The new trend for the auto industry is to get involved in the Internet. But one automotive company that is sticking with the tried and true is Audi. And the tried and true is auto racing.
And it is working. Scott Keogh, Audi's chief marketing officer, said that the brand's racing successes are helping it to attain record sales in 2007 for its Audi S8, RS 4, and S6. Also, its success on the track has allowed it to charge higher prices for some of its vehicles as well. The upcoming all-new R8, which goes on sale later this year, break six figures with the manual transmission version of the R8 will sell for $110,000 while the automatic transmission will go for $118,000. The company intends to sell only between 200 and 300 R8s this year as well. Apparently, it helps develop a lore for a car when it is exclusive.
Keogh adds that racing has helped Audi develop new technologies and new materials for its cars. Examples include performance diesel engines, FSI direct-injection gasoline, and the development of the sequential manual transmission which have all been possible due to the company's participation in racing.