Kia is set to throw its hat into the three-cylinder engine ring this year, debuting the diminutive power plant at the 2015 Geneva Auto Show in just a few short weeks. The Korean automaker follows other manufacturers producing small displacement engines such as Ford with it’s 1.0-liter Ecoboost and BMW, whose three-cylinder is integral to the i8’s hybrid system.
Dubbed the 1.0 T-GDi Kappa engine, the new motor will be capable of producing 188 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque. This is thanks to a single-scroll turbo that has an electronically operated wastegate that increases efficiency. Lasers drill out injector holes that are configured to more evenly spread out the combustible mixtures in the cylinders.
Two thermostats independently monitor the temperature of the engine block and cylinder head, allowing both to be cooled separately. The engine block can run as hot as 221 degrees to keep engine oil warm while the head will top out at 190 degrees.
At the moment, there’s no timeline in place stating when we’ll see this engine in and of the cars in the company’s U.S. lineup, but it’s not stretch to surmise that it will end up as options in vehicles like the Forte or even as a component in the Optima Hybrid if they find a way to eke out a slightly higher output.
It’s starting to seem like the engine arms race is in full reverse, as carmakers become ore invested in engine downsizing. This news follows a similar announcement made by Volvo this past December stating it has a three-cylinder of its own in the works, although it won’t be in production any time soon. Kia, on the other hand, will be placing the new Kappa in the new Cee’d GT.
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.