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How Tesla defined a new era for the global auto industry

By ev3v4hn 2 weeks ago

Tesla’s rapid rise to become the world’s most valuable carmaker could mark the start of a new era for the global auto industry, defined by a Silicon Valley approach to software that is overtaking old-school manufacturing know-how.

Tesla’s ascent took many investors by surprise. But executives at Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, had a close-up view starting in 2009 of how Tesla and its chief executive Elon Musk were taking a new approach to building vehicles that challenged the established system.

Daimler, which bears the name of the man who invented the modern car 134 years ago, bought a nearly 10% Tesla stake in May 2009 in a deal which provided a $50 million lifeline for the struggling start-up.  

That investment gave Mercedes engineers an inside view of how Musk was willing to launch technology that wasn’t perfect, and then repeatedly upgrade it, using smartphone-style over-the-air updates,

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The evolution of the Corvette from America’s sports car to a global powerhouse

By ev3v4hn 2 months ago
All eight generations of the Chevrolet Corvette.
All eight generations of the Chevrolet Corvette.

Chevrolet

  • For almost 70 years, the Chevrolet Corvette was a front-engined sports car.

  • It was a great performer, but was missing that one last element that’d make it competitive in the global sports-car market.

  • The 2020 Corvette is now mid-engined and a worthy international competitor.

  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories

Despite the generous offering of American muscle cars available to buyers today, there’s only one considered to be America’s sports car. That car is the Chevrolet Corvette.

The Corvette is currently in its eighth generation — and for the first time in its 67-year history, it finally has the setup that makes it competitive with the likes of the European supercars. 

See, for the first seven generations, the Corvette stuck with a very traditional, front-engine layout, meaning its engine was located in front of the driver. Of course, there’s nothing inherently

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