VL Automotive Destino Red Concept: A Convertible Pipe Dream? The VL Automotive Destino Red concept. Jim Motavalli Introduced on Tuesday, Jan. 14: VL Automotive Destino Red concept A two-door hardtop convertible "touring coupe" that might, a long way down the road, become a production car. Not by any stretch of the imagination. The sunshine-friendly concept car has the distinction of having been revealed to the press at the Detroit show twice, first in 2009 as the Fisker Karma S, now as a would-be convertible Destino. It is now nominally and visually a Destino, but hasn't actually received that car's Corvette-derived drivetrain. What they said: Bob Lutz, co-founder of VL Automotive and former vice chairman of General Motors, described the Destino Red as "a pure concept car" that is not intended for production as the car is currently constituted. He said the convertible version would require "considerable investment" to accommodate the Corvette drivetrains going into four-door Destinos. On the show car, the top "does go down, but not reliably," Mr. Lutz said. What they didn't say: The onetime droptop from Fisker Automotive, now bankrupt, was at the auto show not to expand VL's fledgling product line, but to raise attendance at VL Automotive's news conference, and it succeeded at that. After some delays, VL has its hands full trying to deliver its first Destinos to customers; taking on a half-finished convertible project isn't in the cards for now. Bob Lutz, co-founder of VL Automotive and former vice chairman of General Motors, described the Destino Red as "a pure concept car." Mr. Lutz actually had two speaking roles in Detroit, since he also delivered what he called the "keynote address" later Tuesday for a presentation by VIA Motors. In his two roles, he served as spokesman for one company that turns plug-in hybrids into gas-guzzlers, and for another that converts conventional trucks and vans into fuel-efficient plug-in hybrids. The intended powerplants for the Destino are LS9 or LT1 V8 engines from General Motors, connected to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Regular Destinos will come in around $200,000, so it's anyone's guess how much a folding top would add to that. According to Gilbert Villarreal, the company's co-founder, the first Destinos could be delivered to some customers in the Middle East in March. Mr. Lutz cautioned that it could take a bit longer. "Gilbert is more optimistic than me," he said. Because he didn't spend 40 years in the car business. Like a gussied-up Fisker-based show car, with a Destino front-end treatment, badges and other styling cues. It also has a custom leather interior by Katzkin, which will be optional on the Destino. The top is reminiscent, at least visually, of the retractable top on cars like the Mercedes SL550. But on that car, it works properly.