BMW will launch a new flagship sedan positioned above the 7 Series in the coming years. To whet buyers’ appetite, the Munich-based car maker has announced two special edition variants of the long-wheelbase 7 called Solitaire Edition and Master Class Edition, respectively.
The two models were developed to set new benchmarks in the areas of luxury and comfort, so most of the upgrades are found in the cabin. BMW Individual has added wall-to-wall Merino leather upholstery, an Alcantara-upholstered headliner, cushions for the rear passengers, and ultra-soft floor mats made from sheared lambskin. Need a drink? You’re in luck, because both 7s come with a built-in bar, an integrated cooling box, and a set of tulip-shaped wine glasses.
A silver-plated plaque located on the center console tells the passengers that they’re not riding in a run-of-the-mill 7 Series. If that’s too mundane, buyers can pay more to have five generously-sized diamonds inserted into the middle of the dashboard and into each of the door panels.
Outside, the 7s retain a low-key appearance. They’re offered in either metallic black gold or metallic solitaire white. Both hues boast a deep gloss because BMW painstakingly embeds fine glass flakes into the final layers of the paint. The finishing touch is a discreet badge affixed to both C-pillars and a small emblem on the right side of the chrome strip that runs across the trunk lid.
BMW hasn’t made any mechanical modifications. Both models are powered by a 750iL-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine that makes 445 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque. In spite of its massive size, the sedan hits 60 mph from a stop in a brisk 4.7 seconds, and it goes on to a top speed that’s electronically limited to 155 mph. The eight spins all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission that uses a GPS system to detect the terrain ahead and automatically adjust the gearbox.
Just six examples of the 750Li Solitaire Edition will be hand-built by BMW Individual, and production of the Master Class model is limited to only a single example. Pricing information hasn’t been published, though the special 7’s target audience likely doesn’t need to ask.
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.