The original archnemesis of the Tesla Model S is back — here's what it's like to drive

The Fisker Karma has been reincarnated as the $130,000 Karma Revero plug-in hybrid.

Our 2018 Karma Revero test car.  (Hollis Johnson)

• The Fisker Karma was the original Model S rival.
• But Fisker Automotive went bankrupt in 2013, leaving Tesla the victor of the electric-car space.
• Now the car is making a comeback; this time it's called the Karma Revero.

These days it's the world versus Tesla. Audi, Porsche, Mercedes, Aston Martin, and just about every other major luxury automaker with a heartbeat is working on a future rival for Tesla's Model S.

But that wasn't always the case. Back in 2012, the Tesla Model S burst onto the scene as a four-door electric sedan with the performance, range, and luxury to actually compete against conventional premium sedans. But it wasn't immediately crowned king of the hill because a rival was lurking in the wings. That rival, the stunningly beautiful Fisker Karma sedan, was the brainchild of the famed car designer Henrik Fisker. While Tesla CEO Elon Musk bet on an all-electric setup for the Model S, Fisker went with an in-car gasoline generator to relieve any potential range anxiety, or fear of running out of battery power.

The two cars vied for the hearts and wallets of the eco-friendly elite. And for a while, Fisker held its own. Leonardo DiCaprio had a Karma. In fact, the actor wasn't just the company's brand ambassador; he was an investor. "Fast and Furious" star Tyrese Gibson owned one as well. As did Justin Bieber, whose car was wrapped in chrome.

Yet a combination of Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, a parking lot with several hundred flooded-out Karmas, and a defunct battery supplier doomed the budding car company. By November 2013, Fisker Automotive was bankrupt, leaving the increasingly capable Model S as the victor.

Now the Karma is back. In 2014, Wanxiang America, the Illinois-based subsidiary of China's Wanxiang Group, purchased the intellectual property and assets of the defunct Fisker Automotive for $150 million. Soon afterward, Karma Automotive was created. In 2017, the company began customer deliveries of its first model: the resurrected sedan formerly known as the Fisker Karma.

Last summer, Business Insider spent a day with a 2018 Karma Revero test car clad in an eye-catching Corona Del Sol paint job. The 2018 Revero starts at $130,000 and tops out at about $140,000.

Here it is! The 2018 Karma Revero.

Here it is! The 2018 Karma Revero.  (Hollis Johnson)

It's a mildly updated, rebranded edition of the Fisker Karma that went out of production in 2012.

It's a mildly updated, rebranded edition of the Fisker Karma that went out of production in 2012.  (Fisker Automotive)

Unlike the Fisker, which was made by Valmet in Finland, the Revero is assembled at Karma's factory in Moreno Valley, California.

Unlike the Fisker, which was made by Valmet in Finland, the Revero is assembled at Karma's factory in Moreno Valley, California.  (Hollis Johnson)

The stylish Karma is the brainchild of the famed car designer Henrik Fisker, whose other works include ...

The stylish Karma is the brainchild of the famed car designer Henrik Fisker, whose other works include ...  (Reuters/Phil McCarten)

... the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and ...

... the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and ...  (Aston Martin)

... the BMW Z8.

... the BMW Z8.  (Reuters/Stringer)

For better or worse, one look at the Revero and you know immediately it was designed by a true artist. The sleek hood ...

For better or worse, one look at the Revero and you know immediately it was designed by a true artist. The sleek hood ...  (Hollis Johnson)

... pronounced wheel arches, and low-slung silhouette make for a truly stunning automobile.

... pronounced wheel arches, and low-slung silhouette make for a truly stunning automobile.  (Hollis Johnson)

Up front, the original Karma's distinctive front end remains virtually unchanged.

Up front, the original Karma's distinctive front end remains virtually unchanged.  (Hollis Johnson)

While the rear end received a couple of tweaks.