Himafagy

Automotive enthusiasts (racing fans in particular) and environmental lobbyists don't always see eye-to-eye. Make that seldom, if ever. But greener motorsports is something over which we can definitely sit down with our compatriots at sister site AutoblogGreen. In fact, we'd go as far to say that it's the one thing that could stand to keep automobile racing relevant in the modern era, and we'll applaud any series, team or supplier that moves the cause forward.

Audi, then, is a particular favorite, for their milestone achievement of fielding the diesel-powered R10 in endurance racing series and events – and winning, sweeping the field, in fact, despite the self-imposed oil-burning handicap. But the boys at Ingolstadt aren't about the rest on their proverbial laurels, they're pushing forward, together with their sponsors over at Shell. They've announced that at next year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, they'll not only be racing on diesel, they'll be racing on biodiesel! Don't expect to see Audi engineers rummaging through the trash bins behind the local greasy-spoon, though. Audi will be using a synthetic derivative of plant-based oil (though we have no idea how something synthetic can be derived from something natural) produced by a subsidiary of team sponsor Shell.

Now that the announcement has been made, it seems such an obvious move, but then, all great developments seem so simple once they're done. Our hats go off to Audi and Shell for this, and we'll be looking forward to Le Mans next year.

[Source: German Car Blog]

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Audi's A3 is a fun and sporty premium hatch that we enjoyed having in the AB garage. The newer S3 version just ups the ante and improves on what makes the A3 an already engaging motoring choice. Now the folks at B & B have kicked things up another notch by massaging that sweet 2.0 TFSI 4-cylinder, taking it from 265 to 306 hp. Not enough? They also offer 324 or 362 hp versions as well. With 362 hp on tap, the B & B S3 should be good for a 0-62 of 4.9 seconds and v-max of 170+ mph.

The higher horsepower numbers come via upsized turbos and computer remapping, as well as a performance exhaust and upgraded intakes. Thanks to sport springs, body roll is further reduced and the car is lowered by 25 mm. An adjustable coilover upgrade is also available from B & B., along with unique 19- or 20-inch wheels covering updated 6-piston brakes to complete the suite of mods. No word on pricing but keep an eye on the B & B website if this sounds as good to you as it does to us. After a day behind the wheel of one of these, you'll probably sleep well in that bed and enjoy breakfast that much more in the morning knowing what's waiting for you in the driveway.

[Source: WorldCarFans]

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And to think, VW/Audi is at the forefront of marketing its
vehicles to LGBT audiences...

In the latest round of assigning sexuality to vehicles, the Audi RS4 has emerged as the "straightest" car around in the "Alternative Car of the Year" poll, conducted by Wheels24, a South African online automotive publication. Funny, we know quite a few gay guys who drive Audis.

Volkswagen made the cut as well, with its Jetta filling in the fourth spot in the poll. Toyota also racked up two placements in the "straight" column, with its Fortuner coming in second place and the Lexus IS250 rounding out the poll in fifth. Dodge's macho ads for the Caliber have also apparently paid off -- the "not cute" Neon replacement came in third.

To the likely disappointment of many Autoblog readers who have dubbed the MINI Cooper the gayest car in the comments section of our site, Wheels24 readers actually think the Peugeot 207 deserves the title instead, with the BMW 3-series coupe serving as the runner up. The Jaguar XK came in third, with the Honda Civic hatch and Alfa Romeo 159 coming in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Most individuals -- gay or straight -- can appreciate a nice rear end, so Wheels24 included that in its poll as well. Cars with the sexiest rear end include as follows:

1. Alfa Brera

2. BMW Z4 Coupe

3. Opel Astra GTC

4. Renault Clio

5. Nissan Tiida

[Source: Wheels24]

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As if Southern California didn't have enough reasons to make the rest of the country jealous, it's also apparently stocked with test mules driving around in the warm California sun. Ryan over at Carster.com spotted a pair of lightly camo'd Audi A5 test mules out and about in SoCal. (You may remember that Ryan was one of the first to score shots of an uncovered Audi R8 testing in the U.S.) One of the pair was sporting 20-inch rims shod with Dunlops and the other more modest 17s wearing Eagle LS tires, which lead Ryan to speculate the drivers were out testing wheels. While the front and rear of the cars are obscured by camo, the sides are virtually untouched and reveal the shape of the car's C-pillar and a nice concavity that runs the length of the A5. It also appears there's a subtle lip spoiler hanging out on the truck lid, as well as LED signals underneath the sideview mirrors. While the shots Ryan took, the rest of which are hosted over at Carster, are excellent, we have to admit the Audi A5 hasn't quite got our blood boiling yet. It seems like an obvious niche for Audi to fill, but we wonder whether Ingolstadt can pull off a coupe like BMW can.


Thanks to Ryan at Carster for the tip!


[Source: Carster}

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