Justin Bieber and His Fisker Karma Attract Attention

The shiny and sleek car Justin Bieber was driving last Friday when he was pulled over caught the attention of the California Highway Patrol -- and they weren't the only ones who noticed the chrome-coated Fisker Karma.

"The design is probably the first thing that grabs people," said Mike Sullivan, of Fisker Santa Monica.

Sullivan doesn't want to see anyone behave badly, but there's no denying that Justin Bieber's run-in with the law last Friday gave his dealership some publicity.

The Fisker Karma is the ultra high-end hybrid sports car that Bieber was piloting through late-morning traffic on the 101 Freeway last week at speeds estimated between 80 and 100 miles per hour.

Bieber's publicist contends the 18-year-old was being pursued by paparazzi, but Los Angeles Councilman Dennis Zine, who is also a reserve police officer, said he was one of the drivers endangered by the Bieber brigade.

And if Bieber was trying not to attract his pursuers' attention and blend into the background, the low-slung car coated in shiny chrome was hardly the best choice.

"It's a real attention getter," Sullivan said. "It is and the car looks great. It's stunning. It kind of gets the cop's attention. I think it was unnecessary."

Sullivan said the pop star's case has ignited a flurry of interest in his Fiskers, which he said have been selling like very expensive hot cakes since the beginning of the year. At more than $100,000 each, customers have included the likes of Leonardo Dicaprio and Taylor Lautner.

Sustainability and performance are two other factors that make the car appealing. The vehicle uses a plug-in hybrid system that allows it to travel 50 miles on electricity, then it employs a petrol-powered engine that drives a generator.

Local

Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.

Newport Beach 2 hours ago

1 intruder shot, second sought in Newport Beach home invasion

LAFD 2 hours ago

Mayor orders flags lowered to half-staff in honor of LAFD recruit killed at scene of 101 Freeway

"We have a solar panel that actually generates power," said Sullivan.

The celebrity connection doesn't hurt, either, even when one of the names is pulled over. None of this is probably surprising to Bieber, who didn't choose a car, or a career, for wallflowers.