There are sporty Range Rovers, luxurious Range Rovers, and special-edition Range Rovers, but the latest version rolls all those attributes into one.
The Range Rover SVAutobiography, a new range-topper from Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations, has just been unveiled ahead of its debut at the 2015 New York Auto Show. Land Rover is billing the vehicle as “the most luxurious and powerful series-production Range Rover in the model’s successful 45-year history,” and those claims are backed up by impressive real world figures.
Under the hood of the ‘Duo-tone’ flagship sits a supercharged 5.0-liter V8, producing 542 horsepower and 501 pound-feet of torque. With its opulent heft, it’s not as quick as the Nurburgring-hurdling Range Rover SVR, but its 0 to 60 mph time of 5.5 seconds will still get you to the country club on time. More efficient TDV6, SDV6 Hybrid, SDV8, and SCV6 supercharged engines are also available.
The SVAutobiography’s litany of powertrain options is mirrored by the vehicle’s variable appearance. The two-tone exterior finish boasts a Santorini Black upper section, while the lower body can be painted one of nine different colors.
Inside, buyers can opt for either a sliding load floor (perfect for upscale tailgating) or an ‘Event Seating’ package. The add-on includes two Windsor leather seats that are stowed in the luggage compartment, but can easily fold out over the rear.
Whatever options they choose, customers will be bathed in luxury inside the well-crafted cabin. Many of the controls have been machined from solid aluminum, and there are wood accents aplenty. Rear passengers have easy access to a chiller compartment and powered tables, and all occupants benefit from exclusive, ritzy trim pieces.
The Range Rover SVAutobiography goes on sale this summer in the U.K. and next fall in the U.S. Pricing starts at $199,495.
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.