All posts by Francis Mitterrand

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Three rare supercars in an abandoned dealership

Gordon Cheng is one of the car enthusiasts who travels around the world making videos about high performance cars. In Dongguan, China, he found an abandoned dealership with three rare supercars: a Porsche Carrera GT, a Ferrari 575 Superamerica and a Corvette Z06.

All the cars are in perfect condition, covered with dust, and the collector’s Porsche Carrera GT attracts special attention. It was produced between 2004 and 2006, and only 1270 units left the assembly line. It is powered by a 5.7 L V10 engine with 603 hp (450 kW) and 435 lb-ft (590 Nm) of torque. It reaches 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds, 100 mph (161 km/h) in 6.8 seconds and 209 km/h (130 mph) in 10.8 seconds with a top speed of 330 km/h (205 mph). It should be noted that Porsche produced only three cars in the Zanzibar Red Metallic shade, and this one is one of them.

The Ferrari 575 Superamerica was produced in only 599 examples and this example is one of 43 produced with a manual transmission. It was originally sold in Russia and Germany before arriving in China with just 3,500 kilometers on the odometer.

The Corvette Z06 is powered by a 7.0-L LS7 V8 engine with 505 hp (377 kW) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm) of torque. That’s enough to push the car to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 320 km/h (199 mph). Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox.

It is not known why the dealership was abandoned, and it is assumed that the owner fled because of debts. The space is not in good condition, so there is a risk that cars will be damaged. Some information says that Porsche tried to take over the Carrera GT, but due to strict Chinese regulations, it was an unsuccessful attempt.

Source: effspot via YouTube

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2025 Kia K4 – Compact sedan powered by ICE

Kia is not giving up on ICE cars, and their latest model, the Kia K4, is one of them. It is a compact sedan and the successor of the Kia Forte model, with a completely different design.

The design of the car is adorned by the body color, which at first glance gives the impression that it is a two-door car. However, if you look closely, you will notice the rear door handles hidden in the C-pillar. The headlights have a “T” shape, which also adorns other Kia models such as the Sorento. The design continues with a straight roof line to the rear part where there is a vertical line of taillights that extends almost to the rear bumper.

Inside, the seats are covered in Slate Green material, which also covers the dashboard, center armrest and steering wheel. It is not known what kind of material it is. There is also a centrally positioned 30-inch screen through which all important functions can be controlled. However, Kia kept the buttons, so the air conditioner can still be operated manually.

When it comes to the powertrain, the Kia K4 will be offered in two versions. The entry version is powered by a 2.0L naturally aspirated gasoline engine with 149 hp (111 kW) and 132 lb-ft (179 Nm) of torque, mated to a CVT gearbox. The second version is powered by a 1.6 L I4 engine with 193 hp (144 kW) and 195 lb-ft (264 Nm) of torque, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The car was premiered at the 2024 New York International Auto Show in early March, and will be available as a 4-door sedan and a 5-door hatchback.

Source: KIA

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2025 Kia K4 - Compact sedan powered by ICE
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Polestar Charge gives access to almost 700k chargers in Europe

Car manufacturers are rapidly working on the electrification of their cars, but the number of charging stations is not keeping up with their growth. Tesla is the largest investor in electric vehicle infrastructure and the owner of 50,000 Supercharger charging stations, and now Polestar has announced that with the company Plugsurfing, it is launching a charging service in Europe called Polestar Charge.

Polestar Charge is an application that gives access to almost 700,000 chargers with a single charge service on the largest charging networks on the old continent. This is the first time Tesla Supercharger has given app access to its chargers.

This feature will be available before Polestar starts delivering the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 in Europe. The app will be integrated with Google Maps to make it easier to find chargers.

“We know that an important part of owning an electric car is the possibility of convenient charging. With access to the largest networks in Europe and smart integration into Google Maps, we’ve made it easy for Polestar drivers to enjoy life with an electric car instead of worrying about where they’ll find their next charge,” comments Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar.

Source: Polestar