Volvo is making waves these days following the introduction of its all-new S90 sedan, V90 station wagon, and the now proven XC90 SUV. In fact, the Internet went just about nuts for the sexy V90 when it was leaked a few days ago, ahead of its Geneva Motor Show debut.
The clean, fluid exteriors and high-tech interiors are putting the Swedish automaker in a whole new light, but the company doesn’t want to neglect the rest of its model range. For that reason, Volvo has announced a series of updates to its 2017 model year vehicles.
All 60 series models (V60, S60, and Cross Country derivatives) will come with the gas-powered T5 engine making 245 horsepower, connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and will benefit from standard all-wheel drive. Additionally, Volvo will offer three new colors: Luminous Sand (on all 60 series cars), Mussel Blue (on XC60, S60, V60, and V60 Cross Country), and Bursting Blue (on S60, V60, and XC60 R-Design).
As for its 90 series models (S90, V90, and XC90), Volvo will standardize its Pilot Assist II semi-autonomous drive technology. This system works at speeds up to 81 mph on well-marked highways by braking, accelerating, and steering for you.
The XC90 also gains “Run-off” auto steering to keep the vehicle on the road when the driver isn’t paying attention, and an updated City Safety function with Large Animal Detection (I shouldn’t have to explain that one). Also exclusive to the 2017 XC90 is Volvo’s PowerPulse technology on the D5 powertrain (only available in Europe), which uses compressed air to deliver an instantaneous response by spooling up the turbo, offering “significant improvements in takeoff performance,” says the company.
Finally, Volvo’s Sensus infotainment system in all 90-series models now offers native apps like Spotify and Park and Pay.
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.