For years, performance enthusiasts have looked to the Porsche 911 GT3 for the ultimate in connected, precision driving. When Porsche pulled its manual transmission from the latest generation GT3, fans could not contain their displeasure. Thankfully, Porsche updated the GT3 for this year by reintroducing the stick shift.
This little science experiment may inform how purists will respond to Porsche’s latest news from the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. The 2018 model year 911 GT3 is now available with a Touring Package that removes the traditional fixed rear wing in favor of an adaptive rear spoiler.
Now before you start calling this a mistake (or comparing the GT3 to the limited-edition, lighter 911 R), keep in mind that the GT3 Touring is only a package. The standard GT3 will still look as wild as ever. The idea behind the GT3 Touring is that some owners prefer to fly under the radar with their performance instruments. Now that the GT3 Touring’s spoiler can stow like the 911 GTS, subtlety can be achieved.
Porsche says the Touring Package name comes from the purity of the 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS. As such, the GT3 Touring ships exclusively as a two-seater with a six-speed manual transmission. Like the regular GT3, the Touring hits 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and tops out at 196 mph. Power is provided by a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six cylinder with 500 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. Weight figures are identical between the GT3 and GT3 Touring at 3,211.
In addition to standard GT3 performance and convenience features, the GT3 Touring offers standard leather on the GT Sport steering wheel, shift lever, armrests, center console and interior door handles. Four-way power sport seats with an embossed Porsche crest are also standard, but you can upgrade to 18-way adaptive seats.
The 2018 911 GT3 Touring can be equipped with all available GT3 exterior colors, wheel choices, the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) system, the front axle lift system, LED headlights, three seat options, and the Sport Chrono Package.
The Touring Package option is now available to order and is expected to reach U.S. dealers in early 2018. Despite the additional equipment, Touring Package models cost $143,600 plus $1,050 in destination fees — same as the standard GT3.
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.