Most Expensive and Cheapest Gas Prices around the World

Argh, Gas Prices! Even though gas prices have come down over the past few weeks, let's be honest… it is still “Pain at the Pump” for most drivers out on the road.

High gas prices causes us to do crazy things. Such as carpooling to work with that guy you hate, drinking less with friends, and not buying frivolous items over the Internet. You also generally plan your car trips more carefully. Does the price of gas justify you going to the mall today?

We Americans complain about how bad gas prices are here, but my automotive colleagues in European countries such as the UK feel the pain all the time. I want you to think of how large a quart is for a second. Across the Atlantic they pay for fuel by the liter, which is about the same size as a quart. The average price for a liter of fuel is $2.16 and you need four liters roughly to make a gallon. That means it would cost on average around $8.64 a gallon in the UK… ouch!

The current average price for a gallon of gas in the US, according to the US Energy Information Administration, is $3.56. Don't you love America? 🙂

The simple reality though is that most of us have to drive and use our cars, no matter the price of gas here or in Europe. We are slaves to those posted prices at gas stations. The only way around this would be if you owned a refinery (of course if you owned a refinery you probably are not reading this and if you are, thank you!)

Even though I feel for the British, because they need to pay some ridiculously high gas prices, in some countries it could be worse. While gas prices are crazy high, GDP (Gross Domestic Product) over in the UK is relatively high. According to the World Bank's data it is roughly $35,600 per capita in the UK. That means while yes gas is expensive, incomes somewhat match the high fuel prices.

Where might getting gas be even more painful? If you lived in the African country of Eritrea (Yes, this was a Wikipedia lookup) where GDP is roughly $700 per year, filling your tank would eat-up a huge amount of your income. How much? Roughly 12.12% of an average Eritrean's budget would go to a 10 gallon tank costing on average $84.90 in US dollars. Compared to the UK where it would only be a paltry 0.24% of GDP per year at $94.27 for that same 10 gallon tank, prices don't seem quite as bad.

This lead me to determine that Eritrea is “The Most Expensive Country to Buy Fuel.” While Norway ranks the top of the list according to most rankings, Norwegians also have a very high GDP ($53,300) putting them 5th on my list.

Where would it be least expensive to get gas in the world? According to the British Insurance Agency Staveley Head Venezuela has the cheapest fuel prices in the world. A gallon of gas would cost you on average a paltry 18 cents, meaning 10 gallons would be $1.80. That same amount of money would not even buy half a gallon in the US. In the UK it would not be enough to even move your car 300 feet!

Moral of the story, you better learn some Spanish and move to Venezuela if you want to buy some cheap gas. I can only imagine all the fun Venezuelans have in their cars when they don't need to worry about gas prices. Unfortunately, in most of the world we do.

Countries with the Most Expensive Gas Prices

1. Eritrea – $700 – $84.90 – 12.12%
2. Greece – $27,600 – $87.60 – 0.31%
3. Italy – $30,100 – $88 – 0.29%
4. Britain – $35,600 – $94.27 – 0.24%
5. Norway – $53,300 – $99.04 – 0.18%

Countries with the Cheapest Gas Prices

1. Venezuela $10,700 (GDP) – $1.80 (10 gallons) – 0.01% of annual GDP
2. Bahrain $27,300 – $7.80 – 0.02 %
3. Libya – $14,100 – $5.40 – 0.03%
4. Saudi Arabia – $17,200 – $8.00 – 0.04%
5. Turkmenistan – $6,900 – $7.20 – 0.10% or
6. Qatar – $93,700 – $11.31 – 0.10%

Remember this list according to GDP and gas prices, so it is different than other gas price lists you might see.

What do you think about my gas price list? Think my math is whack? Want to tell me what you think? Please leave a comment below and let me know!

Mini John Cooper Works GP will excite all Mini Fans and Gearheads!

Mini fans, get ready for one of the baddest and sportiest Minis that will ever hit the roads, the new Mini John Cooper Works GP.

What makes the new Mini John Cooper Works GP special? The British premium brand has come up with another car of exceptional design paired with exceptional performance on both the race track and the road.

To be clear when Mini says racetrack, they mean racetrack! The Mini John Cooper Works GP set quite an impressive lap time around the famed Nürburgring’s Nordschleife track in Germany. The time? 8 minutes and 23 seconds, making this one fast Mini! This also means the new version has beaten the lap time set by its predecessor, the Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit, by around 19 seconds.

This is largely due to the performance which underpins this impressive Mini. The John Cooper Works GP features an exclusive powertrain, chassis and aerodynamics technology inspired directly by racing. It also has a twin-scroll turbo engine which generates outstanding torque, displays remarkable elasticity and demonstrates a healthy appetite for high revs. Specially developed, adjustable race suspension channels this superlative output into spectacular yet precisely controllable handling.

Looking at the Mini John Cooper Works GP, it's hard not to get excited by it's aggressive and muscular stance. The design of the body isn't just for looks though, as it gives the ideal aerodynamic balance in extreme driving situations, a key element in delivering precise handling.

John Cooper Mini Works GP special - Rear — Great Looking Butt!

The large front and rear aprons, striking side skirts and a bespoke roof spoiler are complemented by a newly developed rear diffuser which optimizes airflow around the underbody. The interior of the Mini John Cooper Works GP also contributes to the car’s inspirational racing feeling; with the rear seats removed, it focuses unashamedly on the needs of the driver and co-driver.

The “GP” tag on the model title tells you exactly where the extreme sports edition of the compact Mini most tellingly reveals its potential. The GP’s chassis configuration, the effectiveness of its race-spec braking system, the grip offered by its likewise custom racing tires, and its aerodynamic properties have been honed into a high-performance whole on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife circuit, widely considered world’s most difficult race track.

The unadulterated transfer of racing expertise into the everyday driving environment has a long history at Mini; it was this approach that made the Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit the epitome of extreme driving fun in a small car when it was unveiled in 2006. Specific output of 100 kW/136 horsepower per liter of displacement and similarly impressive reserves of racing technology have secured its status as a sought-after collector’s item today.

The world will have to make due with only 2,000 Mini John Cooper Works GP though. A very sad thought indeed as this sounds like one seriously fun car.

Top Gear UK vs. Top Gear USA: Which Top Gear is Better?

If you love cars as much as I do, you inevitably love Top Gear. If you don't know what Top Gear is, I can sum up the the TV show for you like this, “The greatest thing EVER!”

Top Gear shows you what happens when you let loose three crazed automotive journalists and give them an unlimited budget to do what they want with cars. The three hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond get into wacky situations during each episode. They engage in antics such as driving to the North Pole, crossing the English Channel in homemade amphibious vehicles, and trying to prove British Leyland built good cars, just a few situations the three hosts get into during an episode. Top Gear goes boldly where no other TV show goes. It also answers the question of what every man would do if he could remain a kid forever.

Top Gear UK is an immensely popular TV show. I am not the only one who thinks so, as the original British Top Gear has an estimated global audience of 350 million people in 170 different countries every week. (According to Wikipedia!)

Americans like to copy good British TV shows. The Office, American Idol, Survivor, Big Brother, etc. were all British TV shows first. Now you can add Top Gear to that list. The History channel now broadcasts an American version of Top Gear with Rutledge Wood, Adam Ferrara, and Tanner Foust. Top Gear USA follows the same format as the original Top Gear, with the three hosts reviewing cars, getting into crazy situations, having celebrities on the show, etc.

The fact that Top Gear USA is still on TV probably makes diehard fans of the original British version groan with pain. The first time I watched an episode of Top Gear USA I didn't like it. This might be because the hosts are not nearly as witty and entertaining and majority of the segments seem to be carbon copies of the original.

Brits, it seems, are just better at making good TV than “Stupid Americans” as Europeans might call us. It makes we wonder if there will be an Americanized version of Downton Abbey. (At least we make great action movies with lots of explosions!)

I may have my own opinions about Top Gear USA. However, I'd like to hear from my readers on which you prefer.

I have compiled these videos for a heads-up challenge, Top Gear UK vs Top Gear USA. Which do you think is better? Watch the videos and decide for yourself. Leave a comment below and share your opinions.

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