7 Recent Audi Internet Rumors and Urban Legends

1. Audi's Revolutionary New Electric Commercial Trucks

Have you seen the revolutionary Audi electric trucks which are 100x more aerodynamic and efficient than old style tractor trailers? I mean, have you seen them on the internet? Obviously, they aren't on American roads yet, because we are so backwards and all. The white one is totally autonomous and doesn't even need a driver! The black one is made for driving in rougher conditions and tighter quarters, and features an open cockpit for maximum visibility, as well as semi autonomous driving.

Well, they are 100% fake and the blue sky daydreams of two Russian digital artists who have never worked for Audi. These might as well be study hall notebook doodles, that is how likely they are to reach production. Here is what Snopes had to say.

2. Bernie Sanders Buys an Audi R8

Bernie Sanders lives in New England, where it frequently snows, so if he was to fraudulently invest his campaign funds in a supercar, it would be an R8 with Quattro AWD. Unfortunately, there is no proof, just a few lousy photos and lots to be suspect of. To believe this you'd have to think all old white dudes look alike, and also that a 74-year-old would even want a low, hard-to-get-into car like the R8. Now, if pictures appeared to show a white haired gentleman driving a cushy A8 luxury hybrid I might believe it was Bernie, though he strikes me more of a Subaru guy. You can read about this rumor here.

3. Cheetah Races Greyhounds

This recent viral photo at least actually has a real Audi connection; it was a magazine ad for the new S4 in 2000. Unfortunately, all it takes is a little crop, and gullible social media mavens suddenly think people are racing cheetahs vs. greyhounds at the local dog track. Now, it isn't fair to say it never happened, because Snopes turned up at least one example from the 1930s of a cheetah racing on a dog track; unfortunately, no video or photos exist. As expected the cheetah won by a huge margin. Unexpectedly, the cheetah did not eat all the dogs afterwards.

4. The Sheikh's Solid Silver Audi A8

This rumor, and the pictures, have been floating around the internet for more than ten years. The mildly racist email they usually accompany would have you believe a middle eastern sheikh, rich with oil money, had an Audi A8 made with body panels stamped from solid silver, resulting in a much heavier car that needed special tires "as well as all of the Shock Absorber System," whatever that means. How anyone could look at these pictures and not wonder how much it cost to have sheets of silver stamped at the Audi plant, or who the master panel beaters were who can create such a perfect copy, or why you wouldn't just have it all plated, or how hard it is to keep it from tarnishing...

If you think about the Audi A8 though, it becomes readily apparent what you are looking at — some rich person with poor judgement paid to have the aluminum Audi body panels polished to a mirror-like finish, because after all they are aluminum. Special paint was used on the plastic bits to match. Then the whole thing was coated in clear to keep it shiny. The pictures originally came from the website of Motoren Technik Mayer, the company who did the custom work.

5. Facebook Audi R8 Giveaway - Just for Liking a Page!

If you see a post on Facebook from some no name, recently created page promising a chance to win a big ticket item just for liking their page, and reposting it on your wall, you are being scammed. It started with an R8 and has been tried with Range Rovers, Corvettes, and every other expensive car or SUV out there. Here's the official Snopes dope slap if you don't believe me.

6. Elderly Audi Driver Breaks Micheal Vick's Legs

Did you read about how a 76-year-old woman driving an Audi plowed into NFL player Micheal Vick and broke both his legs? Then you read a fake news story!

7. Audi/VW to Race in NASCAR in 2017?

At least this rumor doesn't involve racism, corrupt politicians, or government conspiracies, but it is for the most part pure speculation. It is true that executives from VW discussed building a NASCAR Passat with the officials at NASCAR a few years ago, but did not move forward. If they did, it would be expected the Andretti family would build and field the team, since they already race VWs in Rally Cross. All we really know is that someone made this sweet Audi A6 NASCAR mock up image and posted it online. Perhaps the negotiations broke down when VW suggested they use a W8 engine?

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