Ford’s focus on sustainability and connectivity hasn’t kept them losing focus on the performance side of things, creating amazing sport iterations of its trucks, hatchbacks, and muscle car mainstay, the Mustang. When the gloves are off, however, what would happen if all this innovation was incorporated into a brand new vehicle? We found out today at the Detroit Auto Show as Ford revealed its latest standalone super car, the all new Ford GT.
Let’s get down to the brass tacks: the new performance coupe is powered by a 3.5-liter Ecoboost six-cylinder engine that Ford claims will put out more than 600 horsepower. It’s based on the same engine architecture found in the IMSA Daytona prototype endurance racer, so the powerplant has proven itself in racing conditions. Power from the Ecoboost engine will be routed through a seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle transmission.
On the surface, the new Ford GT is more than just a love letter to the endurance racer of old, just as the 2005 model was. This one forgoes the nostalgia factor for aerodynamic efficiency. Each surface has been crafted to manage airflow, but there’s still active components to improve handling and braking, like an active rear spoiler. The curved windscreen offers the GT even more slipperiness as well as a jet-fighter-like view from the cockpit.
Inside, the steering wheel is Formula 1 inspired, placing all the necessary controls right upfront for a stalkless steering column with nothing getting in the way of the paddle shift controls. A fully digital info cluster gives drivers performance-specific feedback and is configurable for all sorts of different driving modes and environments.
The mid-engine coupe is built around a carbon fiber passenger cell, with aluminum front and rear sub-frames under the carbon fiber panels. Short version: the GT is as light as it is tough.
The new Ford GT is set to start production late next year, which should be just enough time for us to pick our jaws up off the floor.
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.