Nissan has revealed its 2017 Armada full-size SUV before it is shown to the world at the Chicago Auto Show. The vehicle has been completely redesigned as the second generation after a 2016 carry-over model year.
Based on the Infiniti QX80, the 2017 Armada borrows the overall dimensions of the luxury brand’s SUV but loses some of its more bulbous styling cues. Nissan’s new V-Motion grille takes over the vehicle’s front fascia and is paired with LED headlights, front fender vents, chrome accents, and an acoustic glass windshield.
Traditionally, automakers with standard and luxury marques tend to jazz up the more premium version in terms of design, but in the case of the Armada, its more refined physique is easier on the eyes than its QX80 sibling.
Luxurious amenities aren’t lost on the 2017 Armada, either, as the interior gains wood trim, metallic accents, heated front leather seats, a 13-speaker Bose audio system, and an 8.0-inch infotainment monitor as standard. Stepping up to the Armada Platinum brings heated and cooled front seats, heated second-row seating, a heated steering wheel, and a rear entertainment system with twin 7.0-inch displays.
Regardless of trim, the 2017 Armada is powered by a 5.6-liter V8 engine making 390 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque, an improvement of 73 horsepower and 16 lb-ft of torque over the outgoing model. The new Armada is also 1.2-inches longer than the current model while riding on a 2.1-inch shorter wheelbase. Seating for eight passengers remains the only layout.
Replacing the current five-speed transmission is the Japanese automaker’s standard seven-speed automatic gearbox. Rear-wheel drive is the default setup but all-wheel drive is available in higher-spec trims. All versions will have tow ratings of 8,500 pounds.
The 2017 Nissan Armada will go on sale this summer and pricing will be announced in the coming months.
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.