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Watch the Le Mans Audi R8 safety car drift during red flag

With open-wheel, prototype, and GT cars so dependent on keeping their tires warm, European series enlist much higher-performance cars than the family sedans that pace the NASCAR field. That also means their drivers need to know their way around a race track. Yannick Dalmas, the driver of the 24 Hours of Le Mans' Audi R8 safety car, proved that point during heavy rains yesterday. The four-time Le Mans champ and former F1 driver had a bit of a moment during the red flag. We don't know if Dalmas was having a bit of fun or genuinely getting out of trouble on the deluged track, but cameras caught him executing an lurid drift that will probably end up in an Audi commercial in the near future. It's hard to tell what section of the track Dalmas went drifting at – it's pitch black in the video – but based on the downward, right-hand bend, we're guessing it was between Tertre Rouge and the start-finish line, maybe in the Esses. You can see the big moment in the video, which generated plenty of cheers from the red-flagged racers and their pit crews. Stick around for the end of the video for Porsche driver Mark Webber's impressed reaction. Related Video: News Source: TheGamingCouple via YouTube Motorsports Audi Coupe Racing Vehicles Performance Videos circuit de la sarthe

Dieselgate defeats Audi's Le Mans racing dynasty

Referring to what the automotive press has dubbed "Dieselgate", Audi's Chairman of the Board of Management Rupert Stadler announced that Audi is pulling out of the FIA World Endurance Championship by the end of the 2016 season. This means Audi will no longer compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, that doesn't mean Audi is through with competing on the world stage. Instead of fossil-fuel-powered prototype racing, Audi will now "focus on the things that will keep (it) competitive in the years ahead", namely Formula E. Having worked together previously with Audi tuner ABT and component manufacturer Schaeffler in Formula E, the company is now turning Team ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport into a fully factory-backed outfit. Audi's DTM efforts with the RS 5 DTM will remain untouched for the time being, and the company hasn't made a decision yet as to whether its World Rallycross Championship with the Audi S1 EKS RX quattro will continue. Audi has competed in Le Mans prototype racing for 18 years, during which it secured 13 Le Mans wins. Out of 185 races contested by Audi's LMP cars, they racked up an impressive 106 wins. Audi's victory in 2006 was the first with a TDI engine, and the first hybrid-engine win was claimed in 2012. From 2000 to 2008, Audi won nine consecutive American Le Mans Series titles. Related Video: News Source: AudiImage Credit: REUTERS/Regis Duvignau Green Motorsports Audi Green Automakers Diesel Vehicles Electric Racing Vehicles Formula E abt audi le mans schaeffler

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.