After four days, 10 states, 2,877 miles, one quart of Castrol Synthetic, one mullet head, and two fantastic BBQ lunches, we coasted into Santa Monica on fumes.
Over the course of the trip, the Audi R8 drank 144.8 gallons of premium gasoline and averaged 19.8 mpg.
At nearly $5 a gallon, you do the math. But I'll tell you this...
It was worth every penny. Everybody should drive a great car across this great country at least once in their lives. If you haven't, make it a priority. You haven't seen America until you've driven through it.
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 9,918 miles
cah11705 says:
03:32 PM, 06/20/08
for a car like that, the gas mileage really isnt bad at all
desmolicious says:
03:52 PM, 06/20/08
You haven't seen America until you've ridden through it on the interesting back roads.
Interstates are for truckers.
vlet2dyrc2mrrw says:
04:43 PM, 06/20/08
Great trip guys, its quite an escape from other events of today... Enjoyed the GTR blog as well. Hopefully You all can do one on an f430 scud. You'll probably need some ear plugs !!!
Norcal new subsciber.
irfan114 says:
05:12 PM, 06/20/08
I really enjoyed reading about your trip and the Audi. Just phenomenal!
cartester16 says:
10:32 PM, 06/20/08
I agree...I've driven across coast-to-coast 6 or 7 times on the interstate (always seemed to be in a rush) and a few times for work (testing cars or transporting test cars) so we stopped in odd places. Then one summer, (as if I didn't drive enough already) I took my then-new Miata AROUND the whole country. Started in Phx to LA to Seattle to Rhode Island to GA back to NoCal then Phx. 5 weeks, 13,000 miles total. It was the best thing I ever did in my life.
estreka says:
11:34 AM, 06/21/08
I've done a few CC trips. Probably the longest I ever did was Montana down to Austin and then over to Alabama. It came out to about 3,700 miles one way. I took my time going down, but I made the return trip in 2 days.
firstwagon says:
11:42 AM, 06/21/08
"for a car like that, the gas mileage really isnt bad at all"
You mean for speeds like that it isn't too bad. For a small 2 seater it's terrible.
Last summer a friend and I did a long trip like that. I averaged 25 mpg is my 4.0L Grand Cherokee and he averaged 21 in his huge 6.0L Suburban.
Just a little perspective.
bemanix88 says:
04:56 PM, 06/21/08
firstwagon:
Yes, but did girls drop their panties for your Jeep and his Suburban?
By the way, why did you take two cars anyways? Don't like your friend much?
firstwagon says:
05:22 PM, 06/21/08
bemanix88
Nope but I'm 45 and hae been married for 18 years. Getting "girls to drop their panties" because of your car is a fantasy for 16 year olds to brag about.
We took two cars because I had myself, my wife and my 2 kids plus a pile of camping gear in the Jeep.
My friend had his wife, 4 kids and a big dog plus an even bigger pile of camping gear in the Sub.
Try that in an R8.
bimmerjay says:
01:51 AM, 06/22/08
The R8 goes 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, hangs on the skidpad for 0.98 g's, blows through the slalom at almost 74 mph, stops from 60 in 103 feet, and tops out at 186 mph. It's largely hand-built and upon completion of assembly is inspected for perfection in mere seconds by a series of 95 lasers; the only system of its kind in the world. And it has a glass engine cover.
Try that in a Suburban or a Grand Cherokee.
estreka says:
06:32 AM, 06/22/08
I think the very idea of a "supercar" is changing and I don't think the R8 qualifies.
[shameless plug]
For a discussive article on the subject, check out my blog.
http://www.carspace.com/blogs/s2k/
[/shameless plug]
hondacura4 says:
04:52 PM, 06/22/08
"Last summer a friend and I did a long trip like that. I averaged 25 mpg is my 4.0L Grand Cherokee and he averaged 21 in his huge 6.0L Suburban."
Im sure the Jeep and Suburban hit triple digit speeds more than a few times while getting that fuel economy.
http://66.160.188.111/roadtests/3014
jriz says:
08:33 AM, 06/23/08
Wow, 19.8 is awesome. I got that in an '09 Honda Pilot driving between L.A. and Las Vegas. Therefore, I feel confident in making the call...
The Audi R8 is better than the Honda Pilot.
enyce says:
08:35 AM, 06/23/08
desmolicious - Damn right. I drove across the north using nothing but twisty backroads. Though it did take me six weeks, it was one of the best driving experiences I've ever had.