There’s a reason General Motors pulled the plug on Hummer seven years ago. Apart from high fuel prices scaring away customers, the Hummer product had become so distilled (we’re looking at you, H3), that the brand lost its mojo.
When Americans remember Hummer now, we don’t think fondly of the H2 and H3 — we idolize the H1, the Humvee. And we aren’t the only ones. The Chinese market has a fascination with the H1, and VLF Automotive intends to capitalize on their interest.
You remember VLF, of course — the company behind power-packed versions of the Karma, Mustang, and Viper. With ex-GM executive Bob Lutz, famed automotive designer Henrik Fisker, and Boeing executive Gilbert Villarreal at the helm, VLF has taken on some wacky projects in its Michigan headquarters.
According to Car and Driver, the latest endeavor combines VLF’s assembly resources with Humvee Export’s “enthusiasm.” Humvee Exports is a five-person operation that includes dealership owners who used to sell consumer-spec Hummer H1’s until they were killed off in 2006. Even after the model was discontinued, AM General (the truck’s manufacturer), continued building the HMMWV (High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle) for U.S. military use. AM General then began offering the “C-Series kit” to consumers in 2013. Since then, Humvee Export has been assembling and exporting the kits all over the world (but not in its own backyard). The kit doesn’t meet the new Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act requirements, unfortunately.
The C-Series kit, which was shown at this year’s Shanghai auto show, looks very similar to the 1990s H1, except that it shares a nose with the current military version. VLF will assemble the Humvee in one of three trim levels — Bravo, Charlie, or Delta. Buyers can also choose from four paint colors and four GM engines.
Powertrains include a 6.5-liter diesel V8 engine with three levels of output: 190 horsepower and 385 pound-foot of torque, 205hp and 440 pound-foot, or 250hp and 440 pound-foot. If you prefer a gas-powered motor, you can opt for an LS3 6.2-liter V8 with 430hp and 424 pound-foot of torque.
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.