Back in the early thirties (you remember them, don't you?) a Concours d' Elegance was a beauty contest for new cars and feminine fashion. Today a Concours is mostly about classic automobiles from various periods leading up to 1980. Yet in recent years there has been a tendency to feature, in a separate display, beautiful contemporary autos, provided they're limited production or trend-setters. And that, if you think back on those early days, is as it should be.

Happily, the organizers of the Palm Springs Concours, now in its second year, have chosen to honor some of those exquisite vehicles, including the Fisker Karma, shown above. A 4-door sports sedan, the Karma may remind you of the Maserati Quattroporte, the soon-to-launched Aston Martin 4-door, or the upcoming and less-than-lovely Porsche 4-door sedan. The similarity, however, ends right there. This elegant beauty is the world's first luxury hybrid plug-in, proving that driving electrically needn't be a bore. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Initial production is anticipated to be 15,000 vehicles annually, with pricing to start at $87,900. Karma drivers who charge their car overnight and commute less than 50 miles a day could achieve an average fuel economy of 100 mpg (2.4L/100km) per year. As for those who drive further... well, what the heck, it will reach 0-60 in less than 6 seconds with a top speed of 125 mph (if that's not quick enough, book a session with your psychiatrist).

During his 18 years in the car design business, Henrik Fisker penned some of the most highly regarded automobiles, including the BMW Z8 (a personal favorite) to the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage. His cars will not set production records but it's important to remember that in the automobile's early days it was the specialist manufacturers who made most technical breakthroughs. Today, as then, they deserve a place of honor at events like the Palm Springs Concours d'Elegance