Autobytel Editors Survive Nature's Deadliest Killer "Sharknado" in Ten Storm-Worthy Rides
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July 18, 2013 Autobytel Editors Survive Nature's Deadliest Killer "Sharknado" in Ten Storm-Worthy Rides Company enthusiasts pick their top cars for riding out violent, shark-ridden storms served up by this summer's Twitter sensation and SyFy thriller IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ahhhh, summer. Time for picnics, swimming, naps in the hammock…and apocalyptic tales of sharks descending from a freak and violent cyclone over Los Angeles. Such is the premise of "Sharknado," the campy, made-for-SyFy summertime cinematic thriller about a tornado that hoists sharks out of the ocean and hurls them onto terrified Los Angeleans. The social media sensation, originally airing on the SyFy channel July 11th, is set to re-air tonight, with talks about a sequel (or possible prequel) under way and with people lining up to Twitter tagline ideas for the second installment. In time for tonight's rebroadcast, the car enthusiasts at Autobytel picked their top ten vehicles to ride out the Sharknado storm. 2003 Hyundai Tiburon In the event of a shark deluge to rival an act of God, stay calm and make like a shark. Enter the Hyundai Tiburon — the Korean automaker's successor to the aptly-named Scoupe coupe, and first attempt at building a shark. Autobytel's editors prefer the second-generation model, which nicked some of its design cues from Ferraris. Sharks are fast. Ferraris are faster. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Mako Shark and Morgan Three-Wheeler (Tie) One step up the chain of conformity for the sake of survival is not only acting like the enemy, but looking like it, as well. In 1963, the team at GM Styling & Design crafted a one-off Mako Shark Concept. Since the Mako Shark never officially made it to production, the closest you can continue to get to procuring a shark is the Morgan Three-Wheeler. Oldsmobile Toronado The first thing that you need to know about the commonalities between the Sharknado and the Oldsmobile Toronado is that there is one: their names are both invented. But if you must attempt to confuse one of the sea's most powerful creatures, the Toronado is not a bad choice. Powered by large V-8 engines, and built to withstand natural disasters of, well, Sharknado caliber, best snap one up before they begin to appreciate on the auction block. Tesla Model S Sharks, regardless of variety, have incredibly acute senses of hearing, which allows them to detect prey prior to swooping in for the kill, so stay quiet with the Tesla Model S. With a 0-60 time of about 4 seconds in the Model S with the highest-output motor, you'll surreptitiously and sneakily outrun the sharks. Audi A8 In pursuit of prey, sharks use their large, side-mounted eyes to supplement their other senses. Bottom-dwelling sharks have an additional aide, in the form of night vision, to help guide them toward lesser, weaker fish. The automotive equivalent of night vision featured in the Audi A8 will give humans a technological advantage in spotting the perturbed creatures at the outbreak of a Sharknado. Toyota Hilux If you're in dire straits, much has been said about the durability and longevity of the world-famous Toyota Hilux pickup truck. The BBC's Top Gear has tried to destroy it, to no avail. In the event of a Sharknado, in which even a Hummer was no match for the gore, the Hilux would be a useful survival tool. Mercedes S-Class In addition to sensing movement when attacking their prey, sharks rely heavily on a keen sense of smell to help identify the source of their next meal. In the event of a Sharknado, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the obvious choice for passing the sniff test, thanks to its built-in Air-Balance system. 1983 Renault Alliance The last time a tornado struck the city of Los Angeles, it was 1983 when Michael Jackson and the Police ruled the airwaves, President Reagan occupied the Oval Office, and Cabbage Patch Kids began to hit the shelves. The Wisconsin-built Alliance was essentially an Americanized Renault 9, but suffered from shoddy build quality and was prone to rust. Thankfully, sharks have a memory span that is all but nonexistent, and will likely also forget that the Alliance existed. Nissan LEAF Tornadoes of all kinds — not just Sharknadoes — are known for wreaking havoc on the power grid, leaving local customers without power for days on end. Thankfully, electric vehicles, like the Nissan LEAF, have the capability to reciprocally provide electric power to your home, thanks to the innovative "Leaf to Home" system. 1960s Lotus Elan Most notable for its leaky roof, propensity for leaking oil and other automotive fluids, and unreliability, at first glance, the original Lotus Elan would be the unlikeliest of choices for a Sharknado. But, with the end of the world potentially upon us, and an unexpectedly clear network of interstate highways and back roads, how better to ride out a post-apocalyptic nightmare than in one of the finest driver's cars of the last century? You'll thank us later. Read the full Autobytel Sharknado feature at http://www.autobytel.com/auto-news/features/riders-of-the-storm-the-10-best- cars-to-survive-a-sharknado-117890/. About Autobytel Inc. Autobytel Inc. (NASDAQ: ABTL), an online leader offering consumer purchase requests, or leads, and marketing resources to car dealers and manufacturers and providing consumers with the information they need to purchase new and used cars, pioneered the automotive Internet when it launched its flagship website, www.autobytel.com, in 1995. Autobytel continues to offer innovative products and services to help consumers buy, and auto dealers and manufacturers sell, more used and new cars. Autobytel has helped tens of millions of automotive consumers research vehicles; connected thousands of dealers nationwide with motivated car buyers; and helped every major automaker market its brand online. Through its flagship website, network of automotive sites and respected online affiliates, Autobytel continues its dedication to innovating the industry's highest quality Internet programs to provide consumers with a comprehensive and positive automotive research and purchasing experience, and auto dealers, dealer groups and auto manufacturers with some of the industry's most productive and cost-effective customer referral and marketing programs. Investors and other interested parties can receive Autobytel news releases and invitations to special events by accessing the online registration form at investor.autobytel.com/alerts.cfm. Autobytel Inc. Media Relations Splash Media Jennifer Lange, 949-916-4820 [email protected] or Autobytel Inc. Investor Relations Curtis DeWalt, Chief Financial Officer 949-437-4694 [email protected] or PondelWilkinson Inc. Roger Pondel/Laurie Berman 310-279-5980 [email protected] Source: Autobytel Inc. News Provided by Acquire Media.