At the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt laid out a business plan called Track 22. In the plan, McLaren promised to release 15 new products, invest over $1 billion into R&D, and develop new powertrain technology by 2022 with a major focus on electrification. Today, the British automaker kept on course by releasing an all-electric car inspired by the legendary P1.
In many ways, the battery-powered P1 has everything a supercar lover could want: exotic looks, instant acceleration, dihedral doors, and an open-top configuration. This particular machine is made for youngsters though, with a recommended age range between 3 and 6.
“Handy if you’ve arrived at the wrong playground,” McLaren said.
Yes, the Ride On Electric McLaren P1 is technically a toy, but this Volcano Yellow supercar is not your typical children’s plaything. It can reach its top speed of 3 mph in as little as 2.0 seconds, and just like the iconic McLaren F1, it features a single center-mounted seat for improved visibility. It also equips a three-speed forward transmission with reverse for more comfortable cruising, as well as ventilation, lights, a push button start, and an MP3 player preloaded with nursery rhymes like Hickory Dickory Dock. Needless to say, your preschooler would be the coolest ankle-biter on the block with this thing, but you might be able to fit in a ride for yourself if you’re willing to squeeze.
Starting this October, the electric P1 will be sold at McLaren dealers for 375 pounds ($486.43), with availability at global toy retailers coming online sometime after.
Speaking of McLaren, we recently spent a few days testing the 2017 570GT around our office in Portland, Oregon. We certainly had a bit of fun with it, so stay tuned to DT Cars for a full review and 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.