Audi’s 2015 A3 #TDIChallenge

No blood, but a little sweat and plenty of “gears”.

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - Oct. 18, 2014



Pre ‪#‎TDIChallenge‬ - 2015 Audi A3 TDI at the upscale Parq Hotel - $32,600 to start not including D&H while offering an excellent and very un-Sport Sedan like 31/43 mpgUS city/highway rating.



Albuquerque, NM -- Landing at an airport loaded with hot air balloon enthusiasts provides little in the way of what was about to be put to the test. Whether that was a test of the car or driver, we would know soon enough.



First stop, Audi of Albuquerque to meet with the dealerships Salesperson of the Year, Terry Maness. You can read about the brands public face, the dealerships past, present, and near future plans, plus Terry’s story in the Audi of Albuquerque – Customer Service and Satisfaction at the Forefront front page write-up.



From there, a short drive to a downtown Albuquerque favorite in the form of Lindy’s Diner. I needed a few hours to read the manual and decompress after the 03:30 AM wake-up to catch the first flight out of Milwaukee to Denver and on to Albuquerque with a test drive to Flagstaff following that. It was going to be one heck of a long day...

Albuquerque (ABQ) International Airport





Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta





A 1914 Ingram/Foster Curtiss Pusher biplane within the ABQ International Terminal entry way.

Jay Ingram, a Ford Dealer from Texas met Charles Foster, an exhibition flyer. The two men struck a deal in which Foster would come to Texas to build “aeroplanes” under the new business called the Pioneer Exhibition Company.



That plane? A Curtiss Pusher which cost between $4,500 and $6,000 or $112,500 and $150,000 today!



After a series of successful test flights, Foster and Ingram built four additional planes to fly light aerobatics at county fairs across OK, TX, and AR between 1914 and 1916.



With flight becoming commonplace, fewer contracts lead to just one flyable airplane and closing of the company. Ingram packed up the surviving plane, spare parts and tools into their original crates and stored them. A local aviator and restorer purchase the packed up crates sight unseen from Ingram’s descendants in 1986. Soon afterwards he discovered the entire plane was intact and even got the Roberts engine to run!



In 1987, the rebuilt plane was sold to the Albuquerque Museum and City of Albuquerque Aviation Department. Soon after it became a mainstay at the entry terminal of the growing Albuquerque Airport.



Albuquerque’s Lindy’s Diner



Address: 500 Central Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM



Pre ‪#‎TDIChallenge‬ - First stop for the 2015 Audi A3 TDI is the world famous Lindy's Diner on Route 66 in downtown Albuquerque. The lunch counter and booths are remnants of a bygone era while the numerous automobile signs brings it back to life. The diner survived the Great Depression and has outlived many of its contemporaries along the Mother Road.

2015 Audi A3 TDI at the World Famous Lindy’s Diner on Route 66!

The diner first opened in 1929 as the Coney Island Cafe and was known for its affordable Coney Island hot dogs topped with a thick southwest chili. It continues to serve good American cuisine along with beer and wine at reasonable prices.



Lindy's has been the site of movies and shows since the early 90s. So many in fact that the employees cannot even keep track of them! "Better Call Saul", a Breaking Bad spinoff is currently filming on the street and upstairs!



Needed to stop to skim through the 2015 Audi A3's Owner’s Manual anyway so it may as well be at this famous "diner" on Route 66.

Inside Lindy’s









Want some beer?





I'll take a Burger and a Coke please…





Plus a few fries to go with that burger. ;)

Within the Audi MMI app, there is a car finder. Anyone that remembers the Seinfeld episode where the car was lost might relate.

Audi MMI Car Finder App





A neat addition to the Audi experience.

In addition, within the Audi A3 TDI owner’s manual, there is this plastic time plaque. Not sure what it means in German but I assume it tells others when you will be back to your Audi maybe?

Do you think we could hit the road now? Yeah, that is coming in follow up posts. :)

Audi’s 2015 A3 #TDIChallenge