Most -- probably all -- motorsports fans are also car fanatics, but I have several friends who love cars but just aren't into racing. They find it boring to watch on TV, tedious, or simply not worth their time ("all the heart-pounding excitement of golf combined with the repetition of tennis," as one buddy put it).

I think, perhaps, I should send them this article from Wired's "Autopia" blog, which shows the world's 10 greatest racetracks as seen from space. When you see the tracks from this perspective, the level of daring, skill and technical proficiency required to blast around these tracks at insane speeds for hours at a time becomes quite apparent. 

The McLaren MP4-12C will make its much-anticipated public debut at Goodwood, and yet another advanced prototype will charge up the famous hill in the supercar portion of the event--driven by none other than McLaren Formula One stars Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

They'll be piloting the VP9 validation prototype finished in traditional McLaren orange.

 

I mostly like the new Audi A3 TDI diesel -- I just don’t like it enough to spend an extra $9,000 over the new Volkswagen Golf TDI.

           

In fact, at a tested price of nearly $40,000, Audi’s compact hatchback -- despite returning a stellar 38 mpg in combined city/highway fuel economy during my testing, and 48 mpg when driven gently on the freeway -- struck me as the most hopelessly overpriced car I’ve driven this year. And if a huge diesel groupie like myself can’t get past the price tag, that doesn’t speak well for the Audi’s chances.

 

The Audi’s base price of $30,775, as mentioned, is nearly nine grand over the price for the terrific new VW Golf TDI -- and Volkswagen’s platform for that vehicle is the excellent sixth-generation Golf, while the A3 diesel is built on the aging fifth-generation platform. In other words, the A3 TDI is a lame-duck model, a way to sell a few more A3s until the all-new model arrives next year. And its wrinkles become more apparent the second you drive the Volkswagen TDI diesel, which simply feels newer and more substantial than the Audi, offers the identical 2-liter turbodiesel engine and dual-clutch automated gearbox, and carries the same EPA mileage rating of 30 mpg city/42 mpg highway.

 

As we reported yesterday, Tesla bumped up the number of shares available during its initial public offering by 20 percent before today's sale -- but that wasn't the end of good news for the money-losing maker of premium electric sports cars. The 13.3 million available shares, which were expected to sell for $14 to $16, were bumped up and at the last minute were offered -- then sold -- at a higher price, going for $17 per. That means that Elon Musk's baby netted $13 million more, at $226 million, than the $213 million the company was projected to raise.
 

During its 28-year existence, what this year officially became known as the Dana Point Concours d'Elegance has been hampered by a series of name and residence changes comparable to another local institution, the reality-television show The Real Housewives of Orange County.

If this year's event is any indication, stability and respectability have been achieved. For the last three years, the concours was staged on the rolling fairways of the Monarch Beach Golf Links at the ritzy St. Regis Monarch Beach resort in Dana Point.

 

Over at the Detroit Free Press, Mark Phelan has a nice little eulogy for the Chrysler PT Cruiser, which is slated to end its production run next week.

Despite just 5,452 sales this year, the PT Cruiser was an early hit for Chrysler and proved its staying power: Overall, the quirky sedan has more than 1.3 million in sales since its introduction a decade ago. 

Well, based on the debate in the comments section created by this post, I assume Consumer Reports' new Independence Day-themed piece on the best holiday deals for U.S.-made cars will spark some similar discussion -- especially because they're so literal about the whole thing.

Let's let them explain their criteria:

"In this case, we’re taking the term 'American-made' literally. We’re including only models that are built right here on U.S. soil, whether from a domestic or import manufacturer. (And to keep things simple, we’re not looking at parts content, which is listed on a vehicle’s window sticker.)"

So in this list of the 42 Consumer Reports-recommended vehicles (of the 120 that, according to their standards, are U.S.-built), you'll find several Hondas, as well as an Acura and a Hyundai, but not, say, the Lincoln MKZ (most Lincolns are assembled in Mexico or Canada.)

Still, when it comes to new car deals, a bargain is a bargain. Check out the list after the jump. 

Lotus Cars Ltd. is poised to tap former General Motors Co. product guru Bob Lutz and retired BMW executive Tom Purves to advise the British niche carmaker on a five-year turnaround plan.

Lutz, who left GM as vice chairman two months ago at age 78, has had discussions with Lotus but hasn't received a formal offer, two people familiar with the situation said.

Purves, 61, said in a telephone interview that he “would be happy” to be involved, but his talks with Lotus aren't final.

“The goal is to make a contribution to projects of the future--improving the quality, the product offerings and the operations of the company,” said Purves, who led BMW in North America before becoming CEO of the German automaker's Rolls-Royce unit. “It's exciting, and there is no question it is a great brand and has a good future.”