Automakers Are Helping Chinese Government Monitor Every EV On The Road

Big Brother is watching Chinese EV drivers.

Ever get the feeling that someone's watching you? Well they very well may be. Especially if you're driving an electric vehicle in China.

According to the Associated Press, quasi-governmental agencies in the so-called People's Republic are tracking alternative-energy vehicles through a variety of parameters, including their location, make, model, mileage, and battery-charge levels... all in real time. But the information isn't being obtained covertly. It's being provided by their manufacturers – both domestic automakers and by foreign automakers (like Tesla, General Motors, and BMW) that are eager to do business in the country.

Data collected by the automakers is transmitted to local monitoring agencies like the Shanghai Electric Vehicle Public Data Collecting, Monitoring and Research Center, which tracks over 222,000 vehicles (most of them electric passenger cars) in Shanghai. The stated purpose is to help plan infrastructure requirements and to enhance public security. But the data is shared with a national monitoring center in Beijing, and can be shared with law enforcement on request.

“The government wants to know what people are up to at all times,” said Maya Wang, senior China specialist at Human Rights Watch. “Tracking vehicles is one of the main focuses of their mass surveillance.”

Though some foreign manufacturers initially resisted sharing the information, AP reports that many have acquiesced to the requirement as the “cost of doing business” in China, one of the largest and fastest-growing market for new cars in the world.

“The automakers consider the data a precious resource,” a government consultant told AP on condition of anonymity. “They gave you dozens of reasons why they can’t give you the data. They give you dozens of excuses. Then we offer the incentives. Then they want to give us the data because it’s part of their profit.” The market for such data is estimated to be worth $750 billion by 2030.

11 Convertibles For Every Budget To Get You Ready For Summer

A selection of open-topped sports cars for every occasion.

It is just about time to start enjoying some warm weather again and a convertible is just the thing to make the most of the sunshine. We have picked 11 of our favorite models on the market today, from affordable little roadsters to some of the fastest and most powerful convertibles on the planet. Some offer comfort and luxury for four while others are capable of blow-drying your hair at 200 mph. The choice is yours.

Mazda Miata

The Miata is a roadster that eschews any superfluous distractions that detracts from the joy of driving. Rear-wheel-drive, a revvy naturally aspirated engine and a featherweight body shell combine to make this $25,295 roadster the perfect weekend companion. You can also have an RF hardtop convertible for $31,910, but whichever you take please stick to the manual transmission versions.

Fiat 124 Spider

The 124 Spider is heavily based on the Miata but it comes with its own 160-hp turbocharged motor and styling that emulates drop-top Fiats of the past. Prices are similar to the Miata too and if you are more into boulevard cruising than apex chasing then a well-equipped automatic 124 could be the ideal fit.

Chevrolet Camaro

The Camaro is all about aggressive performance and big horsepower. You can scare yourself silly in the 650-hp 6.2-liter supercharged V8 if you like but even the 335-hp 3.6-liter V6 is plenty of fun and you won’t want or need more performance on the streets. At $34,395 it is conspicuously good value and worth the extra $1,500 over the base 2.0-liter turbo engine.

Ford Mustang

The Mustang is about as American as motoring gets. In convertible form the experience is even more enjoyable and as with the Corvette, there is a lot of performance to be had for the money. The base 2.3-liter EcoBoost motor is not short on power although you will miss the V8 soundtrack with the top down and that is why the $44,690, 460-hp 5.0-liter Mustang GT Premium Convertible is our choice. Perfect for cruising the beaches and blasting up a mountain pass.

BMW 4-Series Convertible

It may not be able to compete on pricing with the Camaro and Mustang but once you get behind the wheel and explore the luxurious interior you will see where the extra money has been spent. The 4-Series is also one of the few hardtop convertibles around and the rear seats are more useable than in the Mustang too. While the 320-hp 6-cylinder 440i is the pick of the bunch, even the base 248-hp 430i has plenty of power on offer if not much aural excitement to go with it. It is however a tad more affordable at $51,650 before options.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet

The recently released E-Class convertible is a beautiful grand tourer that sits in the middle of Mercedes’ convertible offerings in both price and performance. The E 400 comes with a twin-turbo 329-hp 3.0-liter V6 which is good for a 5.5 second 0-60 mph time. The pricing starts at $66,300 but that can easily rise if you add some desirable extras like adaptive air suspension and a Burmester audio system.

Jaguar F-Type Convertible

British sports cars have long been full of charm and character and with the F-Type they also deliver on the performance front. The 296-hp 2.0-liter turbo motor is strong, if not a tad characterless, but there are plenty more to choose from. For example, a V6 that delivers up to 400-hp depending on the trim and a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that makes 575-hp in the top SVR. $63,000 is your starting point for the four-potter but don’t expect much change back from $100,000 if you go for a V6 model with some nice extras.

Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet

The 911 range has been the benchmark sports car for decades, its combination of everyday usability and stonking performance has never been better in the latest iteration. Even the base Carrera Convertible is a formidable offering, in PDK trim it blasts to 60 mph in 4.2-seconds yet still returns an average 25 mpg. All this ability does come at a price though, $94,310 to be precise. Budget another ￡10,000 for some options as it gets pricey pretty quickly.

Ferrari 488 Spider

661-hp from a 3.9-liter V8 is impressive, so is a 210 mph+ top speed and let’s not forget a price-tag that starts at $255,000 before options. Yes, the Ferrari 488 Spider is all about big numbers but it is also docile enough to trundle around at more sedate speeds when called upon.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Convertible

When it comes to the old bang-for-your-buck equation, the Corvette has the competition beat before even turning a wheel. The Z06 comes packed with a 650-hp supercharged V8 which launches it to 60 mph in under 3-seconds. All this for $85,585 in convertible form, it also comes packed with kit and sounds as ferocious as you would expect. Can it get any better? Why yes it can…

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Convertible

The ZR1 is what happens when you take a Z06 and feed it pure adrenaline. It pushes the power levels up to 755 hp and has numerous aero and chassis upgrades to help it stay stable at its 212 mph top speed. The price is a somewhat heftier $123,995 but still well below anything else that could potentially stick with it on the road or track.

Gone are the days when owning a convertible meant you had to accept a noisy and leaky cabin as part of the package. From the $25,000 Miata to the $250,000 488 Spider, the modern convertible is as practical as its hardtop counterpart (if it has one) and at the press of a button you get to enjoy open-topped motoring.

Here's Every V12-Powered Car Still In Production

Surprisingly, downsizing hasn't affected the V12 sector much.

In the age of downsizing, it would be fair to assume that the V12 would be one engine lost to the times, with modern turbocharged V8s offering comparable power outputs, let weight, and thus, greater performance. But surprisingly enough, the V12 engine isn’t as dead as you might think, with no less than 18 models still in production making use of the configuration, hailing from 7 different manufacturers. While others may struggle with the effects of downsizing, these 7 manufacturers, gods of the industry, continue to produce some of the most glorious 12-cylinder motors around.

Aston Martin

It’s no surprise that Aston Martin feature on this list, and they do so in grand fashion with 4 models featuring a V12. Though the rather small-scale sports car brand from England may have signed a deal with Mercedes to utilize AMG V8s, at this stage their V12s are their own.

The DB11 and DBS Superleggera are based on effectively the same vehicle, though using Mercedes wiring and electronics, the 5.2-liter bi-turbo V12 is developed and built in-house, producing an impressive 600 horsepower in DB11 guise. But with the recently unveiled DBS Superleggera, Aston have turned the dial way up to 11, with the Superleggera’s version of the same V12 generating 715hp all sent to the rear wheels. It may not be lightweight as its name suggests, but that’s nothing a little power can’t fix.

Two of Aston’s older models still feature V8s too, though how long these two models have left in production is uncertain. The Vanquish S and its convertible counterpart both make use of a V12 engine, 5.9 liters in displacement and generating 565hp to go along with it But the Vanquish S is known to be the Vanquish’ last hurrah before it ends production, so this one may be dying off soon.

The last aging Aston with a V12 powerplant is the Rapide S. When it comes to luxury sedans, Aston is a brand seldom thought of. Admittedly, the Rapide S does a somewhat poor job of being a luxo-barge against the current crop from Mercedes, BMW, and the likes of Porsche even. However, the Rapide S has a definite driver focus, and the V12 engine is central to that impression. Delivering 552hp from its 5.9-liter displacement, it’s a potent piece of kit that gives the Rapide S unmistakable presence.

BMW

BMW is one brand to have wholeheartedly invested in downsizing. Just look at the i8 sports car with a 3-cylinder engine or the fact that the M3 dropped from a V8 to an inline-6. For most high-power applications for the brand, a twin-turbo V8 is more than enough to get the job done. But when it comes to its halo of luxury and performance, a mere V8 simply wouldn’t do; which is why in the range-topping M760i xDrive, BMW has equipped a 602hp bi-turbocharged 6.6-liter V12, driving all 4 wheels through an 8-speed automatic gearbox. The V12 offers superb refinement, but even more astounding is the performance, shunting the massive limousine from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds.

Ferrari

Ferrari is famous for its use of front-mounted V12 engines in its big grand tourers. In fact, for the longest of times, there wasn’t a Ferrari built without a front-mounted V12 – at least until Enzo Ferrari shook things up. At present, two Ferraris are available for order with V12 powerplants. The GTC4Lusso packs a front-mid mounted 6.3-liter naturally aspirated V12. In a unique twist, it drives all 4 wheels via a twin-gearbox setup, making full use of the 681hp to make the hatchback Ferrari immensely quick in all weather conditions. But the Lusso hasn't escaped downsizing, as there is a V8 turbocharged version too.

The 812 Superfast utilizes a front mid-mounted advancement of the GTC4Lusso’s V12, with displacement increased to 6.5-liters and power uprated to an astounding 789hp. Drive goes solely to the rear wheels through a dual-clutch transmission. Though the 812 Superfast is the most powerful unassisted Ferrari ever produced (only the LaFerrari offers more power), its primary role is as a GT car, not an all-out supercar. While there have been doubts as to whether Ferrari will continue with the V12 engine, the 812 Superfast is a reassuring commitment to the engine so steeped in the brand’s history.

Lamborghini

Lamborghini’s history is one entangled with Ferrari right from the very beginning. Though there have been V8-powered Lambos through the years, they’ll always be known for their insane V12-powered monsters that defined, and redefined the supercar genre time and time again. It should come as no surprise then that the brand is still showing their commitment to the V12 with the Aventador S. Powered by a mid-engined 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12, in current S trim, that develops 630hp sent to all 4 wheels. There’s more power to come though, as the forthcoming Aventador SVJ will output between 770-800hp – enough to enable it to smash the Nurburgring lap record.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is one of two manufacturers here that each produces four V12-powered models apiece, though it splits them across two divisions of its company. It’s no surprise that three of those are Mercedes-AMG derivatives; after all, the AMG division has a history of V12 engines. The Mercedes-AMG S65 – available in sedan, coupe, and convertible guise – SL65, and G65 are all very different vehicles, but they share the ‘65’ denomination, and the engine that comes with it. All 3 feature a 6.0-liter bi-turbo V12 developing 621 horsepower, and whilst the AMG 63 variants may be quicker, they don’t have the prestige that comes with the range-topping 65 models.

The last of four Mercedes models to feature a V12 comes in the form of the Mercedes-Maybach S650. Mercedes-Maybach is the luxury arm of the German automaker, so it’s not surprising their range-topper features a V12, an engine synonymous with luxury and refinement. Though it doesn’t bear an AMG badge, the Mercedes-Maybach S650 utilizes the same bi-turbo 6.0-liter V12 as the AMG models listed above, with outputs matching the 621 horsepower of those three.

Pagani

In theory, Mercedes-AMG produces 5 of the engines found in this article, although one of them is found mid-mounted in a car they don’t produce. The Pagani Huayra – named after Huayra-tata, an Andean wind goddess – makes use of an AMG-built V12 to propel one of the world’s most attractive hypercars. Though the bi-turbo V12 may be 6.0-liters in displacement, it’s a different engine to the one found in the four Mercedes models listed above (M158 used in the Huayra, M279 in the Mercedes). In its most powerful Huayra application – the Huayra BC – the biturbo-12 generates 745 horsepower, with a howling soundtrack provided by a unique titanium exhaust system.

Rolls-Royce

Last on this list, Rolls-Royce produces 5 models making use of V12 engines, utilizing two different engines in the process. Three of these models make use of the same V12 that power BMW’s M760i xDrive, with the Ghost, its coupe version, the Wraith, and the convertible Dawn all utilizing the 6.6-liter twin-turbo 12-pot. In the Ghost and Dawn, the mill puts out 563hp, but in the Wraith, it offers 623hp to elevate the levels of performance the coupe offers by a substantial amount.

The last two models to make use of V12 engines are the range-toppers for Rolls-Royce. The Phantom and Cullinan epitomize luxury and opulence in their respective segments and do so by using a 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 engine. Though both match the 563hp outputs of the Ghost and Dawn above, they offer substantially more torque, outputting up to 664 lb-ft of the stuff.