Land Rover’s storied Range Rover is moving even further up market this fall. The British firm has just announced a new trim level for the 2017 model year called SVAutobiography Dynamic that blends comfort, luxury, and speed.
The centerpiece of the SVAutobiography Dynamic is a 5.0-liter V8 engine that uses a supercharger to develop 500 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque. The eight-cylinder spins all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission controlled by shift paddles, though performance specifications aren’t available yet.
Not content with merely adding more power, Land Rover has given the Dynamic a stiffer, sportier suspension for improved handling, along with its Dynamic Response technology, which keeps body lean in check during high-speed cornering. Also new for 2017 on all Range Rover variants is Low Traction Launch, which helps the off-roader pull away from a stop on slippery surfaces such as snow and ice.
Designed with input from Land Rover’s Special Vehicles Operation (SVO) division, the SVAutobiography Dynamic is distinguishable thanks to graphite atlas trim all around and specific 21-inch wheels. Customers can spruce it up by paying extra for 22-inch alloys and red Brembo brake calipers, a first in the Range Rover’s 46-year long history.
More upgrades are found in the cabin, including an improved 10.2-inch touchscreen that will gradually trickle down to other members of the Range Rover lineup. The Dynamic model also features 20-way power-adjustable seats upholstered in soft, diamond-quilted two-tone leather, dark wood trim on the center console, red accents, and a knurled finish around the dials and knobs.
Read more: How Land Rover is designing cars that will drive better than you
The Land Rover Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic — which has one of the longest names in the auto industry — is scheduled to land on dealer lots before the end of the year with a base price of $170,995 before a mandatory $995 destination charge is factored in. In comparison, a base Range Rover starts at $85,650.
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.