What's more fun than driving fast? Driving fast on the race track!
bbbbwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Audi will be releasing the new A4 in the US later this year. To coincide with this, Audi sponsored the "Audi A4 Experience" where we learned the basics of track driving and then did some hot laps on the track.
We got a briefing on racetrack dynamics, on the cars we would be driving and theory about apexing through curves. Useful stuff to know every day you drive. Then we walked through the garage (where they stored a LOT of R8s for a different event) to the race track.
That's a lotta R8s. Does Tony Stark keep his here?
Once we walked out onto the racetrack, we got a safety briefing explaining how to set up the seat, how to drive once we were out there and most importantly, how to get fitted with the mandatory helmets. Hands at 9 and 3 o'clock please.. Then it was time to drive!!
This is how to raise the seat back, this is how to raise the seat
The first two laps were done slow, so everyone could get the hang of playing "follow the leader" at speed and to make sure we were apexing the curves correctly. Then we did the last three laps, progressively increasing speed so that we were doing close to 100 on the straightaways.
Follow tight and fast...
But that wasn't all. After we did our hot laps, we paired up and drove a road course (marked by cones) in the new A4 and three other cars that compete with it in the market place. The Mercedes-Benz C300 AWD, Lexus IS250 AWD and the BMW 328xi are all sedans with all wheel drive and are priced in the high 40s (except the Lexus which was $10k less). Here's my verdict from going through the cones:
Merc: Very disconnected, felt the most comfortable, easy to drive.
Lexus: High center of gravity, softest ride, easiest to set off the anti-lock and the traction control
BMW: Nice and solid and heavy. Could use 50 more horsepower
Audi: Fun to fling around, very entertaining.
After the test drives were done, we were asked to fill out surveys on iPod Touch handhelds. Their computers generating the name badges and processing registration were iMacs. How cool!
...scroll down the screen, choose select then send...
In addition to all the driving, there was some looking to be done. Audi brought their new lineup for door slamming and tire kicking duty. Lots of R8s to drool over...
Lined up all in a row, all in silver!
I'm particularly fond of the A5...
There's more pix to come. It was a nice, hot, fun day at the track. If only BMW would do this kind of promotion out here, I'd drive their cars around the track too!
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