A coachbuilder based in Moscow, Russia, is looking to extend the Aston Martin DB9’s life by turning it into a luxurious full-size coupe.
Cardi has made extensive modifications to the DB9, and the Concept 442 shares virtually no styling cues with the Aston Martin it traces its roots to. Computer-generated renderings reveal that the 442 boasts a completely new front end with a wide horizontal grille positioned low on the front fascia, and small headlights mounted far apart to emphasize the coupe’s generous width. When viewed from the side, the 442 features a much longer roof line than the DB9, and Cardi has removed the B-pillar to obtain a more eye-catching look. Finally, the back end gets tail lamps connected by a light bar, a short trunk lid, and horizontal trim that mimics the radiator grille.
The clean, understated look continues inside. While the DB9’s cabin is terribly dated, the Concept 442 features an almost retro-inspired interior with an uncluttered dashboard accented by a large piece of wood, and a touch screen discreetly integrated into the center console. The Aston’s analog instrument cluster has been replaced with a screen, and the steering is commanded through a three-spoke wheel that looks like it was shipped straight from the 1970s.
Cardi isn’t planning on making any mechanical modifications, meaning power for the Concept 442 will be provided by a naturally aspirated 5.9-liter V12 engine borrowed from the DB9 parts bin. Aston has built numerous variants of the engine so we don’t know precisely how much power the 442’s unit will produce, but its output will lie between 444 and 540 horsepower. Rear-wheel drive and an automatic transmission will come standard.
The Concept 442 was penned to celebrate Cardi’s 25th birthday, and the company insists it will become a reality sooner or later. However, key details such as when the car will be available, how many examples will be built, and how much each one will cost haven’t been published yet.
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.