It was only a matter of time. Mercedes-Maybach made its triumphant return to form in 2014 with the incredible S600, and two years later, the brand is debuting its very first convertible — the stunning S650 Cabriolet.
Based on the existing Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet, the S650 adds a myriad of touches fit for a king. Considering the vehicle wears a Maybach badge, we wouldn’t expect anything less. The car gets a new front bumper, as well as numerous chrome accents on its exterior, and the S650 wears 20-inch forged bichromatic wheels that are exclusive to Maybach.
When you open either of the vehicle’s doors, the Maybach logo is projected onto the ground by way of welcome lighting, which brings us to the lavish interior. Nearly every surface is trimmed in high-end leather, and the seats feature a gorgeous waterfall pattern achieved with progressive perforations. Mercedes calls the design “flowing lines,” and the smooth aesthetic cascades from the seats to the trim, each element of which is commissioned individually based on the customer’s preference. The car even comes with a special Maybach luggage set, which is of course color-matched to the interior setup the buyer chooses.
Power comes from a 6.0-liter biturbo V12 that produces a whopping 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, all of which is sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission. Ride quality is obviously a hallmark of Mercedes-Maybach products, and the S650’s air suspension offers variable damping to ensure a pillowy, stress-free experience. Just 300 examples of the convertible will be produced, and just 75 of those will be coming to the United States.
Pricing information for the S650 hasn’t been published yet, but considering the Mercedes-Maybach S600 costs $191,300, we expect the droptop model to surpass the $200,000 mark and establish itself as one of the most coveted, opulent vehicles on the market.
For more from the 2016 LA Auto Show, stay tuned to DT Cars.
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.