BEIJING , Dec. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At the end of 2024, we take a look back at the Chinese economy's performance this year. China's domestic GDP grew by 5.3 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, 4.7 percent in the second quarter and 4.6 percent in the third quarter this year, with an average growth rate of 4.8 percent in the first three quarters. Since September, as a package of incremental policies continues to yield its effects, China's economy maintains an upward trend. Overall, we are fully confident in achieving our economic growth goal this year. The country's economic performance has been hard-won. Externally, transformations around the world unseen in a century are unfolding at a greater pace, with global economic growth remaining sluggish, and the complexity, severity and uncertainty of the external environment on the rise. At home, domestic demand is insufficient, social expectations remain weak and there are difficulties associated with structural adjustments. The situation is severe and complex, and the task is difficult and weighty. However, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, Chinese localities and government agencies are more confident and are taking solid steps to deliver outcomes. The results underscore that "fundamentals of the Chinese economy, and favorable conditions such as a vast market, strong economic resilience and great potential remain unchanged." Huge market, vast space Markets are the scarcest resource. The modernization achieved by 1.4 billion Chinese people has resulted in the addition of a new super-large market larger than those of all developed countries combined. The new development paradigm will enable China to fully unlock its market potential and create greater demand for other countries. With a new car rolling off production line on November 14 , China's annual production of new energy vehicles (NEVs) surpassed the 10 million milestone, becoming the first country in the world to do so. Behind the number is China's robust supply and demand. In the first 10 months, China's production and sales of NEVs grew by 33 percent and 33.9 percent year-on-year, respectively. China continues to take the lead in the electrification and intelligence transformation of the automotive industry, which is attributed to the supply, policy support and demand advantage in the ultra-large market. Markets bring valuable business opportunities. Take cars for example. By the end of June, China had 345 million cars, but the country's car ownership level per 1,000 residents is less than half of that in developed countries. Additionally, China's NEV ownership is only 24.72 million, which means continuous demand in the future. Markets breed competition advantages. China's vast market contributes to the formation of "economy of scale" and "economy of scope," which generates greater profits for enterprises and reduces innovations costs, and also helps provide a large number of application scenarios and boost the large-scale application of innovations. China leads the world in batteries, motors and electronic control technologies, while its intelligent cockpits and intelligent driving are internationally advanced. Thanks to the benign interactions between supply and demand, the industrialization of new technologies and new products is speeding up. Strong resilience, solid basis Resilience strengthens self-belief. China has come to where it is today after overcoming all kinds of difficulties and challenges. Foreign trade is an important barometer in this regard. In the first 10 months of the year, China's foreign goods trade rose by 5.2 percent year-on-year to reach a new high compared with the same period historically. The improvement in the quality and efficiency of the country's foreign trade against the backdrop of shrinking external demand reflects China's economic resilience. This resilience originates from China's solid manufacturing basis and industrial chain advantages. "We could not do what we do without them," Apple CEO Tim Cook said of Chinese suppliers during his third visit to the Chinese mainland this year, as over 80 percent of Apple's 200 major suppliers have set up factories in China . China has the world's most comprehensive industrial categories and a well-rounded industrial system, with the scale of manufacturing industry ranking top for 14 consecutive years. The high-end, intelligent and green development of the manufacturing sector continues to strengthen the stability of the country's industrial and supply chain. In the first three quarters, the manufacturing industry contributed 32.2 percent to the country's economic growth, up 11.2 percentage points. China moved up to 11th place in the ranking of the world's most innovative economies. The basis is solid, and risks and challenges are not to be feared. Resilience also comes from excellent policy adjustments. The nation has been strengthening counter-cyclical adjustments, accelerating the implementation of major national strategies and the development of securities capabilities in key areas while supporting large-scale equipment upgrades and trade-in policies for consumer goods with robust measures, boosting the stabilization of the property market and galvanizing the capital market. The government has also put forward a package of measures to dissolve local government debt risks. This year, a series of existing policies continue to produce effects and incremental policies are being effectively implemented, jointly helping the economy stabilize. Vast potential, strong momentum China's economy has vast potential and many advantages and favorable conditions for sustaining long-term development momentum. China has been the world's second-largest economy for many years, but still has vast development potential in terms of per capita and structure. China's per capita GDP remains relatively low, and the country's amount of infrastructure per capita is only 20-30 percent of that of developed countries. In 2023, China's urbanization rate, which measures the ratio of permanent urban residents relative to the total population, reached 66.2 percent by the end of 2023. Estimates show that each percentage point increase in the urbanization rate could drive 1 trillion yuan ( $137.55 billion ) in investment. Currently, both China's fiscal deficit ratio and government debt ratio are low, and the country's policy toolbox remains well-stocked. The potential also lies in elementary resources. China's human resources in science and technology ranked first in the country and the average length of education received by new entrants into the workforce has increased to 14 years, turning the demographic dividend into a talent dividend. In addition, overall sufficient social capitals, vast room for the highly efficient use of land and the vast unleashing of the potential of digital elements provide solid foundational support. This potential also comes from the huge market. The country's population of over 1.4 billion and middle-income population of over 400 million support a large-scale, diverse and huge domestic market. Accelerating the building of a unified national market will improve overall economic operation efficiency and continuously unleash the potential of domestic demand. Overall, China is a country with vast territory, a large population and unbalanced and uncoordinated development. This is a shortcoming, but also represents potential and a driving force for future development. Sparking vitality and building synergy through reform is essential to continuously unleashing development potential. From implementing regulations for fair competition reviews, accelerating the legislative process of the law on the promotion of the private economy and formulating normal communication mechanisms between governments and enterprises, to releasing a new national negative list for foreign investment and removing all market access restrictions for foreign investors in the manufacturing sector, China's reforms in key fields continue to deepen this year and high-level opening-up advances in an in-depth way. The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China adopted the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. Driven by reform of the economic system, China is correspondingly boosting reform in other fields, and the internal development momentum and vitality will continue to strengthen. Reviewing allows a clear understanding of the situation and better moving forward. While some major economies experience low growth rates and high inflation this year, China is expected to achieve its economic growth target of around 5 percent, and continue to contribute around 30 percent to world economic growth. This stable performance underlines the fact that China's economy will continue to remain on a positive trajectory over the long run. The story was originally published on the front page of the People's Daily on December 8, 2024 View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-times-peoples-daily-article-says-favorable-conditions-for-chinas-economic-development-remain-unchanged-302325568.html SOURCE Global Times‘I’ve always been a team player’: Ben Carroll on the VCE exam crisis and what drives him
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The designer who created the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s “Lissajous” logo – inspired by broadcast vibrations – seems to have had some insight into the cycle of birth, death and recrimination through which the ABC is doomed to cycle. The logo is reminiscent of an ouroboros – a snake-like creature with its tail in its mouth, representing birth, death and renewal – but twisted into tortuous knots. Or perhaps an infinity symbol with an extra loop of infinity tacked on. We must be on the third arc of infinity this year, a time of especial drama before the swooping logo enters another valley of lassitude. An unusually high number of producers and journalists are retiring or being retired. The process is supposed to set the scene for renewal. But the question, as always, is how to introduce renewal into a closed system. Kim Williams (right) might do well to find journalists who are curious enough to tune into Joe Rogan. Credit: Digitally altered image. Artwork: Marija Ercegovac. Conservatives like to call for the ABC to be defunded. That’s a defeatist approach. The ABC is a powerful tool of social cohesion and new migrant integration. It’s given generations a shared cultural point of reference. From Playschool to Bluey , the ABC gives Australian children something in common regardless of their cultural backgrounds. Flagship current affairs shows once drove national conversations. When the majority of the population consumes the same entertainment and news, it creates a sense of nationhood. The worst sin of the ABC is, therefore, not that it is biased. It is that it has become so dull it is no longer worth tuning into. Chairman Kim Williams is focused on the need for objectivity, but emphasising journalistic dispassion is only part of the solution. With the exception of a small number of programs, most relegated to minor time slots and barely promoted, the ABC has become incurious. Topics covered by the ABC’s flagship shows have been narrowing and perspectives on the remaining topics are predictable. Politicians deliver their talking points. A narrow range of experts delivers a narrow range of perspectives (somehow the ethnic and gender diversity emphasised by the ABC never seems to equate to a wider range of ideas). Advocates call for more government funding. The presenters sigh sympathetically. I sigh in frustration. The formula is tiresome. Australians, including this long-time loyal listener and viewer, switch off. Predictability is not a failing unique to the ABC. A range of other media outlets specialise in serving their audiences a diaphanous sliver of current affairs, carefully selected to support existing prejudices. If you’ve ever seen a journalist’s byline and the title of an article and felt the thrill of anticipation for a take with which you know you’ll thoroughly agree, you’ve been paddling in the warm yellow waters of subscriber self-satisfaction. That’s the subscribers’ prerogative, should they choose to seek it out. It’s simply a commercial reality that many people only want to pay for media that tells them what they already believe. No particular political tribe is more prone to this than another; indeed, it’s just another manifestation of the many ways in which the left-right political paradigm has become obsolete. Open-mindedness and close-mindedness are now better descriptors of behaviours and traits than conservative or progressive. Leave subscribers to make their own choices; the ABC has no business contributing to the closing of the Australian mind. Its mission is not commercial but patriotic, as Kim Williams styled it. Australians have a “sense of ownership” over the broadcaster, as Laura Tingle said in introducing the chairman’s National Press Club address. Too right. We do actually own it, and we pay for its upkeep and operations. As such, it is the responsibility of the ABC to reject the narrowness into which a subscription model can stray. There is reason to believe that opening the ABC’s ideas horizon would also reverse the audience decline. At the same time our national broadcaster is losing its audience, some international journalists and podcasters are gaining huge followings. They have, as they say, “one neat trick” in common. One is the wildly popular Welsh-American journalist Jon Ronson , who came to Australia at the end of November. His show focused on his famous book The Psychopath Test , first published in 2011. Ronson spoke to full auditoriums about this piece of exceptional long-form journalism. He would no doubt also have filled halls if he’d been talking about his book Them: Adventures with Extremists , a fascinating exploration of conspiracy theories and theorists, first published in 2001. Ronson’s trademark is an obsession with finding out about interesting things and asking open-ended questions – virtues once highly valued in journalists. He strikes a flint of curiosity in his audiences as he seeks to satisfy his own. If Kim Williams were to become audience member “three-billion-and-one” of The Joe Rogan Experience – as he resolutely declared he would not do at the National Press Club – he would discover that curiosity is also Rogan’s model. Rogan, who enjoys the world’s biggest podcast audience, is widely trashed and dismissed by those who have never taken the three hours it requires to listen to a full episode. But Rogan interviews interesting and powerful figures, asking them for their thoughts on topics, then exploring the logical contradictions in a way that allows them to further elaborate on their thinking. If he has a fascination with conspiracy theories, he is no more dogmatic about them than Ronson was in Them . The ABC does have one show that follows a similar model to Ronson and Rogan – Annabel Crabb’s Kitchen Cabinet . Crabb doesn’t seek to outsmart her subjects or to put words in their mouths. She has a knack for asking questions that encourage them to reveal themselves and – refreshingly for politicians – they do. The magic is not just objectivity but openness. This is what the ABC needs more of. The ouroboros has an unfortunate habit of swallowing its own output. If Williams wants the broadcaster to regain audiences, he’s going to need to look for journalists who break the cycle. Perhaps those who, whether or not they personally agree with Joe Rogan and his guests, have listened to The Joe Rogan Experience . Just because they are curious. Parnell Palme McGuinness is managing director at campaigns firm Agenda C. She has done work for the Liberal Party and the German Greens.Former Penn State assistant coach accepts head-coaching spot at Southern Miss
12. Clemson Tigers 10-3 (7-1 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season) What's next: First-round at No. 5 seed Texas, Dec. 21 Head coach: Dabo Swinney (17th season, 180-46 overall) About Swinney: The 55-year-old, who is 6-4 in the CFP, took over during the 2008 season and has won two national titles (2016, 2018). He will take the Tigers to the CFP the first time since the 2020 season and the seventh time overall. Resume The Tigers, the only three-loss team in the 12-team field, were in a must-win situation in the ACC championship game, prevailing on a last-second, 56-yard field goal to defeat SMU 34-31. Clemson lost two games to SEC opponents (Georgia and South Carolina) this season. The Tigers' other defeat came at home to Louisville. The matchup with Texas will be Clemson's first true road game against the SEC this season. Postseason history A nine-time winner of the ACC Championship Game, the Tigers notched a double-figure win total for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons. Along with its two national titles, Clemson reached the title game two other times (2019 and 2015). This will be the first Clemson-Texas matchup. The road to Atlanta It will be a tricky road for the Tigers to reach the CFP title game in Atlanta at a venue familiar to Clemson fans. The Tigers will take at least two and maybe three trips outside of their own time zone to qualify for the final. Names to know QB Cade Klubnik Klubnik, a Texas native, has been taking snaps in crucial situations since a limited role as a freshman in 2022, when he rescued the Tigers in an ACC Championship victory vs. North Carolina. Sporting a 19-8 career record as a starter, Klubnik has thrown for 3,303 yards and 33 touchdowns along with five interceptions this season. He tossed four TDs in the ACC title game Dec. 7 against SMU after receiving All-ACC honorable mention following the regular season. "He's battle-tested," Swinney said. "He has got a lot of experience under his belt. He has had some failure, which has made him better." RB Phil Mafah The senior has racked up 1,106 rushing yards with eight touchdowns this season and has 28 career scores. Mafah has averaged fewer than 17 carries per game, so he makes the most of his opportunities, and at 230 pounds he can be a load to bring down. DE T.J. Parker He's been disruptive on a regular basis, racking up 19 tackles for loss (11 sacks) this season. The 265-pound sophomore helped set the tone in the ACC title game when the Tigers feasted on early SMU mistakes. Parker is tied for the Division I lead with six forced fumbles this season. K Nolan Hauser The freshman joined the Tigers this season with great acclaim and produced a career highlight with a 56-yard game-winning field goal -- the longest in ACC title game history -- to beat SMU at the buzzer. --Field Level MediaHow major US stock indexes fared Monday, 12/23/2024
On pardons, Biden weighs whether to flex presidential powers in broad new waysCORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Miami probably was one win away from getting into the College Football Playoff. Iowa State definitely was one win away. Their consolation prize of sorts: playing one another. The Hurricanes and Cyclones — a meteorological matchup — have accepted bids to the Pop-Tarts Bowl, to be played Dec. 28 in Orlando, Florida. Iowa State (10-3) is looking for its first 11-win season in the program's 133-year history, and Miami (10-2) is seeking its first 11-win season since 2003. Miami's loss at Syracuse to close the regular season wound up being the game the Hurricanes could point to as the reason they missed out on the CFP. Iowa State could have played its way in and lost the Big 12 title game to CFP-bound Arizona State on Saturday. “I think everyone that doesn't get in feels disappointment,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “We feel the onus of just doing better. Just do better, go forward, have an opportunity to get better.” It's essentially the same task for both teams: regrouping after seeing the playoff slip away. “I think that’s what’s made Iowa State football really special is our ability to have great resiliency," Cyclones coach Matt Campbell said. "And I know our kids are super-excited about the opportunity to finish off. Obviously (Saturday) was disappointing. But this group and this football team has the opportunity to just continue to fight.” A big question for Miami: whether quarterback Cam Ward will play. The likely Heisman Trophy finalist has thrown for 155 touchdown passes in his career at Incarnate Word, Washington State and Miami. That’s tied for the most by anyone in Division I (FBS and FCS) history; Case Keenum threw 155 in his career at Houston. Many draft-bound players not in the playoff will be opting out of bowl games over the coming weeks. There's been no indication from Miami yet that Ward or any other draft-bound player has made a decision. “I think it’s important that our guys, anyone playing and closing out the season, understands the importance of that next step for a program like ours," Cristobal said. "And I think our guys do.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
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Roquan Smith missed practice again Friday because of a hamstring injury. Although the Ravens didn't officially rule him or anyone else out — they don't play until Monday night — the All-Pro linebacker's status seems dicey. “Definitely it will be a challenge if Roquan can’t go,” defensive coordinator Zach Orr said. “We’re holding out hope and everything like that. I think it’ll just be by committee. Not one person is going to replace Roquan. Roquan’s an every-down linebacker.” Although the Ravens lost 18-16 last weekend, Baltimore didn't allow a touchdown. That was an encouraging sign for a team that ranks 26th in the league in total defense. Baltimore is on the road Monday against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Ravens appear to have dodged one potential nightmare. Star safety Kyle Hamilton injured an ankle against Cincinnati on Nov. 7, but he was able to play almost every defensive snap the following week against Pittsburgh. But Smith was injured in that game and didn't practice Thursday or Friday. Linebacker Malik Harrison had a season high in tackles last weekend and figures to have a significant role if Smith can't go. “We tell these guys, ‘You’re one play away to going in there — you never know, so you got to stay ready.’ Malik — he was ready,” Orr said. “I thought he went in there and did a good job, especially after the first series, he settled down. That’s what we expect from him.” It's hard to tell whether last week can be a significant turning point for Baltimore's defense. The Ravens allowed only 10 points in a dominant win over Buffalo in Week 4, then yielded 38 against Cincinnati the following game. After allowing 10 against Denver, the Ravens were picked apart by the Bengals again a few days later. So they still haven't shown they can play a good game defensively and then build on it. “I think it’s easier said than done. It’s something that we kind of got caught up saying against Buffalo and then coming up the next week and not doing," Hamilton said. "We’re aware of it now and know that we played a good game, but I think we can get a lot better, and I think that’s kind of the mindset everybody on defense has right now.” Hamilton's ability to make a difference all over the field is part of what makes him valuable, but positioning him deep is one way the Ravens can try to guard against big passing plays. Pittsburgh's Russell Wilson threw for only 205 yards against Baltimore. That's after Joe Burrow passed for 428 and four touchdowns in the Ravens' previous game. “I’ve always seen myself as a safety. A versatile one, but at the end of the day, I think I play safety,” Hamilton said. “If I’m asked to go play safety, I feel like that’s not an issue for me to play safety if I’m a safety.” NOTES: In addition to Smith, WR Rashod Bateman (knee), DT Travis Jones (ankle), S Sanoussi Kane (ankle) C Tyler Linderbaum (back) and CB Arthur Maulet (calf) missed practice Friday. WR Nelson Agholor (illness) returned to full participation after missing Thursday's practice. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLNone
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A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his ownA fast car, a dream for auto lovers everywhere, is often associated with a hefty price tag. However, with the right knowledge and a bit of savvy, you can still get your hands on a powerful engine and a reliable car for under $30,000. Despite the recent surge in auto prices, the thrill of speed is within reach for those who know where to look. Speed is a subjective experience. What's fast for a professional like Max Verstappen might not be the same for you, and there are countless ways to enjoy speed. Whether you're a track enthusiast, a city driver, or a fan of scenic routes, there's a speed experience for everyone. Our approach to defining speed is comprehensive. We consider various factors, from horsepower to acceleration to track times, to provide a well-rounded view of what "fast" means. We've scoured the market and selected 11 of the fastest cars you can buy for under $30,000. America's premier luxury auto-builder pivoted hard at the millennium. The rolling land yachts faded into history as Cadillac focused on high-performance models that would compete with Mercedes, BMW, and Lexus. Cadillac's new mission manifested in the debut of the CTS-V in 2004. Immediately making a splash in the auto world, the CTS-V sailed on to have a successful career as one of Cadillac's most potent models before it graduated to the CT5 Blackwing in 2019. The upshot is a used market brimming with powerful and stylish sedans. Cadillac reached into GM's bag of tricks and pulled out a 5.7-liter LS6 V8 sourced from the Corvette. The 2004 and 2005 CTS-V models got the LS6, while a mid-generation upgrade gifted the 2006 and 2007 models a 6.0-liter LS2 V8. Both engines made 400 horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque, but the 6.0 gets it lower in the power band. Reports of rear-end issues are not unheard of, but overall, the CTS-V proved more than a match for contemporaries like BMW's M5 and Audi's S4. Aside from rocketing from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds, critics praised its handling and ride quality. The first-gen CTS-V demands an average used market price of $19,690, and Classic.com reports a top sale price of $32,000, meaning there should be plenty of options under that $30,000 mark. Around the same time Cadillac turned to performance, Dodge's Street and Racing Technology (SRT) team coalesced into a division with a firm mandate to pep up cars with a Chrysler or Dodge badge. Most famous for its work with Vipers, Chargers, and Challengers, SRT nonetheless cut its teeth on something that has flown a tad under the radar: the Chrysler 300C SRT-8. The 300 series has a pedigree stretching back to 1955, and Chrysler paid homage to that lineage with a stately sedan pushing serious power. Even before the Hellcat and Hellephant engines stole headlines, Chrysler still had the legendary Hemi V8, which it happily employed in the 2005 to 2010 300C SRT-8. The first-generation 300C received a 6.1-liter Hemi, sending 425 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. It is a little heavy, tipping the scales at 4,163 pounds, but that's what you get in a full-sized sedan. The SRT-8 pulled low 13-second quarter miles and a zero to 60 mph time of 4.7 seconds. It might not handle like a Corvette, but there's no such thing as perfection. It's hard to find that kind of power in a full-sized sedan, especially under $30,000, but an average used market value of $21,146 puts it squarely in the tremendous value for power category. [Featured image by M 93 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC 1.0 Universal ] America isn't the only nation building speedy rear-wheel drive sedans. Korean automaker Hyundai has been climbing the quality ladder for years, and its Genesis G80 provides a ton of bang for the buck. Hyundai introduced its luxury Genesis line in 2017 as a mid-sized sedan meant to compete with the BMW 5-series, Cadillac CTS-V, and Audi A6. With stiff competition like that, Hyundai must put its best foot forward. The 2017 to 2019 G80 got a trio of engine options ranging in displacement from a 3.3-liter V6 to a 5.0-liter V8, but the Sport model offers the best mix of performance and price. The 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 under the hood of the Sport sends a respectable 365 horsepower to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Though Hyundai offers a 5.0-liter V8 version, Car and Driver's road test reports that the 2018 Sport outdoes the previous V8 version in nearly every acceleration category. Zero to 60 clocked in at 4.9 seconds, the quarter-mile passed in 13.5 seconds, and its turbos performed with minimum lag. Competing with established luxury and performance brands often means undercutting on price while offering near-peer performance, and that's precisely what the G80 Sport does, to the benefit of consumers. Kelley Blue Book pins the fair market range of the relatively new sports sedan at between $21,000 and $25,000. [Featured image by Snowfalcon cu via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0 ] Enough about the luxury sedan market for a moment. Let's take a look at a sports car legend. Chevrolet's Corvette has been giving drivers whiplash since its inaugural year in 1953. While known for aggravating supercar builders, the two-seater can be a great choice if you want a dedicated sports car. The enormous used market is the best thing about Vette's seven-decade run. The release of the mid-engined C8 in 2020 stole the spotlight, but previous generations still have a lot to offer. The current sub $30,000 sweet spot is the fifth-generation C5 Corvette built between 1997 and 2004. While special or premium specimens can demand six figures, the average price for one of these aging beauties is $26,616. For your money, you get a bulletproof 5.7-liter V8 filtered through an automatic or six-speed manual transmission. The base LS1 guarantees 350 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, while the 2001 to 2004 Z06 made 385 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque in an upgraded configuration. With a curb weight of around 3,300 pounds, the 1997 C5 zips to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and made it around Nurburgring from a standing start in 8:40. The Z06 might be tough to find under $30,000, but part of what makes Corvette great is the enormous performance aftermarket. With some garage time, your new 'Vette can take on the role of anything from a drag-strip demon to a weekend SCCA hero to a grand tourer. The word "Mercedes" conjures up thoughts of six-figure price tags and outrageous German performance. In the case of the 2010 to 2016 Mercedes Benz E-63, that's only half true. The fourth-generation E-class has depreciated significantly from the original near $100,000 price tag. Classic.com reports an average used market value of $28,406, and Kelly Blue Book pegs the 2016 S-model fair market price between $27,000 and $31,000. The 2010 E63 debuted at the 2009 New York Motor Show, promising 525 horsepower and 518 lb-ft of torque from a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8. In 2011, Mercedes reduced displacement to 5.5 liters but added twin turbos—the new configuration made about the same amount of power. Mercedes, always seeking to outdo itself, dropped a 2013 facelift on the E63, including a 577 horsepower all-wheel drive S-model. Whichever configuration you go for, the E63 AMG spells fast. Zero-to-60 times range between 4.2 and 4.5 seconds against a weight over 4,000 pounds. With a top speed of 155 mph, the luxury sedan is classy, competent, comfortable, and everything else you'd expect from Mercedes, bar for one thing: it's affordable. [Featured image by Tokumeigakarinoashimavia Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC0 1.0 Universal ] Street and Racing Technology is back on the list with its reinvented Charger. Dodge's supercharged Hellcat engine s dominate the modern muscle conversation, but unfortunately for Mopar maniacs, the Hellcat Chargers and Challengers seem to be the rare breed that doesn't depreciate much. However, for those who don't need 700 horsepower (and, honestly, who does?), there is another way. Dodge and SRT brought the vaunted Charger nameplate back from the dead in 2006. The first Charger since the turbo four-cylinder of the '80s, it was clear that Dodge meant to live up to its '60s reputation as a muscle-bound beast. Dodge tested the waters by building the sixth-generation Charger from 2006 to 2010. Two of the era's high-performance options enjoy relatively low prices. The Charger R/T, built between 2006 and 2008, has an average used price of $18,000, while the SRT-8 edition is just under $26,000. The 2006 R/T received a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 capable of 340 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, while by 2010, the upper echelon SRT-8 could produce as much as 425 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque via a 6.1-liter engine. Don't expect these prices to last. Hemmings estimates the high-performance mig-aught Chargers are nearing the bottom of the deprivation curve. Any longer, and they might venture into certified classic status, which usually includes a significant price hike. Buried under all the Hellcat business, these vehicles might be the best bang for your buck. [Featured image by CSmarlin via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0 ] It's hard not to love the Mustang. The only car of the muscle and pony era to enjoy continuous production since its inception, there are plenty of opportunities to score a performer for under $30,000. The fifth generation is the latest and greatest to sneak in under the $30,000 price. Built between 2005 and 2014, a mid-gen facelift divides the Mustang into two categories: the 2005 to 2009 S-197 I and the 2010 to 2014 S-197 II. The average S-197 II demands $31,000, so focus on the first half of the generation for the best value. The lower end of the spectrum includes the Mustang GT at an average used price of $22,635. With a 4.6-liter V8 making 300 horsepower, it might be one of the most sane vehicles on this list — and that's a good thing. A 5.2-second run up to 60 mph is more than enough for most, but if you're the exception, there's no shortage of special editions. Ford fans will be familiar with legendary modder Jack Roush . His cosmetic and performance packages have been optimizing Mustangs for decades. Even the upper-tier 430-horsepower Roush Stage 3 S-197 I Mustang averages under $30,000 at $28,656. [Featured image by Kpfoley via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 3.0 ] Toyota's offshoot brand combines the reliability of the respected automaker with luxury and performance. The first IS sedan was released in 2001. The "IS" stands for intelligent sport, which signaled Lexus' vision for a sedan that performs. When the second generation appeared in 2007, the well-received performance sedan had earned Lexus' F performance badge. Between 2007 and 2014, the second-gen Lexus IS-F quietly and competently offered world-class performance meant to compete with the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63. The second generation 2008 model year IS-F debuted at the North American International Auto Show. It sported a 5.0-liter V8 with 417 horsepower that zipped it to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. By the end of the generation in 2014, Car and Driver praised its handling around a track and low-end torque but gave it strikes for a suboptimal interior (for a luxury brand) and high MSRP at $63,600. The word timeless gets thrown around a lot, but the IS-F remains one of the best-looking Lexus models ever designed . A decade from its final form, the second-gen is still a pleasure to watch. These gems can be had for under $30,000. Classic.com puts the average used cost for the generation at $29,520, and Kelley Blue Book reports the lower end of even the final year of the generation at a hair under the mark at $29,692. Mitsubishi dominated the rally world for years through 10 generations of its all-wheel-drive Lancer . Times have changed, but the civilian version of the Lancer still packs some punch. The 10th and final generation Lancer Evolution X had a long production run between 2007 and 2016, leaving plenty of modifiable sport sedans for under $30,000. These modifiable aspects include the engine, suspension, and aerodynamics, making it a perfect canvas for car enthusiasts to personalize their ride. Small displacement was the name of the game for the Lancer. Its 2.0-liter inter-cooled turbocharged four-cylinder made 291 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque out of the gate. The X represented a significant change in Mitsubishi's approach to its rally car. An aluminum block replaced the previous iron block for a 26-pound weight savings. A new dual-clutch transmission sent the GSR model to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. The Evolution X is a thrilling choice for those who want to add some excitement to their daily commute or indulge in weekend racing. Its smaller displacement engine and undeniable racing pedigree make it a canvas for customization without making an unmanageable experience for daily driving. The used market for the aging rally sedan reports an average cost of $29,247, which will naturally fluctuate based on mileage, condition, and upgrades. [Featured image by IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC0 ] Chevrolet has a long lineage of building muscular cars, but its most enduring nameplate from the muscle era is undoubtedly the Camaro. Debuting in 1967 to compete with the Ford Mustang, Chevy cut it in 2002, only to bring it back in 2009 for two more generations. The final sixth generation ended production in January 2024, but we reached back to the fourth generation to find affordable power. The fourth-generation Camaro sneaks in under the radar as a powerful, adaptable sports car approaching future classic status. Debuting in 1993, Chevy offered the classic Z/28 and SS models with a 5.7-liter V8 making between 275 horsepower. When the "catfish" Camaros arrived in 1998 with a facelift making the front fascia look like the face of a catfish, those power numbers were in the 300-plus range. The 2002 SS got a 5.7-liter LS1 V8, making 325 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque. One of the key strengths of the fourth-generation Camaro is its strong aftermarket support. With an enormous selection of performance parts available, maintaining and upgrading the Camaro is easy enough to make a great project. And with an average price of $20,760, you can use the savings to buy that sweet exhaust system you want, then blast some Everclear on the stereo and pretend it's still the '90s as you go for ice cream and hurl yourself down the drag strip on the weekends.
NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler birdied every hole but the par 3s on the front nine at Albany Golf Club on Friday and finished his bogey-free round with an 8-under 64 that gave him a two-shot lead in the Hero World Challenge. Two months off did nothing to slow the world's No. 1 player. Scheffler already has eight victories this year and is in position to get another before the end of the year. Scheffler was at 13-under 131, two ahead of Akshay Bhatia (66) and Justin Thomas (67), both of whom had to save par on the 18th hole to stay in range going into the weekend. Scheffler started with a lob wedge to 2 feet for birdie and never slowed until after he went out in 29 to seize control of the holiday tournament against a 20-man field. Scheffler cooled slightly on the back nine, except it didn't feel that way to him. “Front nine, just things were going my way. Back nine, maybe not as much,” Scheffler said. “A couple shots could end up closer to the hole, a couple putts go in, just little things.” Asked if he felt any frustration he didn't take it lower — he once shot 59 at the TPC Boston during the FedEx Cup playoffs — Scheffler sounded bemused. “I think in this game I think a lot of all y’all are looking for perfection out of us,” he said. “Today I shot 8 under on the golf course, not something I hang my head about. A lot of good things out there — clean card, bogey-free, eight birdies. Overall, I think I'm pretty pleased.” Thomas felt his 67 was stress-free, particularly the way he was driving the ball. The wind laid down again, rare for the Bahamas, though it is expected to pick up on the weekend. Thomas wasn't concerned to see Scheffler get off to a hot start, especially with three par 5s on the front nine and a short par 4 that at worst leaves a flip wedge to the green. “You literally can birdie every hole as soft as the greens are,” Thomas said. “He's a great player, a great wedge player, and you have a lot of birdie holes to start. I'm honestly surprised he only shot 8 under. It's a sneaky course because if you fall asleep on some shots, you can get out of position. But if you're on and focused and really in control of everything — like these last two days with no wind — you can just make so many birdies.” Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley had a 67 and was four shots behind. No matter how benign the conditions, it wasn't always easy. Cameron Young, who opened with a 64 for a two-shot lead, followed with a 75 despite making five birdies. That included a double bogey on the final hole when his approach tumbled down the bank into the rocks framing the lake that goes all the way down the 18th hole. Patrick Cantlay was trying to keep pace playing alongside Scheffler, but he had three bogeys over the final seven holes and fell seven shots behind with a 71. The tournament, hosted by Tiger Woods, is unofficial but offers world ranking points to all but the bottom three players because of the small field. It's the weakest field in 25 years, but Scheffler at No. 1 gives it enough cachet. He is the first player since Woods in 2009 to start and finish a year at No. 1 in the world. And even after a layoff — giving him time to tinker with a new putting stroke — it looks like it might be a while before anyone changes that. AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf