoming plug-in hybrid sedan out testing in California. Lawsuits often seem to have a dampening effect on enthusiasm, so it's good to see the Karma out and about. We can clearly see that the body is the same shape as what we all saw at its introduction earlier this year in Detroit.

Click above for more high-res images of the Fisker Karma

Every automaker realizes that they need to make their vehicles consume less gas, reduce emissions and lessen their overall effect on the environment. One obvious way to make this happen is to go electric, but that solution poses its own host of problems. One potential sticking-point is that many drivers love the way their car sounds and have gotten used to the underhood roar and scintillating exhaust note of an internal combustion engine. But, what if your electric car sounded ''like something between a Formula One car and a jet plane?"