Why a Losing 'Wheel of Fortune' Contestant is Getting a New Audi Q3
Alexandra Maloney
· 3 min read
During the 2021 holiday season,
Audi
decided to give a special gift to one lucky “Wheel of Fortune” contestant. When Charlene Rubush of
Nevada
made it to the final puzzle, she thought she had won the grand prize. But, a technicality in the rules of the game cost her a brand new Audi Q3. Luckily, Audi wouldn’t stand for that. 
What happened on 'Wheel of Fortune'?
In December 2021, Charlene Rubush of Nevada earned a total of $16,500 solving puzzles on “Wheel of Fortune.” Her efforts beat out the other contestants and earned her the chance to solve the final puzzle.
In less than the 10 seconds allotted to contestants, Charlene solved the puzzle, which was the phrase, “Choosing The Right Word.” But, according to
CBS News
, despite solving the puzzle, Charlene didn’t become a big winner because of a five-second pause between saying the words “right” and “word.”“You know, this one’s tough because you said all the right words, including the word ‘word’'' said “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak after the incident. “But, as you know, it’s got to be more or less continuous.”
The prize for solving the final puzzle correctly was a brand new 2021 Q3 Audi, which start at a price point around $34,000.
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What did Audi do?
Many “Wheel of Fortune” fans were outraged for Charlene following the incident. Fans said the rule was unfair and the contestant should’ve been awarded the prize. According to
Newsweek
, Jeopardy winner Alex Jacob tweeted, “Come on @ Wheel of Fortune, the woman literally chose the right word. Give her the car.” As it turns out, Audi agreed with Alex and other “Wheel of Fortune” fans. The official Audi Twitter account responded to Alex’s tweet stating, “You’re a winner in our eyes, Charlene. Now, let’s get you a prize. Time to #GiveHerTheQ3.”
Shortly after Audi’s original tweet, Audi tweeted again stating, “There’s no community like the Audi community. With your help, we tracked down Charlene! More to come as we help #GiveHerTheQ3.”
An Audi representative confirmed to Newsweek, in the spirit of the holidays, Audi will be awarding Charlene the brand new 2021 Audi Q3 she missed out on.
About the 2021 Audi Q3
MORE: Safety Over Power: Here Are the 3 Safest Audi Models
Due to Audi’s generosity, Charlene scored a pretty sweet car. The 2021 Audi Q3 has a sleek design, fast engine, and a comfortable interior.
Consumer Reports
rates the car’s acceleration a four out of five, being able to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 7.8 seconds. They also give the transmission a four out of five, and comfort and convenience categories ride, noise, rear seat comfort, and interior fit and finish the same rating. Braking and front seat comfort earned a give out of five.But, the owner satisfaction for the 2021 Audi Q3 is only a one out of five, according to Consumer Reports. Some other lows mentioned are a loud engine, minimal rear visibility, and no heated steering wheel. But, in the case of Charlene who got the car for free, these features shouldn’t hinder her from enjoying her new ride.
