Buying The Cheapest Audi R8 Proves to Be an Expensive Nightmare

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Automotive YouTubers sometimes make it seem like buying and rebuilding wrecked exotic cars is a dream life, but you don’t always see the hundreds of hours of frustration and hard work that comes along with them. When it comes to failures, many of them are rather honest, especially when it comes to major unexpected hangups that can actually be entertaining for viewers. For this automotive YouTuber, buying the cheapest Heffner Performance twin-turbocharged V8 Audi R8 in the country turned into a total nightmare that’s had us on the edge of our seats.

The cheapest twin-turbo Audi R8

An Audi badge | John Keeble, Getty Images

The wrecked supercar in question was, in fact, the cheapest twin-turbo Audi R8 recently sold in the US market, but it was still pretty expensive for a nonrunning vehicle. The YouTuber, JR, did have the vehicle professionally inspected prior to purchasing but wasn’t aware of just how much of a money pit the vehicle would turn out to be. Part of the issue with the rebuild was initially part of the appeal of the vehicle — although it was only the V8 model, typically frowned upon by Audi R8 owners with the V10 engine, it was supplemented by Heffner Performance twin-turbochargers, making it a fast and fun project car — or, so you might think. But, rebuilding wrecked supercars never really goes as planned.

What all was wrong with this wrecked Audi R8

The Audi R8 was a V8 engine, making it harder to get the parts needed, especially when it came to resolving issues with tuning and the turbocharger system. Cosmetically, the car was in perfect condition, needing almost exclusively mechanical repairs to get it back up and running. As an exotic car, however, it proved to be quite difficult for JR to find a local shop that would be willing to do the necessary repairs on the engine — probably something he should have looked into prior to purchasing the car, but, when it comes to buying wrecked exotics you never really know the extent of the damage until you start taking them apart. All in all, the R8 needed a new engine to be tuned once again by Heffner Performance, as well as miscellaneous other parts that need replacement when a car’s engine is blown.

What is it like to buy and rebuild wrecked exotic cars

Rebuilding wrecked exotic cars and supercars is always a gamble, and while sometimes things turn out OK, sometimes they don’t — and, when YouTubers like Tavarish start to get intimated by a build, you know things are really going south. The market for used and even wrecked versions of these cars is up astronomically this year, meaning it isn’t the right time to buy a wrecked exotic if you’re interested in giving this a shot. While JR is in this vehicle for what it would have been worth to buy it already driving — without the Heffner turbochargers, mind you — it can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars more, so it isn’t always the best plan of action for buying affordable supercars.

RELATED: Keanu Reeves Meets Drunk Automotive YouTuber in This Cringy Tale

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5 of the Most Ridiculous Car Accessories

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Your car’s main purpose is to get you from point A to point B safely. However, it’s a common practice among car owners to accessorize their cars in order to fit their personalities. After all, you spend a lot of time commuting from point A to B in your car, so why make it an extension of your character? It’s a harmless notion, however, some car accessories are downright ridiculous. Here are five of them.

1. Car Lashes

Eyelashes on a Mini Cooper in the town of Poulsbo in Kitsap County, Washington. | (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Eyelash extensions are popular among women as they accentuate the eyes and add a unique look. On a car, however, that’s not really the case. If anything, car lashes don’t make that much sense since the car isn’t a human nor does it technically have a face to accentuate. Of course, to each their own, but the car lash car accessory is a little ridiculous and unnecessary.

2. Neon lights

Neon glows from under a truck during the Spring Break Nationals Glowoff Competition.
Neon glows from under a truck during the Spring Break Nationals Glowoff Competition. | (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Fortunately, the fad of putting neon under glow lights on a car isn’t as popular as it once was. However, there are still plenty of cars driving around with neon lights coming out of the bottom of the car, through the fenders, or even in the car’s interior. Sure, it might look cool at night, but you’re bound to get pulled over and receive a ticket for it.

3. Car Bras

A two-piece car bra on a Chevy Camaro
A two-piece car bra on a Chevy Camaro | Amazon

A car bra, or nose mask, is intended to keep the front of the car safe from rock chips and other types of debris. Putting a bra on your car was actually pretty popular in the 80s and 90s, but 20 years later, it’s not so much. And while a car bra can do much to protect your car, it looks ridiculous and it can also leave a “suntan line” on your car’s paint over time. Since the part of the paint that’s not covered will wear down quicker than the part that is.

4. Lamborghini doors

A Xpeng P7 Wing Limited Edition is on display during the 18th Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition.
A Xpeng P7 Wing Limited Edition is on display during the 18th Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition. | (Photo by Li Zhihao/VCG via Getty Images)

We’ve all seen Lamborghinis and their cool doors that lift up toward the sky instead of pushing outward like a normal one. It’s a cool trick, especially if you happen to park in a tight space, but it’s really only cool on an actual Lamborghini and not a Honda Civic. Just stick to the normal doors, they open that way for a reason, and you won’t have any issues with them down the road.

5. Fake carbon fiber

Wing mirror detail of a Bugatti sports car on display at the Essen Motor Show on December 1, 2017, in Essen, Germany.
Wing mirror detail of a Bugatti sports car on display at the Essen Motor Show on December 1, 2017, in Essen, Germany. | (Photo by Ant Palmer/Getty Images)

Carbon fiber is stronger than different types of metal and is extremely lightweight, which is why race teams and automakers incorporate carbon fiber parts on their cars. However, applying fake carbon accents to your car in order to pass it off as the real deal is ridiculous. It looks tacky and you’re not fooling anyone, plus, you’re technically adding more weight to the car by adding carbon fiber stickers.

To each their own

While the aforementioned accessories might sound ridiculous to us, and others, we understand that there are plenty of drivers that enjoy them. Ultimately, to each their own. But just know that your car might look a little nicer without the fake lashes and neon lights.  

RELATED: What’s the Best Way to Repair Your Car’s Paint?

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“Very Gay Raptor” Built By Ford

by Gabrielle DeSantis

At MotorBiscuit, we strive to be inclusive and PC. That said, it is Ford who has named its special pickup the “Very Gay Ranger Raptor.” It is meant for the Christopher Street Day celebrations in Cologne, Germany. The CSD events celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, with the parade having just taken place yesterday. Of course, the Very Gay Ranger Raptor was one of the parade’s main attractions.

Why did Ford name the Ranger “Very Gay?”

Ford’s “Very Gay Ranger Raptor” pickup | Ford

Cologne is also Ford’s headquarters in Europe, and it has supported the hometown even for years. But discriminatory comments to Ford posts about the CSD required a response. The Very Gay Ranger Raptor is its response. 

Originally meant to be the standard Ford Performance Blue, things changed after someone posted that the color looked “very gay.” So Ford took it back and found a custom shop to paint the gold Alphafoil and rainbow stripes. When it was finished Ford called the pickup Very Gay Raptor.

The Very Gay Raptor took over 60 hours to be transformed

Ford's "Very Gay Ranger Raptor" pickup detail
Ford’s “Very Gay Ranger Raptor” pickup | Ford

Over 30 square meters of the gold film were used for the design. There were over 60 hours put into the makeover message. And this isn’t the first vehicle Ford has applied rainbow stripes to. 

For the 1998 CSD celebrations, Ford created a one-off Ka pickup truck. It added a similar rainbow graphic scheme. This was the first time that Ford had supported the event. So, the GLOBE (Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Employees) at Ford are celebrating 25 years of celebrating diversity in the workplace. 

What is the Christopher Street Day?

Ford's "Very Gay Ranger Raptor" pickup with 1998 Ka pickup
Ford’s “Very Gay Ranger Raptor” with Ka pickup | Ford

The gay pride celebrations began in the US in 1970 after the infamous 1969 Stonewall Inn Riots in New York. Europe’s version called the Christopher Street Day happened in Berlin in 1979. The first LGBT parade in Germany was in 1972. 

Now, most of Germany’s larger cities celebrate CSD. In 2002 Cologne held the Europride festivities which saw 1.2 million people attending. Each city’s CSD celebration takes place on different weekends between June and August. 

In the past Porsche has also supported the CSD with rainbow-colored 911 coupes. And all of Germany’s automakers have supported the CSD in one way or another for the past several years. In all, 46 German cities celebrate these gay pride festivals. In some, street festivals and cultural events last for days or even an entire week. 

RELATED: The 2022 Ford Ranger Has Major Changes Coming

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Can The New Lordstown CEO Save The Company?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Lordstown Motors is an electric vehicle startup. On the 14th of June 2021, CEO Steve Burns resigned among allegations of mismanagement. On the 26th of August 2021, Lordstown named Daniel Ninivaggi as the next Lordstown CEO. After announcing the appointment of the ex-Icahn Enterprises executive, Lordstown’s stock prices shot up 41.4%. Can Ninivaggi restore investor confidence and save Lordstown Motors?

Steve Burns, Founding Lordstown CEO, Faced Allegations of Mismanagement

President Donald Trump and Steve Burns | Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

In March 2021, a Wall Street firm named Hindenburg Research published a tell-all titled “The Lordstown Motors Mirage: Fake Orders, Undisclosed Production Hurdles, And A Prototype Inferno.” The firm alleged that CEO Burns lied about preorders and the company’s capabilities. For example, burns often cited having 100,000 preorders for the Lordstown Endurance electric truck. Hindenburg clarified that many preorders were non-binding letters of intent. In addition, many letters were from shell companies without the means to buy Endurance trucks. To make matters worse, Burns bolstered his total with outdated letters of intent from when he was CEO of the Workhorse Group. 

In the same report, Hindenburg asserted that malfunctions plagued the prototype Endurance trucks. The firm revealed that the first Endurance prototype caught fire on its inaugural test drive. They added that the Lordstown factory did not have a way to manufacture batteries. They even interviewed employees who estimated the truck would not go into production for three or four years.

Previous Lordstown CEO Resigned Amid Plummeting Stock Prices

The Lordstown Motors factory is where GM once operated, in Lordstown, Ohio, on October 16, 2020. The old GM factory has been acquired by Lordstown Motors, an electric truck startup that wants to build a full-size pickup called Endurance. - Workers at the General Motors factory in Lordstown, Ohio, listened when US President Donald Trump said companies would soon be booming. But two years after that 2017 speech, the plant closed. GM's shuttering of the factory was a blow to the Mahoning Valley region of the swing state crucial to the November 3 presidential election, which has dealt with a declining manufacturing industry for decades and, like all parts of the US, is now menaced by the coronavirus. (Photo by MEGAN JELINGER / AFP) (Photo by MEGAN JELINGER/AFP via Getty Images) Can Daniel Ninivaggi, Lordstown CEO Save The Company?
GM gave Steve Burns an abandoned factory in Lordstown, Ohio | MEGAN JELINGER/AFP via Getty Images

On the day Hindenburg Research published its report, Lordstown Motors’ stock dropped 17%. In the wake of the report, the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission opened investigations on Lordstown Motors. In addition, Lordstown Motors launched an internal investigation.

On the 8th of June 2021, Lordstown Motors amended its annual SEC report and came clean. The company admitted that it did not have enough money to begin production of the Endurance truck. On the 14th of June, Steve Burns resigned as CEO of Lordstown Motors.

The Announcement of a New Lordstown CEO

The interior of Lordstown Motors where GM once operated in Lordstown, Ohio, on October 15, 2020. The old GM factory has been acquired by Lordstown Motors, an electric truck startup that wants to build a full-size pickup called Endurance. - Workers at the General Motors factory in Lordstown, Ohio, listened when US President Donald Trump said companies would soon be booming. But two years after that 2017 speech, the plant closed. GM's shuttering of the factory was a blow to the Mahoning Valley region of the swing state crucial to the November 3 presidential election, which has dealt with a declining manufacturing industry for decades and, like all parts of the US, is now menaced by the coronavirus. (Photo by MEGAN JELINGER / AFP) (Photo by MEGAN JELINGER/AFP via Getty Images) Can Daniel Ninivaggi, Lordstown CEO Save The Company?
The empty Lordstown factory | MEGAN JELINGER/AFP via Getty Images

On the 26th of August, Lordstown Motors announced its new CEO: Daniel Ninivaggi. Ninivaggi’s past positions include CEO of Icahn Enterprises, the parent company of several aftermarket suppliers including Pep Boys, Auto Plus, and AAMCO transmissions.

After the announcement, Lordstown Motors’ stock shot up 41.4%. In the end, the company’s stock stabilized and closed out the dat at $6.40 a share.

Ninivaggi told CNBC that his focus as CEO would be investor confidence. He specified, “We do that by delivering on our production plan and getting through all of our testing and certification…We need to get the truck out the door, and deliver performance, and commercialize it.”

How Lordstown CEO Daniel Ninivaggi Can Save The Company

Steve Burns, CEO of Lordstown Motors, unveils their new electric pickup truck Endurance in Lordstown, Ohio, on October 15, 2020. The old GM factory has been acquired by Lordstown Motors, an electric truck startup. - Workers at the General Motors factory in Lordstown, Ohio, listened when US President Donald Trump said companies would soon be booming. But two years after that 2017 speech, the plant closed. GM's shuttering of the factory was a blow to the Mahoning Valley region of the swing state crucial to the November 3 presidential election, which has dealt with a declining manufacturing industry for decades and, like all parts of the US, is now menaced by the coronavirus. (Photo by MEGAN JELINGER / AFP) (Photo by MEGAN JELINGER/AFP via Getty Images) Can Daniel Ninivaggi, Lordstown CEO Save The Company?
A Lordstown factory worker and the Endurance electric pickup | MEGAN JELINGER/AFP via Getty Images

The only problem with Ninivaggi’s plan to “get the truck out the door” is that Lordstown Motors has already admitted to the SEC that it does not have enough money to go into production. In addition, Hindenberg Research revealed the Lordstown plant was unequipped to produce batteries. Employees even expressed concern over Burns’ suppliers for components such as in-wheel hub motors.

Perhaps Ninivaggi can woo a single investor with enough capital to launch Lordstown into the production phase. But if the new CEO wants to restore the confidence of all investors, he must first engineer a capable and reliable prototype of an electric truck.

Lordstown aimed for an Endurance with fewer moving parts than any motor vehicle on the road. Burns promised a fleet operator driving the Endurance for 400,000 miles over eight years would spend less than $20,000 total on electricity and repairs. If Lordstown Motors can engineer and manufacture such a truck, American workers will forgive all of the company’s previous missteps.

RELATED: Alpha Motor WOLF Electric Truck To Debut At Petersen Museum

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