Audi

Those maximum miles per hour figures that show up on a car speedometer — routinely 100, 150 even 200 mph — are essentially advertising ploys. They make the plodding family runabout seem fast and the sleek roadster appear even faster. But the gauge that tops out at 160 mph on the new Audi A3 turbodiesel is more than a generic marketing tool; it sends a message to buyers.