Volvo is reinventing itself from the top down. The Swedish carmaker recently introduced the redesigned XC90 crossover and the new S90 sedan and V90 wagon, all based on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform for large and midsize vehicles. Now Volvo is focusing on the other end of its lineup.
The company previously discussed a Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform for smaller cars, but it’s just now providing a hint at what vehicles based on that platform might look like. Say hello to the Concept 40.1 and Concept 40.2, harbingers of Volvo’s small-car future.
Collectively referred to as the “40 Series,” both concepts incorporate the handsome styling of Volvo’s larger, SPA-based cars. Both feature concave grilles and an interpretation of the “Thor’s hammer” headlights from the XC90, S90, and V90. The Concept 40.2 sedan has a more extreme version of the S90’s horizontal taillights, while the Concept 40.1 crossover boasts a nicely raked rear hatch.
Powertrains for the production 40 series cars will include at least one four-cylinder engine, and a T5 “Twin Engine” all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid setup. This includes a turbocharged three-cylinder engine and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, along with an electric motor. CMA will also form the basis for Volvo’s first production all-electric car, due in 2019.
Other cars based on the CMA platform will go into production in 2017, although it’s unclear if they will be sold in the U.S. Volvo has always had trouble selling compact models here; the last S40 sedan was a dud, and the company didn’t even bother importing the V40 hatchback that replaced it in other markets.
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With the large and small vehicles taken care of, expect Volvo to focus on the middle of its lineup next. Replacements for the current S60, V60, and XC60 will likely use the SPA platform when they arrive over the next few years. Virtually every Volvo model will eventually be based on either SPA or CMA.
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.