By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

The CTS-V earned a convincing victory over the RS 4 in this week's Showroom Showdown. In general, style and the horsepower seemed to trump AWD and "German engineering." But my favorite quote was by Tony87: "Even if the Caddy was made in some mexican sweat shop. I'd rather have a burrito than a plate of sauerkraut, and i'm german." According to the UAW, the CTS is built in North America. Stay tuned for another match up next week.

By John Coyle

Editor

The trailers for Iron Man look awesome, and with Robert Downey Jr. in the lead, I'm confident the big screen adaptation will deliver the goods. But as it turns out, the stunt team had a lot more trouble with some of the car shoots than they anticipated. In the clip below, the storyboard called for the R8 to flip, but like a stubborn puppy, Audi's halo car just didn't want to roll over. And when they tried use mechanical claws rip the roof open like a tin can? You guessed it. The German steel just wouldn't cooperate. In another scene, a Q7 was supposed to come skidding to a halt, and as you can imagine, the Audi's anti-lock brakes kept bringing the crossover to a nice, controlled stop. Apparently, German engineering doesn't dig drama. Enjoy the clips.

By Rob

Editor-in-Chief

GM really stepped up to the plate with 2009 Cadillac CTS-V. I mean, come on, 550 hp!!! It seems to be aimed squarely at the BMW M5, but will be priced a lot lower--probably in the mid-$60k range. I had to look around a bit for a worthy challenger in that price range, and finally (with Sean's help) came up with the Audi RS 4. Now, the Audi only delivers 420 hp, but you get AWD and "German engineering." So, which would you choose, the Caddy or the Audi?

By John Coyle

Editor

Like a lot companies, CarDomain runs its servers on Linux. And while that OS is still a little above my head—I'm just happy I can use my iPod—I thought it was interesting to see it's the system of choice for F1 teams. How long will it be before it's practical for regular users? Anyway, here's the news:

• Stop the presses! It looks like RENNtech has made a brake rotor big enough to handle a hi-riser! At 16.2 inches, it's more than half the size of a pair of "30s, so being donkalicious no longer means having to coast to a stop. Jalopnik
• Hillary Clinton and John McCain want to give consumers a break from the gas tax this summer, and while it sounds nice, it basically means they both think you're dumber than you look. Carpetbagger Report
• Honda is probably the most boring company in the world, but guess what? America loves boring! Last month, the Accord was the best selling vehicle in the States, and this April isn't looking bad for it either. Auto Observer
• If you have a few grand to spare and want to get a feel for what Audi's burly new 420 horsepower R8 can do, you might want to check out Audi's "driving camp" in Cali. Hey, burning rubber beats the hell out of weaving baskets. AutoWeek
• Volvo has built its reputation on safety, so it can't be happy about having to recall 65,000 cars. The problem? A software glitch is delaying the deployment of side-impact airbags. This is one situation where late really isn't much better than never. CarScoop

By John Coyle

Editor

Seattle is supposed to have clear weather for the weekend. That almost makes me not want to spend so much time inside drinking. Almost. Anyway, here's the news:

• Toyota was once poised for total global domination, but the Tundra hasn't really delivered, and for the last two months, Ford has outsold the Japanese heavyweight. This could get interesting. Auto Observer
• Audi is going to be the official car for this year's Isle of Man TT race. Notice they aren't calling it a "safety car." There's nothing safe about this incredible event. World Car Fans
• American Axle is telling it's suppliers to be ready to rock, but it's unclear as to whether we'll see an end to the strike or replacement workers hitting the line. Will this ever end? Automotive News
• In other news, the General is facing a revolt from some of its troops. Two factories are ready to strike, and since one makes the Malibu, it's making things pretty tense. Freep

By Evan

NWSilverado

When Group B cars were at their best, this Audi Quattro was the car to beat! Group B only lasted 4 years, but it was said that when these cars went rallying, it left Formula 1 fans with nothing to look forward to. Just imagine a 600 hp rally car and you'll have some idea of what I'm talking about: it was as if the team engineers were given free reign to build the baddest fire-breathing monster they could come up with, and then just throw it out on the rally course. It'd be a real treat to own something like this Group B Audi replica, but it sure would be a handful on the track. Take a look!

By Chris Diken

ForbesAutos

Audi let us drive its ground-skimming $3 million R8 TDI Le Mans concept car in Manhattan during the New York Auto Show. The main difference between the R8 TDI Le Mans concept and the standard R8 is its V12 diesel engine in place of the regular V8. There's only one of these experimental vehicles in the world, so it was our responsibility not to turn that number into zero by getting into a head-on collision with a cab or hitting one of Manhattan's Grand-Canyon-sized potholes. As it turns out, both we and the R8 TDI Le Mans survived the experience, and the nervous Audi engineer riding shotgun even cracked a few smiles. Read our full test drive of the Audi R8 TDI Le Mans here. And check out a slideshow featuring New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady warming up the seat for us the night before we drove it. Thanks, Tom!

By John Coyle

Editor

This is a clip from Jeremy Clarkson's Supercar Showdown, where the Stig, driving a 997 GT3, is pitted against Sabine Schmitz, behind the wheel of Audi's R8. Schmitz is know for driving the  M5 "ring taxi" around Germany's famed Nürburgring track, and in this segment, she makes the Top Gear ace earn his money. Unlike most of battles showcased on the TV show, the two drivers actually race each other—not just the clock—and the result is beyond awesome. Enjoy.

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

Audi has been making waves with its diesel-powered Le Mans cars, which made history with a first-ever major motorsports victory for a diesel at the 2006 12 Hours of Sebring race. Now, as Road & Track suggests, the chance of Audi's big-diesel performance making its way into the US market are greater than ever. The June '08 issue will contain an exclusive road test report and extensive technical breakdown of Audi's new diesel V12-powered R8 TDI Le Mans—we're stoked! Click on the pic to check out a slideshow and video of the new ride.

By John Coyle

Editor

This morning, when my alarm went off, I briefly thought it was Saturday. Don't you hate it when that happens? Here's the news: 

• The General is going to start road testing the Volt's new battery packs in June. Since its already flashed pictures of the concept everywhere, I wonder if it'll leave all the ugly body cladding at home. Regardless, I can't wait to see some pics of this baby in the wild. Automotive News
• Audi's mighty diesels have won the last eight years at the 12 Hours of Sebring, and its chances this years don't look bad either. Allan McNish and his R10 have the pole for Saturday's race. Auto Observer
• Ford and GM stocks hit historic lows today, but the bright side is that, well, I guess there is no bright side. The funny thing? No one was blaming the new CAFE standards. Freep
• General Motors has just recalled 200,000 Buick Regals and Pontiac Grand Prixs because an oil leak can cause the cars to catch fire when parked. Curiously, there's no explanation for why the oil is leaking. Detroit News

By John Coyle

Editor

The Vatican has proposed adding polluting the earth to the list of the seven deadly sins. That's cool and all, but my favorites are still lust, gluttony and sloth. Here's the news:

• Though it's been going on for weeks, and has affected 29 of its plants, GM is staying out of the strike at American Axle. Given that the only products the strike is affecting are trucks and SUVs—products which GM is flush with—this might actually be good for the General. At least for a while. Auto Observer
• Audi is the latest European automaker to consider bringing production to the US. All this "coming to America" business is starting to make me nervous. After all, companies aren't moving here because they think the dollar is going to get stronger. Auto Week
• BMW has just completed a study on the feasibility of launching a micro car for the Indian market. No word on what the verdict was, but the report did say that production should be based in the United States to save money. Kidding. World Car Fans
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that in 2005, 1% of traffic accidents occurred after the person behind the wheel became incapacitated. So what's the right thing to do in this situation? The California Highway Patrol has some ideas. LA Times

By John Coyle

Editor

Between all the racing on the tube this weekend—two NASCAR races, MotoGP in Qatar—I didn't spend as much time as I wanted to outside. But I still managed to work in a pretty sweet bicycle crash. Anyway, here's the news:

• There's still no been no movement in the negotiations between the management and workers at American Axle, and GM is saying 29 of its plants have been affected. That translates to over 18,000 less cars produced every week, not to mention the hardship the workers and their families have to be feeling. Ouch. Auto Observer
• The Solstice Targa is good looking enough to stop traffic. But are the drop-top models already on the road able to stop themselves? The Feds are getting curious. Automotive News
• Audi hasn't decided whether or not to race in the 2008 American Le Mans Series yet, as the company is still waiting to hear the verdict on a rule change it has been petitioning for. Auto Week
• Looks like Porsche doesn't actually want to drink VW's milkshake after all. The company just released a statement saying rumors of a takeover are "speculation." Is that the end of the story? World Car Fans