Audi Globe Trotters Gear Up For Mileage Marathon, Sweet Lou Dunbar Unavailable For Preseason Commentary

I’m totally for conserving the environment and saving the seals and everything, just so long as I get to ride in his car

On October 6th, Audi will kick off the Mileage Marathon, a cross-country trek spanning from the East to the West coast, aimed at promoting their fuel efficient diesel model lineup. Over 187 drivers will participate [including the auto bloggers at AutoBlogGreen], and rewards will be given daily to the drivers who managed to consume the least amount of fuel. More than just clever way to advertise Audi’s enviro-friendly technology, the Mileage Marathon is rumored to also serve as a preview for Audi’s future North American line-up. Audi’s marathon fleet will be comprised of 23 TDI engine-equipped vehicles, including the Audi Q7, Q5, A4, and A3 models. Of the four TDI’s, only the Q7 and the Q5 have concrete timetables for an American debut. The Q7 is slated for U.S. release in 2009, while both hybrid and diesel versions of the Q5 are scheduled for an appearance in early 2010.

[News & Photo Source: AutoBlogGreen]

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Say it Ain’t So: Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce Among Clunkers Casualities?

Clunker?

The official Cash for Clunkers website has released a list of cars that were traded in on the program, and some the vehicles on the list are downright shocking.

Most are not… there are at least 60,000 Ford Explorers on the list, most of them from the early to mid-90s, though a couple of 2008 models were turned in.

But check out these cars that were on the list, and keep in mind that the law requires the engines of these vehicles to be permanently disabled. Try not to weep:

• 1997 Aston Martin DB7 Volante (I found one for sale here for just $69,500. )
• 2006 Audi A4 Cabriolet Quattro (OK, so it’s not a supercar, but still…)
• 1992 BMW 850i (For sale here for $24K.)
• 1987 Buick GNX (Only 547 were ever built.)
• 2007-2008 Chrysler 300 AWD (There were 3 of these.)
• 1987 Excalibur Autos Phaeton (No joke, but still hard to believe.)
• 2000 Jaguar XK8 convertible (I would’ve gladly paid that guy 5 grand for his car rather than see it killed just to get $4,500 off a Hyundai.)
• 1985 Maserati Quattroporte (You just don’t junk a Maserati.)
• 2005 Mazda RX8 (Still worth about $15K)
• 1997 Rolls-Royce Continental R (Ever heard the words “Rolls-Royce” and “clunker” in the same sentence?)
• 2008 Scion xD (Wait a minute. This thing is rated at 29 mpg, for one thing. Secondly, it’s still worth about $16K. How’d this one slip through?)

You can see the full list here, but I’m warning you, it’s got everything. Corvette and Camaro fans may want to stay away.

Would you have taken any of these cars off owners’ hands before they were sent to the crusher?

-tgriffith

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The Most Satisfying New Cars

What makes a car satisfying? According to AutoPacific’s recently published 2009 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards, a car is deemed satisfying if the owner would recommend it to a friend. Makes sense to me! They surveyed 25,000 new-car buyers and asked them that question. The results are below. If your car’s missing and you want to recommend it to your fellow CarGurus, let us hear it!

Most satisfying cars

Most satisfying trucks

There you have it! There are a couple of winners that make me wonder if someone, somewhere got paid off. The Dodge Nitro? Seriously? I rented one once and was tempted to drive it into a river and claim it was stolen, just so the next person would be spared driving it.

What car(s) do you drive? Would you recommend it to your friends?

-tgriffith

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Will Toyota Cut Prius’ Price or Let Honda Insight Be Cheapest Hybrid?

2010 Honda Insight

Looks like Honda is changing the dynamics of the hybrid wars.

The new Honda Insight, priced in the States at just over $19K, comes in well below the Toyota Prius’ starting price of nearly $23K.

Rumors are beginning to circulate that Toyota will cut the price on the current Prius to match the Insight’s, but there has been no confirmation of that from the bigwigs at Toyota.

Is a lower price on the way for Prius?

A price reduction sure makes sense to me, as the Prius’ reign as king of the hybrids is being challenged by the Insight and the new Ford Fusion hybrid. The other option Toyota has is to stuff all the technology it can into the Prius and hope buyers see the value and fork over more money for it.

That’s a tactic we know will happen, as the third-generation Prius is expected to offer, among other things, a solar panel on the roof that will power fans to keep the car cool when parked in the sun. I’m guessing that’ll be a popular feature among celebs in Los Angeles! (You can check out the third-generation Prius here.)

It’s also possible that Toyota will offer the Prius in two versions: one that is essentially the current model with a lower price that matches the Insight’s, and one with technology and safety upgrades priced at a premium.

One thing is for sure: Selling hybrids is going to become more difficult as competition stiffens and more diesels enter the market.

What do you think: Buy a hybrid or skip the hype?

-tgriffith

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Who Makes the World’s Fastest Street-Legal Sedan?

I’m all for fast cars, but seriously, this is getting insane. How fast do we need to go on the streets?

German tuning specialists Brabus and G-Power are in a back-and-forth duel for the bragging rights of holding the title of World’s Fastest Street-Legal Sedan.

G-Power did it first, with the tricked-out 225-mph Hurricane M5, which is a BMW M5 with a V10 and 730 ponies.

Then Brabus came with their jab in the form of the Rocket, a Mercedes CLS with a bored-out, twin-turbo V12 that was clocked at 2 mph faster than the Hurricane.

Naturally, the folks at G-Power couldn’t let that stand, so they went back to work and built the Hurricane M5 RS, lifting the power output to 750 horses and gaining 1.3 mph over the Rocket to reclaim the World’s Fastest Street-Legal Sedan title.

Now Brabus is back to work as you’re reading this to try and eke out a half mile an hour so the title is again theirs.

Anyone else think this has crossed into insanity? A sedan that can go 230 miles per hour serves no point other than flattering the ego of those who built it. Yes, there are people who will say that pushing the envelope like this can discover new technology for future use in production vehicles.

All Brabus and G-Power are looking for, though, is speed, and every car on the road right now is capable of going fast enough for the needs of ground transportation. Maybe there are some racing applications here, but then these cars shouldn’t be created under the guise of being “street legal.”

You wanna go 230 miles per hour? Get on an airplane.

Do you think Brabus and G-Power should keep duking it out to create faster sedans?

-tgriffith

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Found on eBay: the opportunity of a lifetime!

I love eBay motors.

While I’ve never bought a car through eBay, I scroll the offerings on a regular basis. I do it to check prices and see what’s out there, but in the back of my mind I’m always hoping to stumble across something truly amazing.

Boy was I treated this week when I found an Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. (After digging a little deeper, it appears there were actually THREE Competiziones up for auction at once.) Talk about a stunning car! Only 84 came to the U.S., and I would’ve thought they’d all be snatched up by the time they were put on the boat in Italy. 

Yet here we have one of the most beautiful and exclusive new cars in the world, up for sale on the auction site available to all of humanity. Of course there’s still the sticky little issue of the Buy it Now price: $329,995. On the positive side, that price includes floor mats, so you won’t have to stop by the auto parts store on your way home.

On the other side of the exclusivity scale, I had a friend who found a minivan on eBay with a price that couldn’t be matched locally. He snatched it up and had it shipped, only to discover later that it had been flooded in a hurricane. Awesome.

eBay Motors is really just like any other car lot, except it’s worldwide and has everything from Alfa Romeos to Z28s. Like any car lot, you need to be careful with what you buy. I never felt too bad for my friend because it’s idiotic to buy a car without researching it, especially when the price seems too good to be true.

Had he bought a car like the Competizione, though, I’d probably still be friends with him, whether it was water-damaged or not.

Would you consider buying a car on eBay?

-tgriffith

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You’re not a man unless you drive one of these

For as much flack as girly cars catch, at least they’re functional and reliable. Owning them makes sense, because they serve a purpose and are usually quite practical.

Manly cars, though, can be placed in one of two categories: fast or powerful. If a car fits in both, it gives up all practicality and serves only to fuel our flow of testosterone.

Here are some of the “manliest” cars in existence right now:

This one’s for the guys who feel like they need an extra boost of manliness, an extra touch of toughness. Sure, if you own a construction business, you might need one. Odds are, though, men buy these trucks because they feel big and strong in them.

Don’t confuse this with any version of the H2 and especially not with the H3, which borders on girly. The H1 though, as wasteful and as pointless as it is, still creates a sense of masculinity, and I’ve yet to meet a guy who will admit to not wanting one.

Men are simple creatures. If it’s sexy and fast, we’re interested. The Viper is especially desirable because it’s sexy, fast AND hard to get.

Sometimes a guy wants to show he likes speed, power and class. The only reason to buy an M5 is because it goes faster than the neighbor’s 535i.

A throwback to the 60’s here… nothing says “I think I’m cool” than a white T-shirt, blue jeans, sunglasses and a ’69 Goat.

It has 1,001 horsepower. If men didn’t exist, neither would this car.

When a guy thinks about buying a car, he knows that he SHOULD buckle down and buy the Kia minivan. But given the choice, he’ll spring for the H1 every time. Come on, guys, you know I’m right.

What do you think is the ultimate manly car?

-tgriffith

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