When the bidding for a vehicle kicks off at $5 million, you know you’re witnessing a rather unique transaction.
That was the stage set at this year’s Arizona Biltmore auction in Phoenix when a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster rolled onto the block. Minutes later, the new owner had agreed to pay $9.9 million for the pre-WWII-era model.
Besides the fact that this automotive gem is in extraordinarily good condition, Chassis number 130894 is considered to be one of the earliest production models of the 540 K to have endured 79 years, and more spectacular still is the fact that this specific model was pre-production.
With only 10,227 miles under its belt, a full history of vehicle care, and all-original drivetrain components (including the engine number), the automotive world deems this roadster a treasure.
Under the chrome-laden bonnet rests a 5.4-liter eight-cylinder engine with a manual Roots-style supercharger to boost output from 115 horsepower to 180. That power is routed via a four-speed manual transmission. The up-to-the-minute braking system includes four-wheel servo-assisted hydraulic drum brakes while driving body movement iss managed via an independent wishbone front coil suspension and independent swing-arm rear suspension.
Obviously the poster boy of the auction, the Mercedes-Benz roadster contributed a good portion to the total $62.8 million in sales from the event. Buyers from 20 countries took home other rare vehicles like a 1929 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing Top Torpedo Convertible Coupe (whose fanciful name is not only extensive, but also contradictory, for $3 million), a 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV ($2 million), and a 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder ($1.59 million).
Here’s to hoping that hot-rod red Mercedes roadster isn’t tucked away in some wealthy individual’s garage for another eight decades, but is rather enjoyed and loved like one of the family.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.