Tag Archives: vehicles

1986 Porsche 911 Turbo Koenig-Specials Road Runner is up for auction

At the end of the last century, the German tuning house Koenig-Specials presented a project called Road Runner. It is a radical transformation and improvement of the Porsche 911 (930) Turbo, and one of them, the 1986 Porsche 911 Turbo Koenig-Specials Road Runner is for sale.

This unique car has a G-body silhouette, headlights and side mirrors taken from the Porsche 928, a huge rear spoiler, while the rear lights are integrated into a redesigned fascia with a pronounced wraparound spoiler. It is finished in Guards Red over Champagne leather and is in good condition with only 24,253 kilometers on the odometer.

The car was serviced in January, which included rebuilding both turbochargers, installing a lightweight clutch/flywheel assembly and clutch cable, and replacing the rear & front main seals, aluminum charge pipes, heater tubes, spark plug wires, exhaust, and much more. It cost more than $20,000.

This Porsche 911 Turbo is powered by a twin turbocharged 3.3-liter flat-six engine that delivers between 480 and 550 hp. That’s significantly more than the 281 hp the original model has, and the increase is achieved thanks to a combination of a remapped ECU and performance exhaust system, as well as an improved air-to-air intercooler system.

Koenig-Specials has retained the original cross-drilled, ventilated brake system, now bolstered with Bilstein shock absorbers, reinforced anti-roll bars, and a front strut brace for enhanced rigidity.

The auction will take place on March 7, 2025, and the car’s estimated value is $170,000 – $190,000.

Source: Board Arrow Auctions

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Porsche opened its fifth Porsche Charging Lounge

At the end of January, Porsche opened its fifth exclusive Porsche Charging Lounge. This charging station is located near Hamburg and the A1 motorway, making it easily accessible not only for drivers in northern Germany, but also for travelers heading to the Baltic Sea.

This charging station operates 24 hours a day and allows owners of all Porsche electric cars to use four DC fast charging stations with a capacity of up to 400 kW. While the vehicles are charging, drivers can enjoy comfortable seats with built-in speakers, as well as a wide selection of refreshing drinks and snacks, a water dispenser, modern sanitary facilities, and free Wi-Fi.

Porsche developed the modular concept of the filling station in cooperation with the F.A. studio. Porsche, and this one in Hamburg was the first to be implemented. It has a unique design that provides the ability to adjust depending on the terrain. The modules are mostly made of steel, stainless steel, wood and stone, and are manufactured by Porsche’s partner in Baden-Württemberg, using energy from renewable sources. The facility is air-conditioned using a heat pump, and part of the energy comes from the photovoltaic installation on the roof. Also, attention was paid to the optimization of energy consumption, so the lighting is automatically reduced when there are no visitors

In addition to the charging station in Hamburg, Porsche also has charging stations in Bingen am Rhein, Estenfeld near Würzburg, Koblach (Austria) and Ingolstadt. Access to the charging station and lounge area is only possible via Porsche ID, and if the license plate is linked to the Porsche ID, the barrier opens automatically using license plate recognition. Users can register via the My Porsche app, and access is also possible via the Porsche Charging Card or the QR code from the My Porsche app.

Source: Porsche

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Renault sold its stake in AvtoVAZ for 1 cent

After Russia invaded Ukraine, the European Union imposed sanctions, forcing many carmakers to halt production in Russia. One of them was Renault, which even considered restarting production a month later, but backed out. It controlled 30 percent of the entire Russian car market, and now it has been announced that the French manufacturer has sold its share in AvtoVAZ (68%) to the Russian automotive research center NAMI for 1 ruble (1 cent).

It is obvious that Renault has no intention of returning to Russia, and if it were to decide to do so, it would cost them a lot. According to NAMI CEO Maxim Sokolov, the company has invested a lot in AvtoVAZ, so if Renault were to decide to return, it would cost them 112.5 billion rubles ($1.3 billion).

According to Sokolov, Renault invested between $226 and $249 million in AvtoVAZ before withdrawing from Russia, so he believes it would be right for the French to compensate NAMI if they return.

In an interview with TASS, he also said that in 2023, AvtoVAZ NAMI had invested about $311 million. Last year, they invested almost $453 million, and this year they plan to invest another $510 million.

Current relations between Russia and the EU do not indicate that there could be a relaxation soon, so it is difficult to expect that European manufacturers could return to the Russian market in the near future.

Source: TASS