As Volkswagen looks to put Dieselgate in its rearview mirror, the German automaker is doubling down on two critical market segments: electric vehicles and crossovers.
To address the EV component, VW has increased its e-Golf’s range considerably and is experimenting with an all-new architecture to underpin several electrified models in the coming years (previewed by the I.D. Buzz Concept in Detroit).
Alternative energy model planning will be important for future sales growth, but CUVs and SUVs are needed to keep VW afloat until then. For this reason, Volkswagen has introduced a new midsize model, the Atlas, and has updated its Tiguan. To round out its new crossover lineup, the automaker is planning to launch a subcompact based on the European market Audi Q2.
Our first look at this Golf-based model came in 2014 when VW introduced the T-Roc Concept. Our latest look is at a camouflaged version of the production car. In this brief, low-budget teaser, VW shows a four-door, fixed-roof model tearing through the desert. Apart from the car’s overall shape, we’re still in the dark about details — including whether the Jeep Renegade-esque removable roof panels will make it to production.
Like the Q2, the production T-Roc will be based on VW’s MQB scaleable platform. Power could come from a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder to the tune of 170 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque. That much grunt in a pint-sized body should make for some lively performance. A dual-clutch transmission will send power to the front wheels, but buyers can opt for VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system for an additional fee.
Europeans can expect to see the T-Roc at dealers by the end of this year (meaning the T-Roc will debut very soon — perhaps at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September), but U.S. buyers will have to wait until 2019 to get behind the wheel.
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.