Fiats may be returning to the U.S., but we’re more excited about getting our hands on Alfa Romeos since they tend to be a little more fun. If you need a reminder why, a new video released by Alfa celebrates the legacy if its Giulietta, as it introduced a refresh last year, as well as announcing the return of the Sprint badge, coinciding with the launch of the original 60 years ago.
There are few similarities, but things have certainly changed since then. The original was powered by a 1.3-liter four cylinder engine that mustered up 80 horsepower while the current one houses a new turbo MultiAir 1.4-liter four-pot that produces 150 horsepower, allowing it to go from 0 to 60 in 8.2 seconds.
The modern Giulietta maybe doesn’t have the same charm as the original two-door coupe did, but it makes up for it, redefining its appeal for a modern market as a spirited five-door hatchback with carbon fiber interior accents, a few glossy accents on the front, a rear diffuser apron on the back, and a set of 17 or 18-inch five hole alloy wheels.
Looking at it on paper, it doesn’t sound all that special, but just as the new ad spot highlights, there’s something romantic going on with the Giulietta Sprint that seems to endear people to it. There are no plans to bring this new Sprint to our shores, but as FCA has plans to roll out Fiats and Alfas on our shores soon, it wouldn’t hurt to get to get a little familiar with what the family has going on back in the old country.
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.