Every now and again a real perk comes along and Simon was very honoured to be invited to be flown by Audi www.audi.co.uk to Berlin, on a chartered plane, to test drive the new A8 - both around town in Berlin and out of the City on the old Russian airfield covering some 3,500 hectares where a new race track had just been finished.
We, about 70 of us, left Manchester on Monday lunch time flying straight into Berlin where we were chauffer driven in the new A8, 4.2 diesels or petrol’s, to the Hyatt in the centre of Berlin. No expense spared there then.
We went to an Audi exclusive restaurant and had a sumptuous dinner in the evening where there was a new A8 on show and we were guided round by the director of this driving experience and the Marketing Director of the UK and their team.
Split in to two groups, and then into pairs, we got up early the following morning to be given ‘our car’ for the day and we chose a 4.2 diesel. I teamed up with an old golfing friend, Paul McAlees, and we drove 90 kilometres out to the ex-Russian base where you can see from the photographs the old bunkers, which are still very much use today, and the old staff buildings which have not been used since the Russians pulled out after the wall was built.
The whole Audi experience was to say the least extraordinarily impressive.
At the test centre we were allowed to drive the new A8 in both 4.2 litre diesel and 4.2 litre petrol formats to show the handling characteristics of the car. We were to drive at speed through a series of cones and driving tests and then to compare them with the opposition. If you look at the photographs you can see the odd Mercedes ’S’ Class and new BMW 7 series thrown in which really were interesting by comparison. Having been a Mercedes man all my life until I bought the Audi I have to say the ‘S’ Class was very good but the least said about the BMW the better.
After lunch we took the new 3 litre onto the track and I have to say it was a revelation. Not only did we think that it was more than quick enough compared to the 4.2 it also handled better due partly to the lower engine weight. We decided that the 4.2 was no longer worth the extra £5000 or so. That would be my choice.
We then drove back to Berlin, taking in the opportunity to go to see the Brandenburg gate (also pictured) before being flown back to Manchester, where we arrived back about half past seven on the following evening.
I have to compliment and commend Audi on all aspects of the trip and the detail they put into the event. If it was a case of showing the car it worked tremendously well, if it was a case of brand building it was exceptional. I think everybody on the trip would recommend a look at the A8 or indeed any other Audi.
It’s probably not the car you thought it was and maybe the brand isn’t either.
When the main man stood up at the dinner and stated that ‘this A8 is the best Audi can do’ he made a very powerful statement and one that I believe they can live up to.
From my world you have to put that statement in the context of where they have come from – their immense heritage. www.auditradition.com.
One thing you need to remember.
Audi commitment to excellence is shown by the following numbers – mostly guessed.
Number of guests from England – 480 (not a large market e.g. 1000 cars a year)
Number of guests therefore Europe – say 5000??? They had been in Berlin non-stop for 7 weeks!
Worldwide – 20,000???
At a cost of say 2000 euros a time?
That’s some driving campaign.
Add into that – there must have been 100 + A8 on show that day. Press cars, directors cars, test cars etc etc. What 1000 pre-production A8??
Well here’s the rub.
At the end of that week when they launched the car worldwide – they crushed them all. Yes that’s right – they crushed them as they had not rolled off the proper production line.
Quite a revelation.
Simon Hope