The Maserati Quattroporte has some of the most alluring styling and one of the best-sounding names of any full-size luxury sedan, but the current model is losing ground to German rivals with more up-to-date technology. The 2017 Quattroporte gets a mild restyle and a few new tech features of its own, but will that be enough to hold the line?
The most noticeable changes are at the front, where a new front bumper and toothier grille attempt to tie the Quattroporte to the popular Maserati Alfieri concept car. The grille also features active shutters like the ones on the new Levante SUV, which close when maximum airflow isn’t needed. This cuts drag by 10 percent, Maserati claims. The rear bumper is new as well, and Maserati added matte black trim on the side skirts and exterior mirrors.
On the inside, the Quattroporte gets a new infotainment system with 8.4-inch touchscreen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. A new driver assistance package adds adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, and automated emergency braking. A surround-view camera system can be added on top of that.
Read more: Could a V8-powered Maserati Levante topple Porsche’s Cayenne?
Maserati is also launching two new trim packages for 2017, called GranLusso and GranSport. The GranLusso has more of a traditional luxury look, with lots of chrome exterior trim and an interior designed in concert with Italian fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna. The GranSport is meant to be, err, sportier, with blacked-out trim, 21-inch wheels, and sport seats and steering wheel.
Engine choices will likely remain the same, meaning the only question is whether you want six or eight cylinders with your turbos. A twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 produces 404 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, which is sent to the rear wheels or all four through an eight-speed automatic transmission. A 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 is also available, with 523 hp, 524 lb-ft., and rear-wheel drive only.
Maserati is already taking orders for the 2017 Quattroporte in Europe, and U.S. pricing should be announced shortly. The current Quattroporte design dates back to 2013, so the updates are welcome. We’ll see how well they help the Italian sedan compete with rivals like the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
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.