When rumors circulated that the Nissan 370Z would be replaced by a Juke-sized crossover, Z car enthusiasts responded with an overwhelming “meh.” Well, the crossover in question has been revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and while Nissan hasn’t confirmed whether or not it’ll actually preview a new Z, the design has us at the very least intrigued.
Dubbed the Gripz Concept, the sport compact crossover is aimed at younger buyers and takes inspiration from classic desert rally cars. Specifically, the Gripz features aesthetic nods to the Datsun 240Z that won the 1971 East African Safari Rally, most notably its prominent ground clearance and red and black color scheme.
There’s another vehicle that was heavily scouted during the Gripz’s design process as well, but it’s one you might not think of right off the bat — a road bike. To craft the car’s personality, Nissan’s artisans took note of how bicycles can be used for commuting as well as for adventures off the beaten path, while also adding tangible elements such as saddle-like cutaway seats, an exposed frame dashboard, and a tire pattern wrap on the steering wheel.
Whatever the influences may be, the Gripz Concept is striking. Its dihedral doors up front and rear-hinged half-doors out back are quite the sight, as are the boomerang headlamps and floating glass roof.
As far as the powertrain goes, the concept is motivated by the electric motor found in the Leaf, but it’s powered by an efficient gasoline engine. Nissan calls the technology Pure Drive e-Power, but despite promises of “smooth, swift, and linear acceleration in near-silence,” no technical specifications were divulged in Frankfurt.
Could the Gripz preview a next-generation Z car? Perhaps in basic shape and architecture, but it’s far too early to make assumptions based on a one-off concept car. Until something solid comes around, take a deeper look at the vehicle’s design with Nissan’s promo video.
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.