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☆ I drove a $400,000 Rolls-Royce and a $140,000 Mercedes and found what the extra $260,000 gets you
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Is a $400,000 Rolls-Royce really that much better than a $140,000 Mercedes? I drove both luxury cars to find out. The Mercedes S-Class sedan is nice — but the Rolls-Royce Ghost is even more comfortable and luxurious. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . I recently got behind the wheel of a Rolls-Royce Ghost (worth about $400,000) and a Mercedes S-Class sedan (MSRP: $139,900) — and learned firsthand the difference between automotive opulence and regular old luxury.

Persons: Royce, Mercedes, — Organizations: Service, Royce, Benz

☆ I drove the Aston Martin DBX707 and saw what you get in an SUV that costs $276,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I drove the 2023 Aston Martin DBX707, a 697-horsepower, $276,000 SUV. But if you need the latest tech and gadgets in your car, it probably isn't for you. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAdvertisementIf James Bond ever decided to settle down, he'd probably cruise the English countryside in an Aston Martin DBX707. The DBX707 is the high-octane version of Aston Martin's first-ever SUV, the DBX.

Persons: Aston Martin DBX707, —, James Bond, he'd, Aston Martin's Organizations: Service, Aston

☆ Tesla Cybertruck prototypes appear to have fit and finish issues — but an expert says not to worry
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Some people have called out potential fit and finish issues with a Tesla Cybertruck prototype. Auto expert Sandy Munro said it's misleading to judge a vehicle's fit and finish off a prototype. AdvertisementAdvertisementProspective Tesla Cybertruck buyers shouldn't worry about some of the panel gaps and smears that have showed up in recent sightings of the electric pickup, auto expert Sandy Munro says. "That vehicle has probably gone through some fairly rigorous testing," Munro said, referencing Tapley's video. "The thing about stainless steel is it hangs around a while," he said.

Persons: Sandy Munro, —, Munro, Elon Musk, Frederic J . BROWN, Tesla, Electrek, — Munro, Musk, Dave Tapley, they'd, Insider's Tim Levin, Nora Naughton Organizations: Auto, Service, Getty, YouTube, Ford Locations: AFP, Northern California, California, Texas

☆ 'It looks like a child's toy': 3 car designers react to Tesla's Cybertruck
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tesla's Cybertruck is closer than ever, so we asked three experts on car design what they think about it. AdvertisementAdvertisementTo some, the upcoming Tesla Cybertruck looks like a clumsily designed, doorstop-shaped monstrosity. Instead of mimicking the upright, boxy shape of conventional pickups, Tesla's truck looks more like a triangle. "In car design, you wouldn't believe how much of a difference some small changes make," Licata said. Simplicity and purity are hallmarks of timeless design, Snyder said, and Tesla's wacky truck could fit the bill.

Persons: —, Elon, S0kCyGUBFD — Elon, Paul Snyder, Tesla, Elon Musk, Frederic J . Brown, Snyder, Ford, Matteo Licata, HKBzxFNfzm — Elon, Licata, Geoff Wardle Organizations: Service, Tesla, Detroit's College for Creative Studies, Ford, General Motors, Elon, Honda Odyssey, DeLorean, California's ArtCenter College of Design Locations: Texas, AFP, Detroit

☆ Our crisis of loneliness, the new bet investors are going after
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Not long after founding the startup, Gaon shared his vision with famed venture capitalist Marc Andreessen. It was notable to Gaon at the time that Andreessen — "one of those investors who's known for seeing where the market is going" — appeared to have pinpointed loneliness as its own market. That moved her parents, Cindy and Anne Jordan, who had sold their first healthtech company years before, to found the Arizona company Pyx Health. "The loneliness crisis is bigger, and more urgent, than anything I've worked on before," Nyborg wrote in a blog post. Inspired debuted a thesis in 2020 that identified loneliness as a key focus for the firm to invest in.

Persons: Benjamin Gaon, Boaz Gaon, Benny, Gaon, Marc Andreessen, Andreessen, Wisdo, —, Anne Wojcicki, Marius Nacht, Andreessen Horowitz, Vivek Murthy, Betsy Hoover, Bumble, Rylie Sarabia, Cindy, Anne Jordan, policyholders, Dawn Owens, it's, Owens, Julie Rice, Elizabeth Cutler, Rice, Peoplehood, Phil Levin, Levin, Culdesac, Renate Nyborg, I've, Nyborg, Hugo Amsellem, He's, Ava, Catalyst, Nate Tepper, Tepper, Adam Besvinick, Frances Haugen, Hoover, Alexa von Tobel, von Tobel, David Spinks Organizations: Pyx, Labs, verve, Investors, Pyx Health, TT Capital Partners, New, Khosla Ventures, Sequoia Capita, AI Fund, NEA, AIs, Looking Glass, Anonymous, Glass, Facebook, Bloomberg Locations: Arizona, Minneapolis, New York, Ava, France, Peoplehood, Hopscotch

☆ Tesla's new, cheaper Model Y is one of the best deals you can get on an EV right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla launched a new, cheaper version of its popular Model Y SUV. The rear-wheel-drive Model Y costs $43,990. Elon Musk's carmaker quietly launched a new base model of its popular Model Y SUV — and it's instantly one of the best deals on the US electric-vehicle market. A new rear-wheel-drive Model Y appeared on Tesla's website on Monday with a price of $43,990. The next cheapest Model Y costs $50,490.

Persons: Tesla, —, Elon Musk's carmaker, it's, Kelley, Bolt, Kia Niro, Kia haven't Organizations: Service, Chevrolet Bolt, Nissan, RWD, Kia, Hyundai Kona EV, VW, Hyundai

☆ I drove a $98,000 F-150 Lightning Platinum and saw what Ford's fanciest electric truck is like
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I tested the 2023 F-150 Lightning Platinum, Ford's fanciest electric truck. But it costs a solid $30,000 more than Ford's most luxurious gas-powered F-150. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum is an electric truck for buyers who want it all. The pinnacle of Ford's EV truck lineup, the Platinum starts at $91,995, almost double the Lightning's already steep starting price of $50,000. I lived with a Lightning Platinum for a week to find out.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, EV

☆ Jay Leno towed 30 tons with a Tesla Semi and said it felt like nothing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Jay Leno got to drive the Tesla Semi, Elon Musk's electric big rig. AdvertisementAdvertisementJay Leno had a field day with Tesla's new Semi truck on the latest episode of his car show, "Jay Leno's Garage." The comedian and car connoisseur got a tour of Elon Musk's electric big rig and even got to take it for a spin that culminated in hauling another Tesla Semi. Leno took the Semi out on the road and remarked that it felt easy and familiar to drive. Then Leno and the Tesla team hooked up a trailer carrying another Semi and kept going.

Persons: Jay Leno, —, Jay, Elon, Tesla, Franz von Holzhausen, Dan Priestley, Tesla's, Leno, I'd, Priestley Organizations: Elon, Service, Pepsi

Law Firms Michael R. Becker FollowNEW YORK, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried will likely defend himself at his fraud trial, due to begin on Tuesday, by arguing he did not think the use by his FTX cryptocurrency exchange of customer funds was improper and by challenging the credibility of those who say otherwise. He has long acknowledged failing to manage risk at FTX, but denied prosecutors' claims he stole billions of dollars in FTX customer deposits to plug Alameda's losses. In September court papers, Bankman-Fried's lawyers said he had a "good faith belief" that the manner in which FTX and Alameda handled customer funds was permissible. Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, arrives at court as lawyers push to persuade the judge overseeing his fraud case not to jail him ahead of trial, at a courthouse in New York, U.S., August 11, 2023. Prosecutors are seeking to play jurors a recording of an Alameda meeting in which Ellison told colleagues that Bankman-Fried approved the use of customer funds.

Persons: Michael R, Becker, Sam Bankman, Fried, FTX, Alameda, Jordan Estes, Estes, Kramer Levin, Eduardo Munoz, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, Nishad Singh, Tim Howard, Freshfields, Ellison, Wang, Kaplan, Luc Cohen, Amy Stevens, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Alameda Research, New York Times, REUTERS, U.S, Attorney's, District, Alameda, Prosecutors, Thomson Locations: Brooklyn, Bankman, FTX, Alameda, New York, U.S, Manhattan

☆ UAW strike chaos isn't all good news for Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Tim Levin | Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Big gains in the UAW strike could bolster another organizing drive at Tesla. The UAW is looking to remake its reputation among auto workers. AdvertisementAdvertisementA new contract could spur union attempts elsewhereThe UAW strike comes amid a rejuvenated labor movement post-Covid, and after a summer jam-packed with union activism. About 54% of Americans support the UAW strike, according to a recent Morning Consult poll. AdvertisementAdvertisementOrganizing at Tesla still won't be easySome Tesla workers are in the early stages of forming a union, a UAW official told The New York Times.

Persons: —, Elon Musk's Tesla, they're, Arthur Wheaton, Tesla, Shawn Fain, paydays, Fain, Jake Rosenfeld, Louis, Kate Andrias, Andrias, Rosenfeld, Musk, backpay Organizations: UAW, Volkswagen, Honda, Toyota, Service, General Motors, Ford, Elon, United Auto Workers, GM, Cornell University, Detroit, Washington University, Columbia University, New York Times, EV, National Labor Relations Board Locations: Wheaton, Illinois, Michigan, St, New York , California , Nevada, Texas

☆ The pandemic broke the used car market — now shoppers are screwed
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Used cars are still expensive, like they've been for years. Slow car production from 2020-2022 slammed the supply of lightly used cars in 2023, a study shows. AdvertisementAdvertisementRidiculously high used car prices are lingering like the last guest at the dinner party. During the pandemic, used cars got incredibly expensive for a couple of reasons. "There's really no factor contributing for used car prices to go down," Brauer said.

Persons: they've, —, iSeeCars, that's, that'll, Karl Brauer, Brauer, There's Organizations: Service, Toyota, Honda

☆ I watched YouTube in a self-driving Mercedes and experienced the future of commuting
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Drive Pilot can take over in traffic jams, letting you kick back, watch a movie, or read a book. Drive Pilot will be available in the electric EQS, shown here, as well as the gas-powered S-Class sedan. Over time, Mercedes plans to teach Drive Pilot to function in more places and at higher speeds. One lidar sensor actually helps Drive Pilot see in 3D, the other is just for symmetry. For people subjected to that sort of treatment daily — or, tragically, twice a day — Drive Pilot could be a game changer.

Persons: —, Santa Monica, Mercedes, we've, Deniz Calagan Organizations: Mercedes, Benz, Service, General Motors, Benz AG, Global Communications Mercedes Locations: Los Angeles, Santa, San Francisco, California, Nevada

☆ Israel’s Supreme Court to decide on law that could determine Netanyahu’s fate
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Hadas Gold | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Jerusalem CNN —Israel’s Supreme Court is having a busy month hearing challenges to actions by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. On Thursday, arguments will be heard again, this time in front of 11 of the 15 Supreme Court justices. Normally the attorney general would put forward the government’s case in a Supreme Court hearing, but AG Gali Bahrav-Miara will not. The Supreme Court could also declare that the law “is not active right now,” and would only be active once the next parliament takes over. Additionally, the Supreme Court is due to hear a challenge to the justice minister delaying convening the committee to select new Supreme Court justices.

Persons: Jerusalem CNN —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, ”, Yariv Levin, Amir Fuchs, ” Fuchs, Fuchs, “, Levin, couldn’t, I’d, – Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, Jerusalem CNN — Israel’s, Justice, Israel Democracy Institute’s Center, Democratic, CNN, Gali Locations: Jerusalem, Israel

It also shows the despair of some Republican establishment donors looking for a viable candidate who is not Trump. Reuters also spoke to a half dozen Haley donors, advisers to donors, and even supporters of other candidates who said more donors are looking at Haley. The Haley campaign did not respond to requests for comment about donor support. Even if more donors do line up behind Haley, it may be in vain, as so many Republican voters appear set on Trump. Rob Godfrey, a Republican strategist who advises some donors, said he has also seen an uptick in support for Haley in South Carolina.

Persons: Nikki Haley, Sam Wolfe, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, DeSantis, Trump, Haley, Joe Biden, Ronald Lauder, Andrew Romeo, John Yates, Yates, Frayda Levin, Tim Scott, Fred Zeidman, I've, Rob Godfrey, Godfrey, Alexandra Ulmer, Gram Slattery, Ross Colvin, Grant McCool Organizations: U.S, United Nations, Republican, REUTERS, Reuters, South, Trump, White, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Land, South Carolina, U.S, Florida, California, DeSantis, New Hampshire, New Mexico, China, Israel, New Jersey, Texas, San Francisco, Washington

☆ 6 yet-to-be-released electric cars we can't wait to drive
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Polestar 3The Polestar 3 electric SUV. Chevrolet Silverado EVThe Chevrolet Silverado EV. The Chevrolet Silverado EV. Chevrolet Equinox EVThe Chevrolet Equinox EV. The 2023 Chevrolet Equinox EV.

Persons: we'll, —, Kia EV9, Tim Levin, there's, Tesla, Samantha Delouya Tesla, Elon Musk, BMW Tesla Organizations: BMW, Chevrolet, Kia, Service, Tesla, Kia Buyers, Volvo, Petersen Automotive, Chevrolet Silverado EV, EV, Silverado, BMW i5, i5, GM Locations: Texas

☆ US sanctions authority delayed KFC's Russia exit -franchise owner
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Elena Fabrichnaya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

It's OFAC office issued compliance guidance to the industry regarding the exit tax in the form of FAQs, or frequently asked questions, on Feb. 24, 2023, while negotiations on KFC's exit deal were still ongoing. The deal included all its Russian KFC restaurants, operating system and the trademark for the Rostic's brand. Once the buyers were approved, taking this new requirement into account, another one appeared - the budget contribution termed an "exit tax" by Washington - Levin said. "The closure was delayed again, the correct procedure on paying the exit tax was agreed," Levin said. Former KFC restaurants began opening in April as Rostic's, reviving a brand born soon after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Persons: Maxim, Sergei Levin, Levin, McDonald's, It's, Konstantin Kotov, Andrey Oskolkov, Elena Fabrichnaya, Alexander Marrow, Matt Scuffham, Timothy Gardner Organizations: Brands Inc, KFC, REUTERS, U.S . Office, Foreign Assets Control, Brands, Treasury, Smart Service, Russian KFC, Washington, Soviet Union, Rostic's, Thomson Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine MOSCOW, U.S, Unirest, KFC's U.S, Ukraine, Russian, Soviet

☆ AOC says she'll trade in her Tesla for a union-made EV. Her options are slim.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wants to trade in her Tesla for a union-made electric vehicle. In an interview on CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday, AOC was asked why she bought a Tesla rather than a union-made electric vehicle. AOC only has 2 real choicesThat leaves AOC choosing between the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV, a hatchback and a small SUV, respectively. The Chevrolet Bolt EV electric hatchback. ChevroletI think the winner here is the Bolt EV, since it offers just a bit more range than the EUV.

Persons: Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Tesla, —, Elon Musk, Cadillac, it's, Ram, Bolt EUV, I'd, Bolt Organizations: Service, Democrat, Ford, General Motors, United Auto Workers, Ford's, Hummer EV, GMC, Volkswagen, Lucid Motors, Chrysler, Chevrolet Bolt, Chevrolet Locations: Alexandria, New York, Washington, DC, New York City, Mexico

☆ How an Animal Rescuer and Cat Cafe Owner Spends Her Sundays
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( More About Abellin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In May 2016, the Brooklyn Cat Cafe opened in a storefront in Brooklyn Heights. In 2021, it added a low-cost spay-neuter clinic for cats, rabbits and domesticated rats. I’m not a naturally athletic person; I just wanted to complete one just to say I did it. I typically buy from the green grocery in Brooklyn, and fill an Ikea bag with peppers, cucumbers, lettuce and carrots. The cats get so many treats from visitors, but the other animals don’t.

Persons: ” Ms, Levin, I’m Organizations: Brooklyn Cat Locations: Brooklyn Heights, Reykjavik, Iceland, Brooklyn

☆ The Onscreen Apartments That Made Them Want to Live in New York
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Catherine Hong | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

I came to New York from Japan with my family to attend high school. The building in the movie is called the Bramford, but the exteriors, famously, were those of the Dakota on the Upper West Side. What struck me about the movie’s apartments was their aspect of interiority — the way they seemed to harbor secrets. I also remember their small, framed views of high-rise New York City buildings. Even though the film is, of course, a horror story and the building turns out to be cursed, “Rosemary’s Baby” only made me more excited about living in New York.

Persons: ”, Ira Levin, Roman Polanski Locations: New York, Japan, Dakota, New York City

☆ Tesla is giving away a free car to owners who get their friends to buy a Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla owners who get a friend to buy a Tesla before the end of the month could win a free car. It's part of Tesla's revamped referral program, which incentivizes owners to spread the word about the brand. Tesla runs a loyalty program whereby owners get a unique referral code they can share with friends. Tesla significantly pared back the referral program in recent years after saying it was too expensive to the company. Credits can also buy Tesla fans a factory tour or an entry to win a futuristic Cybertruck pickup.

Persons: Tesla, Musk Organizations: Service, Elon Musk's, Owners Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ I drove fancy, six-figure electric cars from Mercedes and Lucid. Here's why I'd go with the startup over the old guard.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I drove the Mercedes-Benz EQS and Lucid Motors Air, two high-tech, high-performance electric sedans. Here's why I'd pick the Lucid over the Mercedes. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. On the other, you have Lucid Motors, a high-tech newcomer from Silicon Valley looking to generate some clout of its own and compete with the big dogs. I drove the two companies' large luxury sedans — the Mercedes-Benz EQS and Lucid Air — and came away impressed by their technology, comfort, and performance.

Organizations: Mercedes, Benz, Lucid Motors, Service Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ A Tesla sedan drag raced a $4 million Bugatti — the results were surprisingly close
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Tesla Model S drag raced a Bugatti Chiron. The Bugatti won, but the races were surprisingly close given the cost difference between the cars. The channel pitted the sportiest Tesla you can buy — a four-door Model S Plaid with the optional Track Package — against the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, a multimillion-dollar supercar from a brand synonymous with world-beating performance. But the results were closer than you might expect — especially given that the Model S will run you only a little over $100,000. I say "only" because the Chiron Super Sport would have cost at least $4 million when new.

Persons: Bugatti Chiron, Chiron, Bugatti, Tesla Organizations: Tesla, Bugatti, Service, Plaid Locations: Wall, Silicon, Teslas

CALGARY, Alberta, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The CEOs of top Saudi Arabian and U.S. oil producers Aramco (2222.SE) and Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) on Monday pushed back against forecasts that oil demand will peak, and said the transition to cleaner energy to fight climate change would require continuing investment in conventional oil and gas. Speaking at the World Petroleum Congress in Calgary, Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said talk of peak oil demand had come up often before. Current demand is around 100 million bpd. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which has also dismissed the IEA peak oil estimate, is more upbeat about demand, expecting growth of 2.44 million bpd this year to 102.1 million bpd, compared with the IEA's forecast of 2.2 million bpd of growth. This year's conference theme is the energy transition.

Persons: Amin Nasser, Nasser, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Prince Abdulaziz, Julia Levin, Darren Woods, Woods, Nia Williams, Rod Nickel, Christina Fincher, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Saudi Arabian, Aramco, Exxon Mobil, Monday, International Energy Agency, World Petroleum Congress, of, Petroleum, Congress, Saudi Arabia's Energy, IEA, Environmental Defence, Exxon, Thomson Locations: CALGARY, Alberta, Saudi, U.S, Calgary, Environmental Defence Canada

☆ I drove Mercedes' $100,000 Tesla rival and loved almost everything about it except its controversial looks. Check out the EQE SUV.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I tested the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, a new Tesla rival from the iconic German brand. The EQE 500 4MATIC SUV Mercedes lent me cost around $100,000, but the model starts at $77,900. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. Loading Something is loading. One of the newest entrants is the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, a midsize family-hauler that aims right at the heart of US car buying.

Persons: Mercedes, haven't Organizations: Benz, Service, Tesla, EV Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Honda's weird new suitcase-shaped scooter is a throwback to one of its coolest vehicles of all time
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It's a throwback to the Motocompo, a foldable Honda scooter from the 1980s that fit in a trunk. It's a quirky, little electric scooter for bopping around town or a college campus. The Honda Motocompacto HondaThe Motocompacto is shaped like a cute, rideable suitcase. It even comes with an adorable acceleration claim of zero to 15 mph in seven seconds. The Honda Motocompacto.

Persons: Honda Organizations: Honda, Service, Honda Honda Locations: Wall, Silicon, stow

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