Golf is an incredibly technical and difficult sport to master, but for most people, it’s the ultimate form of relaxation. Few things are more leisurely than teeing off with your friends while wearing silly shorts and drinking, in fact the sport is so casual that many players have cut out the walking element altogether. Ah, the golf cart — the pinnacle of human lethargy.
Most golf carts are virtually identical, but Mercedes-Benz just changed the game. The brand has officially unveiled the Style Edition Garia Golf Car, a two-seat leisuremobile that is both sexy and smart.
Born from a cooperation between Mercedes-Benz designers, Daimler’s Business Innovation Think & Act Tank, and golf cart manufacturer Garia, the Golf Car suits all the needs of the modern linksman. It certainly looks the part, for one, as the contoured front end, stylized LED headlights, and carbon fiber roof make it look more like a real car than a puffed-up children’s toy. The premium feel continues inside as well, as the leather-trimmed cabin equips a Bluetooth speaker system and 10.1-inch touchscreen that displays remaining vehicle range (up to 50 miles), speed, power consumption, and current position on the course. Drivers can also manage driving modes and mechanical functions through the screen, and if they’re feeling extra competitive, there’s even an option for an electronic score card.
“In the interior we have created something of a mobile lounge, with a new, interactive design on a touchpad where I can run both my golf software and the vehicle software,” said Gorden Wagener, head of design at Daimler AG. “Mercedes-Benz stands for modern luxury, and golf is an authentic part of that theme. It is a very active sport, but also very luxurious.”
Read more: Mercedes-Benz warns Tesla that it’s preparing an electric luxury sedan
In terms of country club essentials, the Style Edition Garia Golf Car has it all. A trick rear spoiler doubles as a golf bag holder with room for two, and there are plenty of storage compartments inside for golf balls, glasses, and bottles. Like we said, the essentials. And to make sure everyone stays hydrated on the course, there’s a built-in refrigerator under the bench seat.
Just two driveable examples are slated to be built at the time of this writing, but Garia may institute series production if demand is high enough.
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.