#Audi reliability

[thepotentialof2007]

Audi backing out of F1?

Mark Hughes, providing a little background in MotorSport Magazine, August 2023:

Sauber, in its final season under Alfa Romeo colours, is suffering a rather lacklustre season, way less competitive than last year when it finished sixth in the constructors championship. It is of course in a period of transition, set to become the works Audi team from 2026. But Audi doesn’t own it yet. It owns a minority stake which will be progressively upped until it’s the majority shareholder for ‘26 — and that’s perhaps where the current under-performance is rooted. This isn’t really a team giving the impression of gearing up to become the big entity it’s destined to be. Rather, it’s just carrying on as before, still with only around 600 people, with no big new investments being made yet. It’s ticking over. Ideally, this would be when Audi would be making those big capital investments and recruitments, financing the big expansion ready for the Audi-badged programme to hit the ground running in ‘26. But because Finn Rausing – the Swedish Tetra Laval business billionaire who rescued the team from oblivion a few years ago – is still the owner, that’s not happening.

Radio Le Mans' Midweek Motorsport, October 2023:

Ed Spencer for Total Motorsport, querying Audi in response to the above:

Sauber have denied reports that future owners Audi will pull the plug on planned takeover of the team before its scheduled entry into Formula 1 in 2026 Rumours have circulated that the Audi project might be scrapped, with speculation the company’s board would meet to decide whether to continue their F1 project at an upcoming audit meeting. A Sauber and Audi spokesperson told Total Motorsport.com that the suggestion of an Audi pullout is untrue, and preparations for 2026 are going according to plan.

Transcript of Radio le Mans snippet under the cut

Voice 1: I don't think the EU or anybody else should get involved if I'm honest and actually if Andretti just wait, they'll be able to buy Audi's entry probably at the end of the season when Audi decide to not get into it anyway. Voice 2: That's the third person, the third person today I've heard say that. Voice 1: Well I said that a long time ago, you know I did. I said that on this programme. Voice 2: Genuinely, I've had two other conversations today with exactly the same statements. So there we are, interesting. Apparently, it's not going well from what I've heard. Voice 1: No, what I heard, I'll say again, if you didn't hear it on the programme before, what I heard, they won't do it while the F1 season is under way, but it's under review and if it isn't to continue it will be announced at the cessation of hostilities at the end of the season.

[woodlandenjoyer]

I'm old enough to know better about buying late model german performance luxury cars, but the allure of a ~2016 Audi S8 for ~$30 grand and a $900 APR ECU flash is very strong. An unassuming, luxurious tank that also has 670 horsepower and 700 lb/ft of torque for the price of a new Civic Si?

[audiautobahneng]

Finding the Perfect Fit: Your Guide to Reconditioned & Used Audi Q3 Engines

[noohyah]

8 Speed ZF Transmission Problems: A Comprehensive Guide!

The ZF 8-speed transmission is one of the most advanced and widely used automatic transmissions in the world.  It is found in many vehicles from different manufacturers, such as BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Land Rover, Dodge, Jeep, and more.  However, this transmission is not without its flaws.  Many users have reported various problems with the ZF 8-speed transmission, such as hard shifts, delayed…

[autobahnengineering]

Reliable Rebuilt Audi A4 Engines: Affordable Replacement Options for Your Luxury Vehicle

[enginetrust]

Audi Q3 Engine Options: Expert Advice on Replacement & Rebuilt Engines

[awesome-casuallyfamouscollector]

Tesla just started a price WAR, but the others have no WEAPONS !!!

BestInTESLA

P.S. BYD has the tools to take on Tesla's challenge: BYD Atto 3, BYD Seal, BYD Dolphin and etc., and don't forget about MG's ability to participate in the price war...! 

In addition, the comparison with BMW or Audi in the European car market is not really correct, because a new BMW or new Audi is absolutely not the most typical car used by the average European...! 

The real battle and the fiercest competition will be for the affordable electric car market, not in the premium car segment...Better ask and find out why simple Dacia is doing so well in the car business in Europe... 

In the European car market, the MG4 is currently the most interesting electric hatchback, whose career and operational reliability are worth watching: If MG can provide stable deliveries and the MG4 proves to be reliable, then this electric car has a very good chance of becoming a "killer" of the new and used ICE vehicle market...     

[bubble-dream-inc]

Cod men + what cars they drive

⤷ feat. The 141 + König

a/n: this is v self indulgent and the sources are the voices in my head thanks

CAPT. JOHN PRICE → 1970 Ford Mustang

☆ I can see Price being all about classics and old cars, so it makes sense that he would have a Mustang.

☆ However, if we had to think more british, alternatively i could see him with a Ford Capri, the british equivalent of the Mustangs.

L.T. SIMON "GHOST" RILEY → 2021 Jeep Wrangler

☆ Ghost couldn't care less about what he drives. He doesn't care for car brands, looks, and, let's be honest, my man's a terrible driver.

☆ With that in mind, he decided it would be better to have a sturdy car, for harsh terrains, and something more familiar to what he is used to driving in missions.

SGT. JOHN "SOAP" MACTAVISH → 2017 Honda Civic

☆ I can't justify this one. It's just the vibes. ☆ It might be a basic car, but it's reliable and looks cool, so i think that would be his reasoning. Gaz would laugh at him for it though.

SGT. KYLE "GAZ" GARRICK → Audi A8

☆ Kyle is the youngest of all of them, and we can assume he gets one fat paycheck by being in one of the most elite taskforces in the world. Plus, he's rarely home, so he's got to make his rare driving worth it.

☆ So it's plausible he would blow a big part of his payment on an expensive car, but that's ok because he would look incredibly hot while doing so.

KÖNIG → 2013 Honda Pilot

☆ Listen. It wasn't his first choice. König hates being noticed, so, logically, he doesn't like big cars at all.

☆ However, he was forced to get this one since it was one of the very few cars that he could fit inside comfortably, considering how absurdly tall he is, so he just accepted it and grew fond of it.

[rightshoeonleftfoot]

Marius "Jäger" Streicher headcanons, I may or may not be completely in love with him...

🥃 Jäger is a whisky drinker. It's his drink of choice, no ice needed. He still does drink beer but he'd rather have a glass of whisky than a bottle of beer. (His favourite whiskey is Yellowstone, yes it's absolutely self-indulgent)

🚗 He drives a shitbox. I'm talking like an old ass 80's Buick, or something similar. Though he's definitely partial to German cars (he's a patriot, what can I say), def has a Volkswagen or an Audi. He definitely knows which Audi models are the most reliable. (He drives a Volkswagen Scirocco Mk 2, it's his pride and joy, I don't make the rules)

🎶 Listens to mainly German rock/rock in general. Here's a playlist that I find accurate to my headcanon of his music taste: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/29N16n6eHU6P2hExqaa4xY?si=FFtI6gEKSqW9ZPF36OZINg

🪛 This is based off of canon, but he's 100% a workaholic. His work is his hobby. He literally mentions that spending his time off in the lab is like a dream vacation to him. He feels he needs to be productive all the time, he doesn't really like "relaxing" that much. His time to relax is when he's either learning something new or working.

🖌️ He is insanely good at drawing machinery. He doesn't consider himself to be an artist, but he is really really good at drawing anything mechanical. He draws cars and car engines for fun, he draws his own prototypes and inventions for his patents and blueprints. Expect him to have a notebook full of messy and clean drawings of cars, helicopters, random parts he just felt like drawing. He mainly draws to see things from a different perspective and to learn.

🌯 He doesn't cook for himself often, but when he does it's absolutely delicious. Jäger knows how to cook! He's a banger cook, too. He only has a solid few cookbooks at home that he uses, he always tries something different but it's always from those three books.

[slutforpringles]

hey jaimie, i just saw an AMuS article (saw junaid samodian on twitter post this) about daniel being recommended to other teams? https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/formel-1/red-bull-junioren-talente-hadjar-lindblad-iwasa/

Honestly I wouldn't put too much weight on this article at the moment. I think AMuS (and in particular this journalist) seems to still be putting too much focus and weight on Marko's statements, considering that most reliable reports have reiterated that he no longer has the decision-making power within the team.

The entire premise of the article and how the Red Bull/VCarb seats will be decided seems to be based off of Helmut's statement about the shareholders reasserting that RB is to return to a junior team. And while Bayer/Mekies and others have talked about the importance of continuing to nurture young talent, they've both stated it won't come at the expense of the team's success (both sporting and financial). While I can see them putting one new junior on the team, there's fuck all chance (as this article tries to suggest), that they're going to have two complete rookies at VCarb in 2025.

Plus, given Horner's recent statements on Yuki, and the overwhelming accounts of Yuki just not being considered for a RBR seat, I think it's pretty safe to say that Yuki being Max's teammate in 2025 is pretty unlikely.

I think if Red Bull are shopping anyone around to Audi it's Lawson, and The Race and others have suggested there are ongoing talks between Lawson's management and Audi.

I don't think it makes sense from Red Bull's POV to be shopping Daniel around. If they don't have a seat for him in 2025 they don't have to take up their option on him - so then what do they gain from trying to find him another seat. I also don't really think Daniel would be happy just anywhere on the grid. Honestly I don't think the Wlliiams rumours were as farfetched as some other Daniel fans seem to, even if it was simply a bargaining chip to get RBR to take up the option for next year. Although I do wonder if maybe Daniel has insider info on Newey's next move - in which case Williams with a Merc powerunit and Newey in 2026 could be an interesting proposition for him. I don't think Daniel would want to be at Audi with Key/Seidl, and given the McL experience and the total shitshow that Sauber/Audi seems to be for now I think that's absolutely the right call.

All in all seems a lot more like Marko-fed silly season fanfiction than anything to be concerned about.

[gayferrari]

https://www.tumblr.com/gayferrari/765940868064657408/bortoleto-has-left-mclaren-hello?source=share

WHAT

I'm waiting for the Brazilian side of f1blr to wake up and confirm because the original source was in Portuguese and idk how reliable they are but

it mention him possibly being only available from 2026, though. if it's true, it's a risky but potentially good move for him. He's close to winning the F2 title and he could be hired by Audi without them "borrowing" his contract from Mclaren / potentially having to pay a release fee. Since the F1 Mclaren seats are locked in for the foreseeable future, unfortunately he risks ending up like Drugovich at Aston as a reserve driver with little prospect of making it to the main team. I hope Nando's management agency does right by him

edit: @/formulahs tells me the source is reliable, not infallible but there have been rumours for a while that make the article sound plausible

[yuzukahibiscus]

The shining light that falls, The voice calling for spring

As the Takarazuka Revue celebrates its 110th anniversary, there is Flower Troupe in which you could feel its depths in history and its glamour. As of now, the Top Combi will be retiring soon. 

Yuzuka Rei will be retiring from the Takarazuka Revue in the ongoing performance “Arc en ciel ~ The Rainbow Over Paris”. 

“From the moment I was appointed, the thought of when to retire had always been in my head. In every performance, I have learnt more, and there’s a fulfilment and satisfaction when I can create the performance with everyone, so by the time I am so filled with these emotions, the thought simply crossed my mind, ‘Oh, it’s going to be now’.”

She was appointed [as the Top Star] in November 2019, and her first performance was “DANCE OLYMPIA” in January 2020 which was successfully completed, but continuing on, her grand theatre [Top Star] debut performance “Haikara-san ga Tooru” was scheduled unexpectedly at the timing when the pandemic began. The performance opened after a delay of 4 months [in July 2020], and there were even cancelled performances during the performance run. Thereafter, there had been several times when other performances were suspended, but she said that she felt support in the midst of this difficult coronavirus period.

“This was a time when I always thought of how grateful I am on stage, and what the significance of being on stage was. More than anything, I also strongly felt how great the things I received the audience were. Of course, I felt sorry and regretful that there were things lost and that we couldn’t deliver, but looking back, I recall how this experience has taught me things, made me realised things and I remember the things I received.”

Top Stars have limited opportunities to convey their words directly to the audience in the opening and closing performances, and also in performances resuming after a period of rest. We realised how Yuzuka’s words were not only smart, but overflowing with emotions and we could feel how reliable she was.

“(Those speeches) were what I could give in return to the audience from this Takarazuka life I was fortunate to be in. Even in my position now, there were many times were I didn’t feel as stable, but the feelings I felt from the audience were truly warm and including the upperclassmen who have graduated, the encounters I’ve had with different people proved to me how many I could learn from them, and there were truly many things I have received. So above all, I’d desperately like to turn these feelings into words and convey it to the audience.”

With a glamorous presence that catches the eye, in addition to a modern sense, you should feel a concrete, classical mood encapsulated in the Flower Troupe otokoyaku star.

“I realised I’ve been searching for answers of ‘what is a Flower Troupe otokoyaku’, and ‘how to present the Hanaotoko’ since I was an underclassman. Later, in the Flower Troupe 100th Anniversary show, I got to understand the Flower Troupe tradition again and that character was something that I wanted to cherish the most. And after all, I believe it’s most important that Flower Troupe has an image of this vitality where flowers of various colours sprout and flourish, and an impression of a beautiful garden. Flower Troupe is the oldest troupe among the five troupes of Takarazuka Revue, so I always want to have this pride and responsibility of leading Flower Troupe.”

Beautiful, sophisticated, and sometimes alluring. We ask Yuzuka the source of how her performance can be so captivating.

“Even though underclassmen times are drastically different from now, I believe that the mindset of thinking what I want to do on stage was born there, and since then, rather than going by my feelings, I let my body move along with the music. Dancing to the choreography the dance teacher composed and dancing along to the music, receiving the inspiration from my costumes, the lighting, what I discover from the audience – they all help me create the scenes.

No wonder there were moments when it felt like Yuzuka was controlling the melody and the ambience of the theatre.

“I believe that was the music and the acting, and the “vibe” of people…It’s the same for today’s photoshoot, rather than what I want to do, it’s about creating this ambience between the audience, the relationship between the performers on stage with me, the ambience that I want to create with the cameraman…That is not one point of detail, but rather something that is pouring, overflowing or expanding. Perhaps sometimes I’m the one who is in command of creating things, expanding things, stopping and controlling things, but conversely, I also enjoy the idea of being commanded (with other instructions).”

With her excellent dance skills, she attracts the attention of others in many performances, but in “A Battlefield for the Two of Us” and “Singing Lovebirds” last year, it was impressive how you could feel her acting with not only her words but also in her demeanour.

“In ‘A Battlefield for the Two of Us’, I was happy to play an enthusiastic young man, who wanted to become an adult even though he had not known enough about society and people. Anyone would think a cool role and roles that are leaders are amazing, but I think even the roles that glow with hope and energy also had times when they were rushing forward but bumping into troubles, made mistakes, and gave up. It’s very interesting for me to act these “human sides” of the role. On the other hand, ‘Singing Lovebirds’ was originally adapted from the movie starring Kataoka Chiezō, and (Reisaburou) was a role that was able to be created because he was played by a great star. Even when major events occurred, (Reisaburou) would not be there, and there isn’t a clear portrayal of what kind of person he is, so there may be gaps for the audience to relate to him. But because he is recognised by the audience as the main character of the performance, it is a must to establish his presence in the story, but (his absence) is something that I could not convey to the audience through acting. So I was honestly anxious thinking whether I could play the role myself, and conveying his personality by only using what I can on the space of the stage. At first I was troubled by it, but at the same time I felt this was a new challenge I should take on in light of my upcoming retirement, so I was thankful.”

Even though she said that, there is an air of appeal exuding from her when she wears the kinagashi, and her every word demonstrated how generous (Reisaburou) is and how his unique character was embodied in her, and we could truly feel the presence of not just being the ronin residing in Nagaya, but also the protagonist from her acting.

Yuzuka looks back to her Takarazuka life before retirement. Immediately we hear her reply to us that “it’s interesting”.

“It’s interesting, and I was able to do fully what I really like doing. This shows that I truly love the stage. And, when I was able to do things I couldn’t do, that was happy for me. Because that’s a sense of motiviation for myself, and because I was able to do these things with others, depending on whoever they are, there would be completely different experiences and vibes. Sometimes, it was me being able to resolve things that are troubling me; other times it was how I felt completely different to hearing the same lines from yesterday, all of these give me different feelings. Perhaps nothing is left afterwards, but because those are very important moments to me, that I was able to study and delve deeper into the interpretation and portrayal. And after all, it’s about the encounters with the audience. Times when I felt sincerely happy were when I saw how shining the eyes of the audiences’ were. Sometimes, their applause would feel like words that I could hear. And also, acting is an interesting thing. To perform a role, researching about the country and the period of time of the stage performance was very fun, and I could also learn how others live their life. If there’s an original work, then I could learn about the author’s life, and this goes for other performances (without original works) too. Through the stage, I learnt of the many amazing things in this world.

There are many memorable performances for her, but a shocking one would be 2016’s ‘For the People’.

“The performance is set in the time when America had the civil war between the north and the south. While I researched for the slavery system at that time, I realised my ignorance at this subject. If I didn’t play [my role], I probably would have never known this much, so this was embarrassing but also a precious opportunity to me. Also, it was of great importance that I knew about Fred Astaire when I performed in the performance “Forever Gershwin” in 2013. I was impacted by him in many aspects and it was an encounter that almost felt a meteorite hit me, when I learnt how to entrust my body to the music, dancing with others, wearing the black tails.”

Her last performance as a Top Star is a story taken place at Paris under the Nazist German invasion. She plays a dancer role who keeps the flame of the French revue alive. 

“Koike (Shuuichirou)-sensei writes the script [for my graduation musical], even though he’s busy in projects other than Takarazuka. I’ve worked with Sensei 6 years ago, but the things he taught me were unforgettable to me even till now. I’m interested to know if I can use these 6 years of experience to convey the world Sensei created in my last Takarazuka stage. I’d be happy to challenge that, and I will endevaour my best to perform as the dancer he wrote about.”

She told us that when facing with the Flower Troupe members who performed alongside her, she felt grateful and also proud of them at the same time.

“Up until now, there have been difficulties I wondered whether I would be able to overcome them. But even so, everyone loves the stage from the bottom of their hearts, and in order to deliver a good stage, no matter how difficult those circumstances were, they have been desperately moving forward. Those are very pure selves [of my members], and I am motivated by them every time. Spending this time with these people is my treasure.”

[a-world-with0ut-dr34ms]

Gaz x Reader x Soap

It's not every day Gaz gets to drive fast cars. It's also not every day he gets to race hot strangers on the road either.

Tags: SFW, Some swearing, Fluff, Flirting, Banter, Racing, Three-Way flirting, Random, Innocent, Some Car Lingo, Soap and Gaz sharing a single brain cell, Eventual smut in part two, scarcely proofread

This is just a two-parter one-shot I randomly typed. I like Soap, I like Gaz, and I like speeding. Please enjoy~

WC: 3.5k~

Masterlist

Have you ever gone over 100 miles per hour in a car? And not just any car, but a fast car. One that turns heads when you drive by on the street. The type of car you can hear a few blocks down from inside your living room; a car you know can dust anyone on the road in a race, cops be damned.

Kyle's always dreamed of having a car like that one day, one to bring home and brag to his friends about. Of course, they always thought he let himself get carried away too often by his idle, adrenaline-fueled fancies.

They'd only ever tease, "What'd'ya even need somethin' that fast for?"

"You're just wasting your money."

"It's not like you'll actually get to drive it like you want."

"Why not just get something reliable?"

Gaz has heard every excuse, comment, and suggestion in the book when it comes to cars and his spending habits; none have been quite as effective in persuading him.

Most of his friends could barely drive an automatic, let alone a car with a V8 in it, so it made sense to him why they'd be OK with just some piece of shit daily commuter. Not Kyle though. No, if he could chase the thrill of the adrenaline at work as well as at home then he would, gladly.

He's wanted a fast car ever since he was a kid, growing up on all those old American racing movies his dad would leave on the telly most weekends. Having grown up in the more docile parts of London, however, back then, the only form of 'transportation" he had included his feet, the bus, and maybe his parent's car (if they weren't in a mood).

It always felt like a pipe dream to have a nice car, though the older he gets the more he sees its attainability.

For the past month now, Kyle's had his eye on one car in particular: the classic American muscle -- a Dodge Challenger.

He's heard from the other soldiers (especially the American ones), that that car was as cliché as they came. It's practically one of the first ones everyone mentions when bringing up fast cars, and it's somehow always the first car many young and naïve PFCs get on a 40% interest rate, after getting smooth-talked by the local car dealer.

You get into certain sectors of America and EVERY guy within a 10-mile radius has one. Dodge Challengers were indeed as cliché as they came. But Goddamn, did Gaz want one for himself! Why should he care if everyone already has one? He doesn't yet, and now he feels he can finally join the club.

And the one nice thing about clichés is that it makes them pretty easy to come by. After a few checks, Gaz had finally picked one out that suited his fancies.

A newer model, 2018 around, with pearl white paint and two black stripes running straight down the middle, complete with tinted windows and matching black rims. For weeks he's seen it parked at this dealership, just begging to get bought. And after a few hard-earned paychecks, he could finally put an end to his window shopping and test the real thing.

"You're goin' with the worst option, mate," Soap had felt a need to finally chime in, not back at the barracks, but in the dealership lobby no doubt. The Scot hadn't been as big of a motorhead as Kyle, but he knew enough about cars to carry a conversation. He also needed very little convincing to tag along, as was usually the case. "Why not somethin' fancy like... I dunno, a Lexus or an Audi?"

Gaz gags at even the thought of choosing one of those over this. "No way," he blows raspberries. "All those got nothin' on the Challenger."

"Except speed," Soap adds. "And better gas mileage. Oh, and four doors instead of two-"

"Don't you ride a bike, mate?" Gaz cuts in.

"Ay, this is about you right now," Soap says. "Plus, we already know my bike would smoke you in a race."

"Oh piss off," Gaz gives his comrade a playful shove to his broad shoulder, the two men giggling amongst each other like a pair of school girls. "Ah but man, you wouldn't get it," Gaz shrugs. "You like your jeeps and your motorcycles, but I'll take my cars. Plus I bet you wouldn't even know what to do in a car like this."

"Aye, you're not wrong," Soap sighs. He then crosses his arms and takes another look at the car, seeing all its slick features and designs, the shine to its exhaust, and the way the hood of the car opened up so the engine could peak out. Top speed or not, they definitely liked to doll these things up like peacocks. "I'd probably just crash it if I got behind the wheel."

"At least you can admit it," Kyle chuckles.

Just then, after what had felt like an eternity of waiting, the car salesman rounds the corner of the lobby, already readjusting his suit and pulling out car keys and a clipboard, as he made his way over to the pair with a shark-like smile.

"Sorry for the wait, boys." He stops a few feet short of them, his beady eyes glued to his clipboard before he's let them carry back over to the car. "Now I can only give you up to an hour in it. If you stay local, you can drive it how you want. Just get back here safe and let me know what you're thinking, yeah?"

The salesman dropped the keys in Kyle's palm, and the smile that grew on his face shortly after had been akin to that of a child waking up to a Christmas tree full of presents. In a matter of seconds, he'd finally get to drive his dream car.

"We won't be too long, sir."

It takes a moment for Gaz to take everything in once he's closed the car door behind him -- that new car smell, the coolness of the leather seats, the shine to the dashboard, and the slick feel of the steering wheel against his rough hands.

Had Soap not started laughing at that goofy smile Kyle had on, that hasn't left him since taking the keys, he may have just sat there for the next fifteen minutes just taking in the atmosphere.

Soap takes another generous look at the car's interior, checking the mirrors, the back seats and then the glove box. Admittedly it wasn't every day he found himself in cars as nice as this either (which had no doubt been a reason for his tagging along). Even he can't stop himself from smiling back at the Sergeant.

"You ready?" He asks.

Gaz gives him a sly look. "Hell yeah, I'm ready."

With no further delays, the man brought his finger to the car's start button. It clicks, and they've both now felt the vehicle start to rumble, the roaring sounds of the V8 engine finally firing up.

That low growl purs in his ears like honey. It sounds just like it does in the movies.

Gaz settles his hands against the wheel, just enjoying the feel of it a little longer. After listening to Soap fiddle with the settings (particularly the Bluetooth), Kyle looks over at the Sergeant, a big grin on his face.

"So where to?"

Trees and buildings fly by their windows like someone was fast-forwarding through a slideshow; the music blares on the speakers, but it could barely be heard over the roar of the engine and the chaotic laughter of the two men inside.

It's hard not feeling on top of the world when you're car looks this good on the street.

Both men were completely geeked in their seats by the time they came across their second empty road and the force of the car has all but pushed them back into their seats, darting them down the street like a bat out of hell. The whole time Gaz watches the speedometer climb to new heights he's never seen before, his heart pumping all the blood through his body, making his skin tingle and his eyes wide.

There was just something unexplainable about going fast in a car like this, like you have all this power in your hands, everything in your own control for however long you're behind the wheel. At times, that alone felt better than any rush drugs, alcohol, or even sex could give.

After what felt like thirty minutes of just straight speeding and zipping through the backstreets, eventually Gaz came across a red light that will have them merging back onto the freeway. A good spot to bring his heartrate back down and live in the moment again.

"So," Gaz looks over at Soap, whose eyes have been excitedly bouncing about since he's designated himself as the 'passenger princess' of the vehicle today. "You convinced yet?"

"Maybe," Soap shrugs, purposefully acting nonchalant about it. "It sure is loud."

"That's the best part!"

To further prove his point, Gaz starts to rev the engine, making both men get giddy again just listening to it.

That's when a second car pulls next to the men suddenly, another Dodge Challenger, only this one was pitch black, with tinted windows so dark it barely looked legal. The only reason Gaz and Soap even see them is because they've started to rev their engine next to him.

Gaz looks over, in disbelief at first. Kyle revs his engine another time, as to see if this was true. And then, to his amusement, the black Challenger does the same back.

Now a large smile has formed on his face. He revs his engine again. They rev their engine again.

"You think they wanna race?" Soap asks.

He can only hope.

Gaz looks ahead of himself, watching the red light intensely, continuing to rev his car alongside this new friend he's made on the road.

The light turns green, and Gaz's hands tighten on the steering wheel.

"Only one way to find out."

Gaz brings his boot down on the peddle, feeling the thing damn near hit the floor and the engine scream at him. In the blink of an eye, both cars were zooming down the freeway like a scene straight out of Fast and Furious.

Gaz keeps a close eye on the black Challenger, watching them switch between lanes from his side view mirrors. The car matches his speed, driving right beside him the entire way, and picking up the speed any time he picked up the speed himself. When cars were in the way, you both found your own creative ways around them, and when the lanes cleared once more, you met back beside each other, speeding down the road like a long-lost pair of soulmates.

"This guy's good," Soap comments.

"Yeah, he is."

The black Challenger picks up the speed now, going well over 100 miles an hour at this point, and looking for a real race. One Gaz would happily give them. He takes position behind their car, following them as they tic-tacked through the remainder of the traffic in their way. Once the road cleared, the two floored it.

Their vehicles chase one another down in an elegant line, as the sun sets to the far distance, the birds and planes above passing by as tiny, incomprehensible dots.

After a straight minute of speeding, Gaz could feel the inferiority of his vehicle, watching as the black Challenger slowly sped further and further off, despite the man doing all he could to keep up.

With another batch of cars coming up on the road for them both to zig-zag through, the man knew if he didn't keep up, he'd eventually lose them in the crowd.

Just seeing their headlights grow further away had already started making the Sergeant long to keep this going for just a little longer. This can't end now.

The black Challenger begins to cut through cars, weaving their way through before disappearing behind a group of trucks.

"Hang on to your seatbelt," Gaz warns.

"Aye, aye," Soap straightens himself in his seat, and proceeds to feel the entire weight of his body sink into it as the Sergeant speeds up even more.

He follows the same route as the black Challenger... or he attempts to. The gap they'd previously used quickly became unavailable when the two cars in said lane decided it'd be best to ride each other, rather than let another car pass through.

Having to think fast, Gaz uses his mirrors to look to the other lanes, finding another opening and quickly flipping his turn signal on before merging into the lane. A smart decision it seems. The minute he's entered the lane, he sees a clearing and speeds for it, re-emerging from the traffic and back onto an empty highway.

Only the mystery car was no longer anywhere in sight.

"Aw," Gaz sinks in his seat in defeat. "Did I lose him?"

"Looks like it, mate," Soap gives Gaz a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I'm sure there'll be more though, no?"

"I doubt it..."

With the race retroactively "ended", Gaz feels himself begin to settle down now, attempting to process what just happened. It makes him grin. "That was fun though."

"Hold up," Soap's gaze looks to something behind Gaz, something that makes his smile brighten. "Look."

Gaz turns to look out his window, and as if his prayers had been answered, the black Challenger was driving beside him again. To share their good faith, they even rev their engine again, as to let him know, "I'm still here too."

Gaz admits, seeing the mystery car again definitely got him excited.

The black Challenger drives in front of Gaz now, using their lights to try and signal them to follow. Kyle didn't even need any convincing to do so.

He follows the stranger off the freeway before he's brought them all to a gas station parking lot. A public enough place to dip out on a quick getaway if this doesn't go as expected. Then again, Gaz wasn't so sure what he'd been expecting at all.

Once the cars were parked, both parties remained in their cars for a moment, simply waiting to see who would do something first.

"What'd'ya think they want?" Soap asks.

"Who knows," Gaz shrugs. "I might ask 'em what set up they've got though."

"Priorities-"

A tap at Gaz's window cuts that conversation short, as the Sergeant feel's his heart start to race again. The moment of truth.

He turns to look, and is taken completely aback when he realizes that the black Challenger hadn't been a man at all, but a woman, and a really attractive woman at that. A welcome surprise, to say the least.

If the man didn't know any better, he might have thought you were a celebrity, from how overdressed you looked. Your hair and makeup are all done up something nice, and the dress you had on was giving your curves just a little too much justice, the tight-fitting fabric having shaped over your little form rather nicely.

Soap has to nudge Gaz out of the trance he'd put himself in having taken the whole sight of you in, completely smitten at first sight. He rolls his window down, and you look even prettier without the tint obstructing that little twinkle in your eyes. Eyes that take no shame looking both men up and down in the vehicle.

"That was some nice driving out there," you speak first.

"Was that you driving?" Gaz asks. He knows it's a dumb question, but it's the first thing his mind can process.

"Oh you already know," you say rather confidently. "It's not every day I get to drive him around like that."

"Him?" Gaz asks.

Your eyes go wide for a second, before you realize what he's asking and laugh to yourself. "My car," you say. "I call him Romeo."

"Romeo?" Soap laughs.

Your eyes switch from the innocent brown eyes of Gaz's to the more brazenly blue ones of Soap's. He's been smiling at you since the window rolled down. Admittedly, you'd been too. You weren't expecting to see not one, but two cute guys in a car eager to talk to you.

"That's right," you say. "Romeo. It's got a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"It's definitely memorable," Gaz says. "That's for sure."

Your eyebrow raises with amusement. "You both English?"

"Oi, I'm from Scotland," Soap protests. "This bloke's the Londoner 'ere, eh Garrick?"

"Yeah, sure, 'Londoner'. This guy," Gaz chuckles to himself. "We're from out of town, though, yeah."

"Wow, OK," you put your hands on your hips in astonishment. "You in town for long then?"

"A few weeks, give or take," Gaz says. "Why? You feel like showin' us around some more, love?"

You stand there thinking to yourself for a moment, or rather you purposefully left them both waiting in anticipation for an answer, surely enjoying the way their eyes couldn't help looking you up and down this whole time. When they weren't locked on your smile, they certainly liked to linger below your collarbone (though they both thought they'd been more nonchalant about it than they had been).

Their eyes quickly lift when they've seen you cross your arms over your chest, your eyes glinting playfully.

"I'm not sure you can keep up," you smirk.

Both men laugh now, looking at each other in shared disbelief. This was really happening right now.

"Care to prove me wrong then?" Gaz taunts.

You get this sly look on your face, as though Gaz has no idea what he was getting himself into.

With a half-lidded look about you, you extend your hand out with an open palm, and very clearly say, "Open up your maps and give me your phone."

Soap can't help but laugh at your assertiveness, even as Gaz absent-mindedly obliges. "Bossy lil' thing, aren't ya?"

"No point in wasting time." You take the man's phone and begin putting an address in. Once you've finished you passed the phone back to Gaz, feeling as his fingers gently brushed against yours within this brief exchange. The warmth of your fingers comes as a shock to him, even as he covers it by clearing his throat.

Looking down, he sees you've put in the address to someone's house. Curious.

"Where do you have us headin'?" Gaz asks.

"I was on my way to a party," you say, which would no doubt explain why you were so dressed up now. "A lot of people are gonna be there, so it won't look weird if you come uninvited."

"Sick, OK," Gaz nods. "Party it is then."

You jump for joy, which only makes both men blush at your more girly antics. "Awesome! I guess I'll see you boys there then."

And whether you meant to be cute about it or not, you gave both men the gentlest of waves, and sauntered on back to your car, feeling as both men watched you go. Their eyes couldn't get enough of your backside.

Gaz turns back to Soap. "There's no way this is happening right now."

"Well hold up now," Soap says. "Don't we have to take this back to the dealership? Think we have time?"

Shit, Kyle forgot he hasn't actually bought the damn thing yet.

The responsible part of himself -- the soldier in him conditioned to follow rules and keep discipline -- told him to take the car back and get things sorted out first. It'd be the smartest thing to do...

"Hey, speedracer!"

...But then he hears you revving your engine again, and when he glances over and sees your window already rolled down, just smiling and waving at him like that...

"Race you there!" you say.

Gaz brings his hand back to his shift stick and puts it in reverse, smirking.

"We'll make time."

Author's Note: This is completely random. I was just thinking about how I feel like Gaz gives me car guy vibes. This is slightly self-indulgent as well because I drive a challenger and I live near a base full of soldiers who constantly like to street race, so I thought it'd be a fun little scenario for an x Reader. The next part will be the final part. Stay Tuned~

*Also I am still working on my other WIPs (T^T)

[audiautobahneng]

Reliable and Efficient Audi Q3 Engines: Get the Best Deal

[breadandblankets]

here's a bat assortment as cars I associate them with:

alfred: columbia victoria, old ass car, looks like they just let the horses loose, also early electric car and the first car to be included in a presidential motorcade

bruce: dodge challenger, a gorgeous piece of american muscle that has been thoroughly ruined by cops

kate: ram 2500 diesel, theoretically a reliable truck with a moderate tow capacity, in reality owned by alcoholic dads

babs: subaru outback (i know what you are)

luke: audi r8 idk i always associate audis with fashionable people and tech bros and idk luke fits that overlap to me..... i just found out this is what tony drives in the mcu..... i swear i didn't pick this on purpose

dick: mclaren spider, pretty, sporty, and really fucking maneuverable like if i had to ask for a (street legal) acrobatic car its this one

jason: Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR jkjk Toyota Hilux an excellent truck that will work forever and also is v good for strapping guns onto

cass: dodge viper, insane power plus tiny body equals a car for people who want to kill themselves

steph: 00s Honda Civic, reliable, dependable, will never die, unfortunately created to be intentionally looked over and driven by people who don't fear death

tim: Lamborghini, expensive, pretty, but if you know you know

duke: Volkswagen Thing, yes this is a real car, yes they look like a toy, theyre technically military vehicle so they come modifiable stock, not very comfortable but it doesn't need to be, it gets its job done and it does it Very well, utilitarian and cool as hell

damian: a Buick coupe, they send him a complimentary AARP membership with it not knowing he's 12, it doesn't much matter though, he appreciates the discounts