When the Karma GS-6 prototype casting was unveiled at the Gathering 2022, I dubbed it the surprise of the show. This car serves as a successor to the important but somewhat forgotten Fisker Karma casting, and I couldn’t wait to get these two models together to compare them.
If you’re unaware of the history of the Fisker brand, it’s pretty wild. When the Fisker brand imploded and the Karma was taken off the market, I figured we would never see the car in diecast again. After all, with Fisker no longer around, there was nobody to license a new recolor. However, the remnants of Fisker were bought by a Chinese company, which then renamed the company Karma Automotive and began producing a nearly identical car called the Karma Revero. The Karma GS-6 we see here is basically a facelifted Revero (which is itself a facelifted Fisker Karma).
I love heritage models like this, where we get to see an updated model of an older casting. We’ve seen a few of these lately, including the Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Continental, but this has to be one of the most obscure and surprising.
I figured the GS-6 would be a retooled version of the Fisker Karma casting, but it actually appears to be all new. Gone is the mustache front end of the Karma, replaced by a more modern and sensible – though much less distinctive – black bar across the front. Where the Karma had tampo printed lights, the GS-6’s lights are part of the window piece, which has become somewhat of a rarity among modern Matchbox models. I will admit, I miss the distinctive diamond shapes on the front bumper of the Karma.
From the side, it’s immediately apparent that the GS-6 isn’t as tall as the Karma, looking lower and sleeker. I never noticed the height of the Karma before, but I do prefer the new GS-6’s proportions. There’s also a wonderful irony to the GS-6 using different wheels, considering that the wheels on the Karma only exist because Fisker insisted on them. The GS-6 also loses the exhaust cutout behind the front wheels, and the bodylines are not quite as chiseled as on the Karma.
Just like the side profile, the rear bumper on the GS-6 is much lower, which looks much more elegant and sporty. I appreciate the extra detail in the tail lights and how well they wrap around onto the side of the casting. The rear window on the silver car looks way too small, though I do like those triangle shapes…
Seen from above, another difference is immediately apparent: the GS-6 gets a panoramic roof while the Karma has a solar panel. As modern as the panoramic roof looks, that solar panel is endlessly distinctive and cool, and it’s one of my favorite details on the Karma casting.
When I first saw sneaks of the GS-6, I wasn’t really sure about it. Now that I have it in hand, it’s clear how much effort went into the realism of this casting and I can’t wait to see what future recolors are in store. Hats off to the Matchbox team for making this one happen and truly surprising me with a new casting choice!
Diecast Leno 