4-door 2wd Automatic 2.0l 130 Horsepower 4 Cylinder Dohc Engine on 2040-cars

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Hurricane Sandy cost automakers 15,000 vehicles, may have ruined up to 200k

Hurricane Sandy was the largest Atlantic storm in US history, and its total economic impact is just now coming into view. According to Automotive News, Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan and Honda are set to scrap around 15,000 new vehicles ruined by the storm. Nissan alone accounts for about 40 percent of those, with 6,000 Nissan and Infiniti models deeded "un-saleable" due to damage. The company saw 56 dealerships shuttered due to the storm, but 51 of those have since reopened.
Toyota, meanwhile, had some 4,000 vehicles at its Newark port facility, and of those, 3,000 may be scrapped. An additional 825 were dealer inventory when they were ruined. Honda and Acura dealers are reportedly sending 3,440 vehicles to the salvage yard. By comparison, Chrysler weathered the storm fairly well with 825 units destroyed, while Hyundai suffered only 400 lost units and Kia scrapped around 200.
As you may recall, Fisker also suffered some losses, and Automotive News reports the manufacturer saw 320 Karma models damaged beyond repair. Ford and General Motors have yet to come up with estimates, and no automaker has commented on the full cost of replacing the vehicles.

Kia developing 800-volt charging technology for its future electric cars

Porsche-grade technology will trickle down to the Kia range during the 2020s. The South Korean company is planning to launch no less than 11 electric cars globally by 2025, and it confirmed some will come with an 800-volt charging system that promises to slash charging times while reducing the drivetrain's weight. As of writing, the only series-produced model equipped with 800-volt technology is the Taycan; the production version of the Audi E-Tron GT concept will get it, too. Kia plans to bring it to the masses when it releases its next-generation electric cars on the European market in 2021. It hasn't detailed the models yet, but it revealed they will be built on a platform developed specifically to underpin EVs. One will "blur the boundaries between passenger and sport utility vehicles," a not-so-subtle hint that the segment-bending Imagine concept (pictured) unveiled in 2019 is headed to production. An earlier, unverified report claims Rimac will help Kia make it a reality. Building electric cars on a purpose-designed platform represents a stunning about-face for the brand. Its two battery-powered models, the Niro EV and the Soul EV, are variants of gasoline-powered models. Kia is also developing battery technology that promises to unlock up to 310 miles of driving range. It hopes the investments it's making will convince a growing number of buyers to give up gasoline once and for all. Taking this not-inexpensive route makes integrating technology like an 800-volt charging system much easier. Kia also wants to bring electric cars to the masses, so it will also offer 400-volt charging (which is widely available in 2020) to keep costs in check. It predicted motorists who drive more will pay extra for the 800-volt system, because it will deliver "sub-20-minute high-speed" charging times when plugged into a compatible station, while those who don't suffer from range anxiety will be able to save money by selecting a 400-volt system. "Certain models, particularly those aimed at more cost-conscious buyers, will offer 400-volt charging capability; 800-volt charging won’t simply be reserved for KiaÂ’s flagship models, however, but where it most closely matches the usage profile of a particular model line," said Pablo Martinez Masip, the director of product planning and pricing for Kia's European division. He added both systems can be charged at home or in public.

2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Review Update | What living with the Stinger is like

You're going to like looking at it, and everyone else will too Man, this car is slick. It's long and low with curves in all the right places. Kia toed the line between in-your-face sportiness and luxury with every design decision on this car. I don't often feel the urge to look back at a car as I walk away, but the Stinger has a way of drawing my eye back to it wherever I go. The bright red paint might be partially responsible for this, but I've found I'm not alone. Everywhere I drive, this car turns heads and brings about inquisitive stares from onlookers — the Kia badge just causes brows to furrow deeper. Never in history have random passersby been this interested in a Kia. It makes sense, though. We don't often see completely new, from-the-ground-up sports sedans these days. The Stinger's fastback shape just makes it even more enticing and refreshingly different. Noticing the sidewalk interest in a car like the Stinger gives me a glimmer of hope for other great sedans to make it through the crossover-apocalypse. Big car, but a small back seat The usable space in the rear seat runs counter to how long and large the car looks. First off, the way the door is shaped makes for a narrow space to slide your body through. It's wide on top but narrows closer to the ground. That's no problem for a young and limber person such as myself, but less flexible folk may find it annoying. With the seat positioned for my 5-foot-10-inch frame, rear legroom is a bit scarcer than I would have thought. Throwing kids back there would be fine, but it still came off as one of the larger disappointments in my book. You'll enjoy the cargo space, though. Hatches are almost always more utilitarian than sedans with trunks, and this trend continues for the Stinger. Loading and unloading is an easy task, and you can shove a ton of stuff back there. Somewhat limited visibility through the short rear window from the driver seat is the only downside of the rear hatch design. It has a dual personality This car firmly plants itself onto the list of ideal daily drivers. Leave it in Comfort mode, turn the Harman Kardon stereo up, and relax on your way to the office. Twist the dial over to Sport, and you'll blow everybody else away getting on the highway as you head home. Like we said in our last long-term update, the Stinger is the perfect GT car, and we stand by that. You can use it as a backroad scalpel on weekends. However, I wouldn't go so far as to say it handles like a sports car.