This is a good year for automotive trivia buffs. Memorial Day weekend marks the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, and 2016 is also the 50th anniversary of the Chevrolet Camaro’s launch (as a 1967 model). So naturally, a Camaro will once again pace the Indy 500 next month.
Specifically, it will be a 2017 50th Anniversary Camaro SS special edition, driven by Indy legend Roger Penske. You’ve probably seen this guy’s yellow rental trucks around, but what you may not know is that Penske is also the winningest team owner in Indy 500 history, with 16 wins, including last year’s 500. Penske currently uses Chevy engines in his cars, of course. This is an example of what marketing people call “synergy.”
If Penske is the most appropriate driver, then the Camaro is likely the most appropriate car to kick off the 100th Indy 500. The pace car leads racers on a formation lap so they can get a rolling start before the checkered flag drops, and the Camaro has had that honor eight other times in the past, going all the way back to 1967. Chevy-produced replicas of that RS/SS convertible have become collectors’ items.
We’ll have to wait a few decades to see if the 50th Anniversary model that will pace this year’s Indy 500 becomes valuable. It’s primarily cosmetic, including a special graphics package, model-specific 20-inch alloy wheels, orange brake calipers, and other tweaks. The special edition is available as either a coupe or convertible, with the 2LT or SS trim levels.
The 2LT version comes standard with the new 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which produces 275 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. A 3.6-liter naturally-aspirated V6 is also available, with 335 hp and 284 lb-ft. The car pacing the Indy 500 will be an SS model, with the 6.2-liter LT1 V8 borrowed from the Corvette Stingray producing a stout 455 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque.
That’s not bad, but it’s nothing compared to the V8 engines from Chevy and Honda powering the IndyCars that will be in the Camaro’s rearview mirror. They produce up to 700 hp, allowing for speeds of up to 235 mph on the Indy oval track. Check them out May 29, when the 100th Indianapolis 500 gets underway.
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.