Ford Design Veteran Starts Exotic-Car Builder

A former top designer for Ford Motor Co. and BMW has started a company that hopes to build several hundred exotic cars a year in Southern California.

The Newport Beach-based company, Fisker Coachbuild, plans to design car bodies to be fitted on platforms -- including engines and suspensions -- supplied by a major carmaker. Sales could start early next year with prices ranging from $180,000 to $250,000, said company co-founder and Chief Executive Henrik Fisker.

Fisker recently resigned as head of Ford’s Global Advanced Design Studio in Irvine.

-- John O’Dell