Audi to set up customer driving experience

Like the Mercedes driving academy, the base for Audi’s activities will be the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida – where customers will get an opportunity to drive Audi’s entire range of performance offerings right up to the R8 supercar under the supervision of trained instructors.

Instructor roles have been given to former competition drivers Gaurav Dalal, Rohitaaz Kumar, Prithveen Rajan and Scirocco Cup ace Aditya Patel after a recently-concluded testing session at a facility on the outskirts of Chennai. Conducted by Audi Germany, the shootout also saw F2 driver Armaan Ebrahim, Polo Cup 2011 vice-champion Oshan Kothadiya and front-runners Avdumber Hede and Munjal Savla also in contention for the same role.

However, we have been given to understand that outright speed was not the topmost criteria for selection – experience, availability, communication and interpersonal skills being a factor as well. Only fair since the instructors will be expected to help typical Audi customers get up to speed quickly and improve their car control, enabling them to push high-performance machinery closer to its limits. However, the instructor shootout itself was conducted using A4 and A6 sedans.

Audi plans to run this programme for up to 30 days a year – and after VW, Mercedes, Toyota and Caterham joins the list of manufacturers choosing their motorsport and performance lineage to promote itself in India. A more focussed foray into Indian Motorsport is also on the horizon as Audi is planning to run the one-make ‘S4 Cup’ –on the lines of the VW Polo Cup.Being the performance variant of the A4, it would be a perfect billboard to showcase Audi’s high-tech performance pedigree. With the Toyota Etios Cup already confirmed for 2012 – the young Indian racer has never had it better!