- Fisker reveals plans for four-door GT convertible dubbed Rōnin, promising over 1000 hp, 0-to-60 mph launches in under 2.0 seconds, and a six-figure price tag.
- The convertible was revealed earlier this month along concept versions of the Fisker Pear crossover, and the Fisker Alaska pickup.
- The Rōnin, if it advances to production in 2025, could end up being the sole domestic convertible in its segment, as Tesla appears to have shelved plans for the second-gen Roadster.
Ever since Fisker said one of its planned EVs would be called Rōnin, in honor of John Frankenheimer’s classic film, many expected a bare-knuckle four-door sedan that would be ready to tackle the back roads outside of Nice, France.
But in reality something different has materialized—something unexpected.
Earlier this month Fisker took the wraps off a trio of planned EVs, alongside the Pear crossover and Alaska pickup, with the Rōnin instead appearing as a large hardtop convertible with two full doors and two half doors.
Officially, Fisker calls the Rōnin a Super GT Convertible.
From a design standpoint the Rōnin certainly makes a few nods to the Karma, with a long nose and high-set wheel arches extending almost to the surface of the frunk. The cabin, meanwhile, appears small in proportion to the rest of the car, and slightly bulbous, in yet another stylistic nod to the Karma.
“The Fisker Rōnin is for people who love to drive, but who are also thrilled by automotive art and design and demand that their high-performance vehicles embrace a sustainable future,” Chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker said.
The relatively long trunk at the rear is perhaps the most surprising part of the Rōnin profile, with flared wheel arches and some complex surfaces, defying comparisons to anything else on the market today, while inviting comparisons to the Alfa Romeo 916 Spider of the 1990s. It’s also the part of the design that will likely be talked about the most. After the performance numbers, anyway.
Speaking of those performance numbers, they are certainly the main event. Fisker is promising over 1000 hp and 0-to-60 mph launches in under 2.0 seconds—numbers comparable to the Lucid Air Sapphire and the Tesla Model S Plaid—albeit in convertible form. The top speed is promised to be 170 mph.
The interior of the concept, meanwhile, is nothing short of science fiction with a rhombus-shaped steering wheel, vertical 17.1-inch screen, and plenty of mood lighting inside.
Here’s the part where your mood may change: A Rōnin will cost you a cool $385,000. Fisker is planning to build just 999 examples, which also sounds like a fair estimate of the worldwide demand for something like this.
A futuristic yet minimalist interior is promised in the planned convertible.
Perhaps there is a method to Fisker’s madness. The second-generation Tesla Roadster that was first promised all the way back in 2017, which now feels like another era entirely, is not only nowhere in sight, but doesn’t even appear to be on the drawing board any longer.
In Tesla’s sprawling Master Plan Part III, the once-planned Roadster was not mentioned even once, raising questions about Tesla’s intention to build it at all. We should also note Tesla had already accepted deposits for the Roadster years ago—$50,000 deposits to be precise.
“Our goal was to create a classic grand touring car, updated for the 21st century and engineered for customers who want to drive from Los Angeles to Napa Valley on a single charge or take on the autobahn at steady high speeds without concern for battery capacity,” Fisker added.
If the Rōnin’s starting price feels out of reach (unless you’re considering it as an alternative to a three-bedroom house in the Midwest) a far more affordable and volume-oriented model will be the Fisker Pear, with the EV maker once again aiming for a segment that Tesla hasn’t addressed.
The Pear is expected to enter production in 2025 with a planned starting price below $30,000. And delivering on these targets will likely be a tougher industrial and business goal than building 999 examples of a $385,000 convertible—that much seems certain.
Will there be demand for an electric convertible from Fisker at this price, or will those in the market for such a vehicle simply purchase a Rolls-Royce Spectre? Please comment below.
Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum. Despite being followed around by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow been able to avoid Citroën ownership, judging them too commonplace, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013.
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