Car Blog

Audi hosts exclusive celebrity event at the W Hotel South Beach

Hilary Swank, Rob Lowe, Kate Walsh, Jessica Alba, Taylor Lautner and Kellan Lutz

Chad Henne of the Miami Dolphins directs charity donation of $20,000 to Berks County Community Foundation after winning the Audi Efficiency Challenge

Celebrating a number of exciting milestones, Audi of America hosted an exclusive gathering on Friday, February 5, 2010 at the W Hotel in South Beach to kick off Super Bowl weekend. Celebrities and athletes including Jessica Alba, Taylor Lautner, Hilary Swank, Kate Walsh, Kellan Lutz, Lance Bass, Osi Umenyiora (New York Giants), Chad Henne (Miami Dolphins) gathered for the culmination of The Audi Efficiency Challenge. In addition, Audi celebrated its recent award by Green Car Journal naming the Audi A3 TDI the coveted “Green Car of the Year,” and the brand’s 2010 Super Bowl ad, its third consecutive spot in the game after a nearly 20-year hiatus, centered around the eco-friendly A3 TDI.

“We are elated to have a presence during the Super Bowl again this year, as it provides the perfect platform for Audi to show America that one does not have to sacrifice luxury for efficiency,” said Scott Keogh, chief marketing officer, Audi of America. “As you can see from this year’s Super Bowl initiatives – The Audi Efficiency Challenge, this event and of course, our ad – we have brought to life the idea that it is possible to be green and to still uphold the level of luxury that has come to be synonymous with the Audi namesake.”

Celebrity guests arrived in Audi Q7 TDI clean diesel SUV’s, the same vehicles driven during The Audi Efficiency Challenge. Also at the event, Chad Henne of the Miami Dolphins was congratulated for winning the Audi Efficiency Challenge for which Audi donated $20,000 to his favorite charity, the Berks County Community Foundation. Beginning in Herndon, Virginia – Audi of America’s headquarters – and concluding in Miami, Florida, the competition pitted high-profile sports journalists and athletes against one another to see who could achieve the best fuel-efficiency in an Audi Q7 TDI clean diesel SUV. Participants included Bill Simmons from ESPN.com, Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports, New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora and Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne.

Created by San Francisco-based Venables Bell & Partners, the highly anticipated spot highlights the Audi A3 TDI, recently named by Green Car Journal as the 2010 “Green Car of the Year,” beating out such esteemed competitors as the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight to win the coveted award.

Source: Audi of America, Inc.

The Audi S5 provides the best residual values to its owners, more than other luxury sports cars, according to ALG. The Audi brand also ranks among the top 3 luxury brands for predicted residual value for the second consecutive year, the highest amongst German luxury competitors.

ALG’s 11th annual Residual Value Awards, for the 2010 model year, honored the vehicles in each industry segment that ALG predicts will retain the highest percentage of their original price after a three-year period.

ALG determines the award winners after carefully studying the competition in each segment, historical vehicle residual value performance and industry trends. Vehicle quality, production levels relative to demand, and pricing strategies are among the key factors that affect ALG’s residual value forecasts.

“Audi residual values rank amongst the highest in the luxury segment,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. “The recognition from ALG further confirms that owning an Audi is worthwhile for our customers in many ways.”

“We believe Residual Value remains the best metric for evaluating the overall strength of an automotive brand, and we congratulate Audi for the proven success of their brand and S5 model,” said James Clark, General Manager of ALG. “The ALG Residual Value Awards are recognized throughout the industry and by consumers as the mark of a healthy brand; winning this award is a testament to an exceptionally strong product and all of us at ALG are pleased to recognize that accomplishment.”

Source: Audi

The winner of the 6th Annual Design Challenge will be announced Dec. 3rd at the LA Auto Show

As timeless as hanging out at the mall, automobiles have played an important role in young people’s social lives, have acted as a means of self-expression and more importantly a necessary tool for interacting with friends. Today, communication technology is changing how we connect and perhaps even the role the car plays in young people’s lives.

Southern California design studios will envision what a new generation of drivers, raised with cell phones, online communities and webcams will demand from their vehicles in the year 2030.

The design studios for Audi, GM, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota reached 21 years into the future and designed their interpretation of Youthmobile 2030. Designs range from vehicles that incorporate human DNA allowing changes in the shape, color and materials to vehicles that link into a mass transit system where drivers not only share the commute but trade music and compare class schedules.

Entries will be judged by Tom Matano, Director of Industrial Design at San Francisco’s Academy of Art University; Imre Molner, Dean of Detroit’s College for Creative Studies; Stewart Reed, Chair, Transportation Design, Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design and Jason Hill, Principal of Eleven, LLC and Designer of the Aptera electric and plug-in hybrid/electric vehicle.

“Automotive designers have always been fascinated with the next generation of drivers and this year’s Design Challenge has provided them with the opportunity to use their creative talents to revisit the concept of ‘the car’ with new eyes, using the hottest technologies to both explore and fulfill the needs of young people,” said Chuck Pelly, director of Design Los Angeles and partner in The Design Academy, Inc.

Entries in this year’s Youthmobile 2030 Design Challenge include:

Volkswagen/Audi of America Design Center California – The Audi eOra and eSpira are an accessible representation of freedom and coming of age. Like a downhill skier, the eOra carves the roadscape with precision by constantly adapting to the driver’s movements and intentions. Using next generation vehicle control logic, the eSpira takes even the smallest body movements and gestures of the driver into consideration and synchronizes them with the vehicle to result in unmatched agility and responsiveness.

General Motors Advanced Design – The Car Hero turns driving into gaming and challenges the driver’s skills against the car’s autonomous system. Once you enter your destination into the navi app on your smart phone, you can play against the vehicle to “win” complete control over the system and gain access to increasingly outrageous driving scenarios.

Honda Research and Development, North America – Using insight gained from the human genome, the Honda Helix redefines individuality and how a driver connects to his or her vehicle over time. The Helix incorporates human DNA with adaptive polymers that allow changes in the car’s shape, color and materials. Tri-axis movement allows adaptation and reaction to specific environments and traffic patterns.

Mazda R & D of North America – The Mazda Souga is the epitome of personal branding. Young entrepreneurs can create their own vehicles on VMazda, a virtual reality Web site that acts as a design playground. With the help of a virtual design mentor, each car is guaranteed to be affordable, eco-friendly and purely driver-focused.

Nissan Design America - The V2G is Nissan’s eco-neutral commuter car for 2030. Its combination of dynamic styling and quality construction creates a top-of-the-line electric machine that can be modified to fit the needs and desires of its owner.

Toyota’s Calty Design Research – The Toyota LINK is a customizable, mass transit vehicle for students that seamlessly links onto a transportation social network. “LINK SKINZ” can be downloaded to digitally transform the vehicle’s shape into a personalized exterior design while “LINK SPHERES,” wheels made of an electro-conductive material, convert friction into energy that recharges the batteries.

The Design Challenge is part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers’ conference that is held every year during the Los Angeles Auto Show press days, Dec. 2 & 3, 2009. For the last six years a new Design Challenge theme is chosen and the major Southern California Automotive Design Studios battle against each other to showcase their talents and further explore new ideas in automotive design. The Design Los Angeles Conference also gives designers access to design industry leaders and provides the opportunity to address common industry issues.

Source: Los Angeles Auto Show