reveals

History Channel’s New Documentary Reveals the Badass Cars That Built the World

By Betty C. Morrow 8 months ago

Bloomberg

First Warning Sign in Global Commodity Boom Flashes in China

(Bloomberg) — One pillar of this year’s blistering commodities rally — Chinese demand — may be teetering.Beijing aced its economic recovery from the pandemic largely via an expansion in credit and a state-aided construction boom that sucked in raw materials from across the planet. Already the world’s biggest consumer, China spent $150 billion on crude oil, iron ore and copper ore alone in the first four months of 2021. Resurgent demand and rising prices mean that’s $36 billion more than the same period last year.With global commodities rising to record highs, Chinese government officials are trying to temper prices and reduce some of the speculative froth that’s driven markets. Wary of inflating asset bubbles, the People’s Bank of China has also been restricting the flow of money to the economy since last year, albeit gradually to avoid derailing growth.

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Mazda reveals its first electric vehicle: meet the Mazda MX-30

By Betty C. Morrow 10 months ago

Mazda, the Japanese automaker known for delivering reliable gas cars but not taking many risks, on Wednesday introduced its first electric car geared for the North American market.

The company revealed the Mazda MX-30 electric crossover with plans to begin selling it at California dealerships in the fall.

Known for focusing largely on fuel efficiency improvements in its gas engines, Mazda’s pivot comes amid a rising tide of investments in electric vehicles across the automotive industry.

In recent months, General Motors, Volvo and Jaguar all announced plans to phase out gas cars in the coming years.

While Mazda made no such commitment on Wednesday, the arrival of the MX-30 shows how even value-oriented brands can’t ignore the winds of change.

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Consumer Reports: These are the 10 most and least reliable 2021

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Mercedes-Benz reveals its first electric car: meet the Mercedes-Benz EQS

By Betty C. Morrow 10 months ago

Mercedes-Benz is giving up the growl.

The German luxury automotive brand on Thursday debuted its first-ever electric sedan, the Mercedes-Benz EQS.

The company is describing the EQS as a sibling of the recently redesigned high-end S-class, which is typically considered the brand’s most luxurious ride. But the slightly shorter vehicle, which Mercedes has been teasing in advertisements, has its own electric architecture.

The EQS is expected to compete directly with electric cars like the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan. It will debut as a 2022 model and while a starting price hasn’t been announced, car-research site Edmunds recently estimated $110,000.

Missing the trademark engine roar associated with high-performance gas-powered models, the EQS will nonetheless deliver significant power, albeit with a quiet electric motor.

The first versions sold in the U.S. will be the EQS 450+ with 329 horsepower and the EQS 580 4MATIC with 516 horsepower, both

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