WATCH: New Range Rover EV prototype on test
There's a 118kWh battery underneath the car too, which because it's a stressed element helps make this the strongest Range Rover yet built. It may well be the heaviest too, but we'll know more about that when final details are released, ahead of the car's launch this coming autumn. For now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the sound of silence as this exceptionally quiet EV goes about its off-roading business. Watch the video by clicking above.
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Motor Trend
17 minutes ago
- Motor Trend
Alternative History: What if AMC Had Survived the '80s?
American Motors Corporation was an absolute mess by the mid-1980s, and its financial problems in the U.S. market were compounded by infighting at its European corporate parent, Renault, where executives went back and forth about how much money they were willing to pour into their trans-Atlantic subsidiary. Writer Benjamin Hunting imagines an alternate history where AMC survives the 1980s by leveraging government contracts, launching popular models like the "Space Van" and Grand Cherokee, and thriving under Renault's support—ultimately leading to huge industry shifts. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next The assassination of Renault's chairman in 1986 by French terrorists caused AMC to lose its most powerful supporter, and a hasty sale to Chrysler ultimately condemned it to the dustbin of automotive history. Chrysler hoovered up the tastiest bits of the American Motors portfolio—namely, Jeep—and slowly phased out the rest of the AMC's offerings over the course of the next decade. In retrospect, however, AMC was holding not one, not two, but three aces up its sleeve that could have seen it weather the financial storm throughout the '80s. It's entirely possible that had a few key moments in the company's timeline gone a different way, it would have been American Motors and not Chrysler enjoying the fruits of Jeep's mainstream renaissance in the early 1990s—a rebirth that AMC in fact already had in development when it was scooped up by the suits in Auburn Hills. How different would the car industry have looked at the turn of the millennium if AMC had never changed hands? It turns out that this ripple in the chronological pond had the potential to upset big chunks of established history, not just in America, but in nearly every corner of the established automotive hegemony. Here's our alternative timeline in which AMC not only survives but thrives—and what the resulting fallout would have likely meant for one of Detroit's longtime stalwarts. 1983 After intense lobbying by American Motors, the U.S. government carves out an exception to a law forbidding foreign ownership of defense contractors, contingent on Renault spinning off AM General (the builder of the Humvee owned at the time by AMC) as an independently managed concern under the AMC umbrella. The continued, steady flow of government contracts acts as a lifeline for American Motors, and it cancels plans to take out a significant loan from its corporate parent to fund operations. 1985 The Renault Espace arrives in AMC showrooms, where it is rebadged as the 'Space Van,' an Americanized take on the literal translation of the French vehicle's European identity. Surprisingly, the funky badge helps give the people-mover some personality, which, combined with its genuine practicality and roomier interior versus rivals from Ford (the Aerostar) and Chevrolet (the Astro), helps put it alongside the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager as a popular and affordable family ride. Following the introduction of the redesigned Jeep Cherokee the year before, this gives AMC a presence in two of the highest-growth segments in the American auto industry, and for the first time in years the company is cash-flow positive. This convinces American Motors to accelerate investment in a larger sport utility vehicle that would complement the Cherokee, called the Grand Cherokee, the design of which is already well underway. Renault chairman Georges Besse's chauffeur is surprised to see two armed women in front of the home of his boss while driving back from the office on a cold November evening. He immediately hits the gas, slamming the rear door shut before Besse can exit the vehicle, and the pair escapes with just a few bullet holes in the rear quarter panel. After surviving the assassination attempt, Besse is given carte blanche at Renault to move forward with his plans for focusing on Jeep as the automaker's piggybank to fund not only AMC, but to also further the expansion of the French brand onto American shores. 1987 Chrysler, on a brash spending spree that includes buying a controlling stake in Lamborghini and an expansion of its partnership with Mitsubishi to form Diamond Star Motors, sees exactly the same potential in Jeep as Georges Besse. An offer is made to Renault not just for the off-road brand but for all of AMC, with Chrysler trying to cloak its true intentions about what it considers the real prize of the transaction. Besse won't be bought, however, and Chrysler returns hat-in-hand to Auburn Hills. 1988 Ambitious planning begins for the upcoming decade in the American market. With Jeep as its crown jewel, both Eagle and AMC are slated for repositioning beneath Renault. The French badge is no longer interested in its role as an entry-level brand hawking low-spec Le Cars and lays the groundwork for leveraging existing dealerships to form a stronger toehold for the revitalized company. The Jeep Grand Cherokee breaks cover as a 'concept' at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The response from both the media and show attendees is overwhelmingly positive, leading to a brief spike in compact Cherokee sales from customers too impatient for what they assume will be a lengthy wait for the production version. No one realizes that Besse's pressure to keep pumping cash into Jeep has dramatically accelerated the Grand Cherokee's timeline. 1990 The Grand Cherokee makes its debut in showrooms to universal acclaim. On top of offering a choice of either AMC's old faithful inline six-cylinder engine or a newly developed, 5.9-liter fuel-injected V-8, it also provides a turbodiesel option borrowed from the Renault parts bin. The latter choice positions the Jeep in its higher trim levels as something more than an off-roader, pushing it onto the radar of Europhiles who have become used to parking Range Rovers in their driveways. This opens a second front of European sales for Jeep in the luxury sphere. 1991 The Ford Explorer joins the midsize SUV scene, splitting the difference between the Grand Cherokee's off-road chops and the practical character prized by family buyers now tempted to abandon their minivans. SUV sales are soaring, leaving General Motors and Chrysler playing catch-up. Chevrolet and GMC are at least able to soak up some sales thanks to the four-door compact Blazer/Jimmy and full-size four-door Suburbans sitting on full-size truck platforms, but the two-door Dodge Ramcharger remains in a distant fourth place as it plays out the string on a dated pickup chassis. 1992 Buoyed by strong Jeep sales, Renault launches the initial phase of its ambitious American strategy. First, it spins off AMC as a value-focused brand selling cars on a 'no-haggle' model: What you see advertised is what you pay at the dealership. Along with a redesigned Espace, an entirely new lineup of hatchbacks, small wagons, sedans, and budget coupes are gradually deployed over the course of the next few years, some sharing components with Renault's European offerings while others benefit from AMC's next-generation four-cylinder engine program. This puts AMC in direct competition with GM's Saturn brand, which arrived on the scene in mid-1990. Next, a revitalized Eagle steps out of the AMC shadow and becomes its own brand. The focus remains on what are now being called 'crossovers,' automobiles that sit between a wagon and a sport utility vehicle. Eagle also benefits from Renault's technical prowess in the form of unibody models that feature sophisticated all-wheel-drive systems in place of their earlier, low-range four-wheel drive setups. The new Eagles are an immediate hit in regions like Colorado and New England. 1993 Chrysler, facing considerable financial strain as sales of the Grand Caravan and Voyager slow in the face of the SUV onslaught, are forced to sell Lamborghini to MegaTech, an Indonesian company owned by Tommy Suharto, the son of that country's president-for-life. The automaker takes a loss on the deal, but it helps stem some of the financial bleeding that's beginning to concern both executives and Wall Street alike. 1994 Dodge introduces a new Ram pickup that instantly makes it a player in the full-size segment after years of disappointing sales. Unfortunately, that same success doesn't translate to its revised version of the SUV, which updates the two-door Ramcharger with the new pickup's underpinnings. As the market continues to move toward family-friendly four-door haulers, many of them taking their cues from Eagle's crossovers, the Ramcharger is out of step with what customers are actually looking for in a sport utility. 1995 Renault implements the next stage of its U.S. transformation by introducing the second generation of what had originally been planned as the Eagle Premier sedan. Originally kept exclusive to the European market, where it was sold as the Medallion, the new Renault Premier pushes the automaker into a higher class than it had previously enjoyed among American buyers, leading some to compare the car to offerings from Oldsmobile and even Audi. 1996 After a fraught development process, the Dodge Viper concept car makes a late debut at the Detroit auto show. Although it was originally hoped that Lamborghini's engineers could be more involved in the design of the vehicle's drivetrain, the early sale forced Dodge to move on from its planned V-10 and instead supercharge the company's long-standing 5.9-liter V-8. Heart-stopping styling doesn't make up for the lack of an exotic engine, making it harder for the public to stomach the no windows/no roof inconveniences of its cabin. Production plans for the Viper are quietly scuttled. The Viper team is diverted to focus on the Dodge Durango, a four-door, Grand Cherokee–sized SUV that the company hopes will turn its fortunes around. 1997 Subaru, in the face of strong sales from Eagle eating into its core customer base, makes a product cancellation of its own. The Outback, a tall-riding version of its Legacy wagon, is deemed too derivative of the Eagle lineup to make a dent in the market, and its development is halted. Facing dwindling revenues, and unable to finance new product development, Subaru's leadership initiates back-channel talks with Toyota about a possible merger. 1998 Renault, emboldened by the money pouring into its coffers from the success of AMC, Jeep, and Eagle, makes the surprise move of purchasing Volvo, scooping Ford who had planned on making overtures for the Swedish brand to join its nascent Premier Automotive Group. After decades of working together on various shared projects, Renault hopes to leverage Volvo's dealer network and customer base to continue its colonization of the near-luxury space in the United States. Talks also begin with Nissan about a potential alliance. Two new premium models emerge on American roads bearing the Renault badge: the Megane sport hatch and the Laguna hatchback sedan, with the latter praised for its near-crossover utility and excellent handling. 1999 Concerned by Renault's burgeoning acquisition portfolio, Toyota signs a deal to bring Subaru in-house. At the same time, executives announce a new subbrand called Scion that's intended to take on both AMC and Saturn, which have split much of the entry-level market between them in the United States. Chrysler, looking for a savior of its own, begins talks with Daimler about a potential 'merger of equals.' The German automaker's boardroom doesn't see much of value in Chrysler's mishmash of cheap cars, fading minivans, and almost-luxury sedans, and while the Dodge Ram is appealing, it's too far outside the Daimler playbook to integrate properly into its American operations. Discussions never advance past the initial stages. 2000 Emboldened by its newfound partnership with Nissan (which involved a stock share and co-investment in each other's companies), Renault has the cash to add the missing piece to its U.S. portfolio: Dodge, which it plucks from a flailing Chrysler as part of a general takeover bid. While the Ram pickup fills an important void, the Ramcharger is quietly put out of its misery, along with any plans to bring the stillborn Durango to market. The Chrysler brand is relegated to special trim levels on several Renault models, specifically those sold to livery companies for use as limousines. The Walter P. Chrysler package becomes a popular choice in the black car business over the course of the next decade.
Motor Trend
17 minutes ago
- Motor Trend
Magnifico! The Lamborghini 3500 GTZ Is the Coolest Lambo You Never Heard Of
[This story first appeared in the Spring 2011 issue of MotorTrend Classic] Ferruccio Lamborghini's firm was barely two years old when the 3500 GTZ broke cover in 1965. That makes the rave reviews of his first model, the 350 GT—the car upon which the 3500 GTZ was based—all the more remarkable. The Lamborghini 3500 GTZ is a rare, custom coachwork car styled by Zagato in 1965, based on the 350 GT. With unique styling and impressive performance, it was nearly forgotten. Only two were made, showcasing bespoke coachwork and adding a unique chapter to Lamborghini's history. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next 'The [350 GT] was a delightful experience from beginning to end,' Jerry Titus observed in his Sports Car Graphic road test. 'Acceleration is impressive, [and] it seems like nothing flat is the time it takes to get to 150 mph. The overall stability is really excellent…Fabulous is the only word for the brakes. Enzo, Orsi, and David Brown better look to their laurels!' Since those impressions were typical—another tester proclaimed the 350 GT would 'give Ferrari a migraine'—why would anyone want to tinker with such success to make the 3500 GTZ? The multifaceted answer starts with the 350 GT's alluring mechanicals. In March 1964, when the model debuted, the car's 280-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-12 featured four overhead cams, whereas Ferrari's engines only had two. A five-speed transmission was standard; Ferraris and Astons typically used a four-speed with electronic overdrive. A rigid axle was located at the rear of those competitors; the Lamborghini boasted four-wheel independent suspension. And, as Titus observed, superb stopping power came compliments of four large disc brakes with servo assist. Probably the best argument for the 3500 GTZ was the 350 GT's controversial styling. Though the shape has aged quite well, Carrozzeria Touring had to use the Franco Scaglione-designed sharp-edged 350 GTV prototype as its starting point. 'Lamborghini had shown his car at the Turin Show in 1963,' comments Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni, Touring's former design head who oversaw the 350 GT's styling. 'It was important that our car not look completely different. You couldn't pass from the 350 GTV to the Miura, for example.' Further fanning the flames was the period's prosperity, which coupled beautifully with the auto industry's creative yeastiness. During World War II, numerous coachbuilders such as Anderloni's father and key personnel found refuge from the ravages of war by focusing on what they wanted to design after the conflict ended. Once it did, that pent-up creativity and Italy's highly skilled but inexpensive labor force let loose with an expressive explosion of custom coachwork that lasted well into the late 1960s.'It was like a giant, compressed spring,' says Filippo Sapino, former head of design at Ghia. 'When the war ended, that spring released.' Taking advantage of that fertile period were industrialists, heads of state, titled individuals, celebrities, and automotive manufacturers who flocked in droves to the numerous carrozzerie in Turin and Milan. One such custom coachwork patron was marquis Gerino Gerini, a well-connected Ferrari and Maserati Formula 1 and endurance racer of the 1950s. In the early 1960s, the nobleman was appointed commercial director of ASA, a Milan-based firm that built the diminutive four-cylinder 1000 GT under license from Ferrari. He was also a successful high-end car dealer—by the summer of 1965, his Lamborcar dealership had sold approximately 25 percent of the 350 GTs produced. Gerini knew his way around the exoticar circles, and he was a father of the 3500 GTZ. 'There was no strategy of collaboration between us and Zagato,' notes Paolo Stanzani, one of Lamborghini's top engineers at the time who would later gain fame as father of the Countach. Rather, 'it was Gerino Gerini. Using his own initiative, he bought from us two chassis complete with the mechanicals and the wheelbase, shortened to 2450 mm compared with 2550 of the 350 GT of Touring. He then had Zagato do the bodywork.' When Gerini came calling at Zagato, the carrozzeria was on a serious roll. Its Alfa SVZ, TZ1, and TZ2 endurance racers had dominated their classes for years, and limited-production models such as Alfa's 2600 SZ and Lancia's Flaminia 3C were highly regarded in the prestige marketplace. Running the firm at the time was founder Ugo Zagato's eldest son, Elio, with younger brother Gianni one of his key lieutenants. Making their design vision a reality was the company's young chief stylist, Ercole Spada. Only 27 years of age when the 3500 GTZ project landed on his drawing board, Spada had joined the carrozzeria five years prior, shortly after finishing his military tour of duty. So how did a former tank commander become an ace stylist in such a short period? 'Before the military, I was in a technical school for mechanical engineering,' Spada says. 'I have always sketched cars, and whenever there was some space on a piece of paper, I was sketching.' He recognized that passion early in his life, so following his military tour, he sent letters to Abarth, Zagato, and Alfa Romeo, 'asking if there was a job for me.' Only Zagato answered, and soon after Spada was hired he found himself on the fast track to stardom. 'At the time,' he says, 'to build a new car was very simple. I made a 1:1 section, and then they would make a wire frame. Today, you see that frame in the computer; back then, it was real. They would make the frame and then weld. After that, with aluminum, the men would make the car.' When Gerini's chassis arrived from Lamborghini, cars created by Spada under Elio's tutelage included Aston's DB4 GTZ and the aforementioned TZ1 and TZ2. Regarding the 3500 GTZ project, 'I was free to design how I wanted, with no restrictions or interferences,' Spada says. 'For a front-engine car with the Lamborghini's proportions, I felt it was necessary to relate it to other Zagato cars in the same period. 'I thus took inspiration from something I had already done in-house, the Alfa TZ2. The idea was to create a new, well-refined, and comfortable GT. Though I was starting from a race car, I wanted to keep similar volumes, design language, and styling cues.' Stanzani confirms the 3500 GTZ was, in his words, a 'Zagato project.' 'There was absolutely no Lamborghini participation for the development of the GTZ,' he says. 'The design and body construction was done entirely by them. We had a technician who remained there to mount certain parts, and I personally visited Zagato a few times to verify that the layout of the mechanical components was true to Lamborghini specifications.' For reasons neither Stanzani nor Spada recalls, the first 3500 GTZ (chassis number 0310) appeared at 1965's London motor show—rather than Turin several weeks later—where it was well received. 'The latest Lamborghini on the Zagato stand,' one commentator noted, 'is a lightweight version of the Lamborghini coupe and, if I may say so, is considerably better looking than the Touring version. It seems very purposeful with twin bulges in the bonnet and air extractor gills in the tail.' London would be the model's only show appearance. A second 3500 GTZ, chassis number 0322, was made shortly after 0310's London debut, and one of the cars served as Stanzani's personal mount for several months. 'It was 100 kilos lighter than the standard 350 GT,' the engineer recalls, 'so it handled very well and had good acceleration. It had good visibility and interior space, but it was not very comfortable!' Lamborghini's documentation shows that 0322 was delivered to Gerini's Lamborcar in late November 1965, while 0310 was sold off in September 1966. After that September entry in Lamborghini's record books, the 3500 GTZ model slipped off Lamborghini's radar into exoticar obscurity, known and recognized only by die-hard Zagato and Lamborghini enthusiasts. My first personal contact with 0310 came some 20 years ago during one of my early stints as a chief class judge at Pebble Beach. One of my classes that year was Italian Custom Coachwork, and the GTZ fit the bill perfectly. I talked the Australian owner into sending it to the States, so after the show, it resided in Northern California for a period before being sold off to Europe. It ended up in Germany, where it stayed until it was sold at auction in 2003 to an American Zagato enthusiast. Following a total restoration that returned it to its original bianco Zagato color, 3500 GTZ 0310 went back to Pebble in 2006, where it placed third in its class. Last November, I judged the Lamborghini from a different perspective, being the first journalist to test the car. On initial approach, it's easy to see Spada's TZ2 inspiration—especially from the rear. The 3500 GTZ has the same square-edged Kamm tail and overall proportions, though it looks as if a bit of Maserati Mistral greenhouse was injected into the design. The most intriguing (and subtle) external element is the exhaust—it's not out back where you expect it. Instead, it resides just below the back edge of the door, same as on the (you guessed it) TZ2. The lightweight door opens easily with a traditional chromed handle, and once in the driver's seat, the first thing I notice is that shortened wheelbase and low roofline. A standard 350 GT fits my 6-foot-3 frame nicely; here I feel like a pretzel. Even with the seat all the way back and the backrest sloping rearward, I need to slouch and position my neck and shoulders at a strange angle. My knees wrap up around the glossy wood steering-wheel rim, and so tight is the fit that my left kneecap bumps against the window crank. I have to put the crank straight up or down to get my foot on the clutch! It makes for an intriguing first drive. My overnight destination is Sedona, two to three hours and around 150 miles away. Fortunately, the fall weather in Arizona is fabulous, sunny and in the mid-70s, so the crank remains in a vertical position with the window all the way down. And that's a good thing, for this Lambo makes a banshee wail that's well worth the price of admission, and then some. After giving the key a turn to activate the fuel pumps, I push it in to activate the starter. Its motor whirrs for a couple seconds, and the engine awakens like a prima donna who loves good drama. Initially the V-12 is fairly quiet, as if stirring from a deep slumber. Then everything instantly comes alive—six dual-throat carbs gulping air, 24 valves, four cams and two chains turning, the sound of a symphony of sewing machines working in perfect concert. At low rpm ranges just above idle, the car is a pussycat. The medium-weighted clutch releases smoothly, and the Lambo glides without a hiccup, happily puttering along at 2500 rpm or less. The accelerator pedal has very long travel, so you need to stick your foot into it to feel what she'll really do. Once near and especially when the throttle is on the floor, this Lambo is a serious sprinter, surging ahead like Usain Bolt turning on the afterburners. There is one serious long pull to the 7000-rpm redline. The linear engine never seeming to hit cam like its Ferrari competition, as the acceleration simply gains more force the higher the tach spins. As she rips through 4000 rpm up to redline, the noise bellowing from the engine and especially the open exhaust some 3 to 4 feet away from my shoulder is utterly delicious, perhaps the best sound this side of a 250 TR. Back in the day, the term 'ripping canvas' was often used to describe a Ferrari under hard acceleration. Well, this Lambo's canvas has at least a thousand-thread count, so smooth is the sound, so perfect the pitch. The engine works beautifully with the five-speed transmission. The gearbox has a nice, tight feel, but the throw is a bit longer than I like; think of the old Borg Warner T-10 and add 75 to 100 percent to the travel to get an idea. Yet the precise way it slots into gear is just as exact as that fabled four-speed, and its lighter touch means you need only 50 percent of the effort. Lamborghinis were well known for their suspensions, and the GTZ is no exception. It feels comfy and compliant around town, and only gets better on the open road. On this drive, it settles into a relaxed 80-90-mph gate, the engine humming ahead, the exhaust mellifluous, the suspension connecting to the road and easily absorbing most every bump, letting me know of any surface imperfection but never jarring. Through mid-range sweepers I feel the rear end plant as the suspension does the work, an interesting sensation in these days of super-grippy modern tires and computerized suspension wizardry. What's it worth? Anyone's guess, as it's such a rare duck. $750,000 seems like an easy get; perhaps a million on the right day at the right auction to the right buyer. Four days and several hundred miles later, I am more than glad that Gerini commissioned the 3500 GTZ four-plus decades ago. Within three to four years, the custom coachwork era would draw to a close, and those two unique 350 GTs serve as a reminder of the time, all while adding a nice bit of overlooked spice to the Lamborghini mythos. Magnifico! Ask the Man Who Owns One One of 0310's owners is a serious Zagato enthusiast. 'I became enamored with Zagato in college when I saw my first picture of a Zagato-bodied car, a Maserati A6G 2000. That was the start. Today, our collection has approximately 25 cars with Zagato coachwork.' Why I Like It: The rarity, the way it drives makes it a super comfortable event car. And it is a Zagato. Why It's Collectible: Custom coachwork is hot, and Zagato is one of the best names. And only one other exists. Restoring/Maintaining: Look for subtle lines other restorers might cover up. For instance the crease line on the top of the rear fender. Mechanically it has been incredibly sound, but tuning the carbs is a bit like tuning a piano. Beware: It is a seller's market! Expect To Pay: This car is not for sale. Join The Club: Lamborghini Club of America ( Lamborghini Owners Club ( Lamborghini Club of Los Angeles ( Our Take Then: 'It's a limited production Grand Touring machine that's built to give unlimited driving pleasure!' —Jerry Titus on the production 350 GT, Sports Car Graphic, March 1966 Now: Lamborghini's first custom coachwork car based on a production model adds some forgotten spice to the company's history. Had Lamborghini desired to make a front-engine sports car beyond the original 350 and 400, the 3500 GTZ was a great place to start.
Digital Trends
39 minutes ago
- Digital Trends
OnePlus 13 owners get a major new AI tool for free
Owners of the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R smartphones are receiving a software update which includes a significant new AI feature. OnePlus has started to roll out its Plus Mind AI tool to 13 and 13R handsets around the world, giving users the ability to receive intelligently suggesting actions while also storing the information for you to search through at a later date. Recommended Videos Plus Mind actually debuted on the OnePlus 13s, but it's only available in India, and the tool has since arrived on the OnePlus Nord 5 in Europe. With the rollout to the 13 and 13R, the feature is now available to those in more countries – including the US – although triggering Plus Mind on these handsets is a little different to the first two. The 13s and Nord 5 each have a dedicated 'Plus Key' on the left edge, allowing you to instantly trigger Plus Mind, but this hardware button doesn't feature on the older 13 and 13R. Instead, you'll need to swipe up on the screen with three fingers to trigger the AI tool. What can Plus Mind do? Think of Plus Mind as a Google Lens-style feature which can understand the context of what's on screen, and everything you deem important and want quick access to in the near future is stored in a dedicated memory box app called Mind Space. Quick snaps of a poster, web pages, social media posts, messages conversations, or virtually anything appearing on the screen can be analysed by Plus Mind and stored in Mind Space. A three finger gesture up the screen will add whatever's on screen to your digital memory box – but that's only part of what Plus Mind can do. If, for example, you're reading a message stream with friends which includes details of an upcoming event, trigger Plus Mind and the AI tool will recognize the event information and suggest a calendar entry. A simple tap to confirm the action, and Plus Mind will add an entry to the default calendar app for you. It's also able to translate text in Instagram posts, apply smart tags to articles you want to read later, and recognise products and places directly from the camera viewfinder. As everything which is analysed by Plus Mind is stored in Mind Space, you can return to previous memories by searching for them in the app or via the native AI search bar on the handset. I've experienced Plus Mind and Mind Space for short bursts with the OnePlus 13s and Nord 5, and while the foundations are there for a useful feature, it does feel a little limited at times. It can do the basics well, from calendar entries to object recognition in images, but it's not yet at the deeper level of understanding. However, given time that will change. Just the start OnePlus is adamant that Plus Mind and Mind Space are not the end game for its AI ecosystem, they're merely the first stage of a three stage strategy to offer customers a truly personalized AI. It's calling stage 2 'Your Secondary Mind', where it'll integrate Mind Space with LLMs (Large Language Models) allowing Plus Mind to understand all your content and everything about you, to create a dedicated AI persona. Then with stage 3 we'll get 'Your Personal Assistant', where Plus Mind will evolve the persona into an assistant which will pro-actively offer recommendations based on your activity. (e.g. suggesting a taxi so you're not late a flight due to traffic). We currently don't know when these stages will be rolled out, so for now you'll have to play around with Plus Mind. If your OnePlus 13 or 13R is yet to receive the update, fear not as it will take a couple of weeks to roll out to every handset.
