Select Audi R8 dealers in Northern California have been asked to submit recommendations to Audi of America re: good prospects for the upcoming MY2014 R8. Audi is reviewing these names and will ultimately select those they will invite to this space-limited 'Lead Performance Event' at Infineon Raceway! I really don't know how many 'Lead Performance Events' Audi will hold in Sonoma this April or if they plan to do a 'Roadshow' across America to promote the revised MY2014 R8! But lucky for me, I was the 'candidate' of my local 'Audi Monterey Peninsula' <http://www.montereyaudi.com/index.htm> for an event to be held in Sonoma on April 11-12, 2013! Special thanks go to Davin Sanford, Internet Manager <dsanford@cardinaleway.com>, who is an enthusiastic & energetic sales associate! He has always been very helpful re: R8 matters and I will continue to refer him business!

Here was the invitation which arrived via email this afternoon:

"Lead Performance Event

To prepare for the launch of the race-engineered 2014 Audi R8, Audi of America invites you to join this mythical supercar in a lead performance during two days spent beyond the hills of San Francisco and on the track at Sonoma Raceway.

You and a guest will receive:

+ One night of accommodations at The Carneros Inn in Napa
+ Dinner during a VIP reception
+ Breakfast at FARM restaurant at The Carneros Inn
+ Transfers to Sonoma Raceway
+ Instruction and track time with the 2014 Audi R8 and other Audi performance models

This is an exclusive opportunity to test your mettle behind the wheels of the Audi R8 V8 and V10 in their natural environment before they arrive at American dealerships. From the new seven-speed, dual-clutch S tronic® transmission that balances controlled agility with unbridled power, to redesigned LED headlights and taillights and other optimizations worthy of the red rhombus, you'll be immersed in the nuances that define the 2014 R8 and all-things Audi Sport.

The R8 Lead Performance event will take place April 11–12, 2013, and you are encouraged to register as soon as possible in order to best plan for this unforgettable experience."

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This is a very good idea from Audi of America and I commend them for the effort! It will not be inexpensive for them - they are doing this as 'complimentary' for their prospects & guests! Hopefully it will create the 'buzz' needed for the revised MY2014 R8 to be successful in this competitive US marketplace! I expect I will meet other Teamspeed members at the event and will post photos here afterwards!

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

 

Just got back from this two day event. My wife and I arrived Thursday at the Carneros Inn in Sonoma, a very nice facility where Audi hosts folks invited by them to participate at track events at the near by Sonoma Raceway. At 7 pm, our group of 26 or so where bused to a lovely dinner at the El Dorado Kitchen at in Sonoma proper. The host for the dinner was Alan Cruciani, Regional Marketing Manager for Western US. This was the official kick start for the intro to the revised MY2014 R8. Not surprisingly, Audi released pricing that very day on it's US R8 models!

The next morning we were bused to Sears Point - Sonoma Raceway. We were first taken to Audi's permanent welcome center at that facility which hosts it's 'Audi Sportscar Experience' in the US. We could see over 25 of the MY2014 R8's ready to go, some in the autocross parking area and the rest on the track. Essentially, out driving experience for the day was an abbreviated 'Sportscar' day - car control exercises at the track & autocross parking field and then 'follow-the-instructor' track laps at increasing speeds. After a very nice lunch, we were allowed to take various other Audi models for a test drive on the roads of Sonoma. I drove a RS5 and a very comfortable S8! The event ended for us around 4 pm. We returned to the Carneros Inn and cooled down by the pool until 6 pm. Then we headed back home to Carmel!

All the R8's in attendance were the new S-Tronic transmission vehicles. There was a mix of v8's and v10's. There were even two Spyders in the mix. These many R8's at Sonoma is unusual. The normal retinue of R8's at the school is usually much less. The reason for these many cars was that Audi was also having dealer reps from many countries coming to Sonoma Raceway to be introduced to the revised model. While we were there a large contingent of Japanese Audi dealers were present, although they were never mixed with our group.

Audi brought several heavy hitters from Germany & elsewhere for these R8 presentations. Chief among them was Stephan Reil, head of Technology Development at Quattro GmbH. Also present was Klaus Demel, Head of Audi Driving Experience (worldwide) based in Ingolstadt and Mark Fruechtnicht, Product Manager for A & B segments based in Herndon, Va.

I had an extensive conversation with Stephan Reil about the revised R8 and related topics. Here are the highlights:

1) Do not expect the 'new' R8 model for at least 3/4 years. So this revised R8 .2 version should be with us for at least MY2015 and MY2016!

2) That 'new' R8 will be evolutionary design and everyone will recognized it as an R8 because of its resemblance to the current model.

3) The reason Audi's latest technology (e.g. navigation) is not present in revised R8 is because it requires total redo of wiring, etc which can only be done with next model, not revised current platform.

4) Audi will introduced a 'sport bucket seat' with airbags (which would be certified & homologated on its US R8's) on next R8 model), so don't expect to see them until then!

5) R8 does not offer torque vectoring because it's not needed in a mid-engine platform as an R8.

6) They are studying whether or not to offer a .2 version of the R8 gt in the next few years before the new model arrives. He doesn't want to pissed off the customers that bought the .1 version, which was a limited run of 300+ cars. But he didn't completely shut the door on it either. I could see them offering a .2 version of this car, perhaps offering current gt owners an opportunity to get one on a preferential basis. But this is my own thoughts, not those of Stephan.

7) I told him that our Audi instructors had asked us to use S-Tronic in Manual form and not Automatic with Sport. In a Porsche, instructors recommend PDK in Sport Plus and not worry about manually shifting while on the track. He told me that he recommends Manual operation of the S-Tronic on the track.

8) Almost all R8's at the event had the optional Ceramic brakes. There only two or three with the new 'wave' design steel rotors. Stephan explained it was done to save weight and the idea came from motorcycles brakes that have found them very effective. Apparently saves around 9 pounds on a car, but it's all unsprung weight!

9) Another R8 owner present asked Stephan about the ESP off button. Reil said that the first push of 'off' button allows a wider latitude for the stability and traction controls. So you are able to drift a bit without the nannies taking back control. But if you hold the button down for over 3 seconds, you turn off both traction control and stability control off. And unlike in a Porsche, BMW or my Mini JCW, the nannies are truly off until (I think) you turn off the car. It doesn't come back on if the computers senses 'something' is going wrong. You are, from that point forward, on your 'own'! This is done to accommodate the advanced skills of drivers, some of which use left foot braking to modulate attitude on turns, etc. Word of caution, don't press the 'off' button for more than 3 seconds unless you have near professional levels of driving skills!

The general consensus of folks familiar with the R-Tronics in our group was that the S-Tronic was terrific. I found it perfectly fine...for track application. I am a committed manual transmission enthusiast and S-Tronic didn't changed my mind. What it became very clear from the talks was how expensive and how much effort it took for Audi to adapt the R8 to dual clutch transmission. It was developed in-house, not any transmission specialist company, because it had to be adapted specifically to the R8! Development started in 2006 and it was finished around 2011. It helps explains the incredible high cost of S-Tronic as an option for MY2014.

I drove both v8's and v10's at the track. I prefer the balance of the v8, its lesser weight and its overall demeanor! So I am very happy with the decision I recently made to purchase a 2011 v8 Manual Spyder! I will also post photos of some of the new interior & exterior 'details' I noticed on the revised R8's on my next post!

Again, I want to thank Davin Sanford, Internet Manager <dsanford@cardinaleway.com> for getting me invited to this great event!

Saludos,
Eduardo

 

I'm so jealous of you right now!! LOL!!!!

 

Did you get to drive #24? Now that would've made the trip so worthwhile!

I am so underwhelmed by the 2014 R8 Plus', if I still had my old R8, I most likely wouldn't consider trading up for one. I bet the R8 GTs will indeed hold better value now =)

 

very cool. thanks for sharing.