VAG Division – Volkswagen Group Car Club

New Audi TT RS

Evocative five-cylinder engine from flagship TT is instrumental in creating new downloadable music track

To mark the launch of the new Audi TT RS, and equally importantly to celebrate the distinctly different sound of its evocative new five-cylinder engine, Audi has commissioned a very special music track created entirely from sounds recorded on the move in the new flagship 340PS sports car.

The track captures the many high notes hit by the sonorous new engine, which although at the forefront of technology in the best traditions of Vorsprung durch Technik, has a rich, deep tonal repertoire across its rev range that is reminiscent of the World Rally Championship-winning quattros of the Eighties. Entitled “Die Funf Zylinder“ or “The Five Cylinder”, it was conceived by agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), Audi UK’s advertising partner since 1982, and its composition was the work of musician Neil Barnes, one half of electronic music legends Leftfield, and Nic Rapaccioli, a DJ also involved with the band.

By recording the car performing a multitude of manoeuvres, engineers were able to capture sounds that mirror effects and instruments found in electronic music. The sound of the TT RS engine running at different speeds created the melodic tunes of the track. As a result, the song brings to life the sound of the engine in a dynamic and punchy composition.

The TT RS campaign also features a press advert, art directed to look like an album cover. The execution, currently running in motoring magazines, directs readers to the Audi UK web site and to a mobile site to download the track.

Peter Duffy, Audi UK Head of Marketing said, “Audi is all about innovation through advanced technology. The opportunity to create content that is Vorsprung durch Technik in itself is something we’re very excited about.”

An excerpt from the track is available to listen to free-of-charge via www.audi.co.uk/ttrs, and the full version can be purchased online via iTunes.

Audi UK has enjoyed an exceptionally rapid rise to prominence in the premium sector. In 2000 just over 43,000 Audi models found homes in the UK, and from that point until 2008 the brand has continually broken annual sales records, successfully passing the milestone 100,000 sales mark in 2007 and 2008, when it ended the year with a record 4.7% market share from 100,845 sales. Globally, the brand exceeded 1 million deliveries for the first time in its history in 2008, marking the occasion with its best ever revenue figure and a record profit-before-tax total of 3.177 billion Euros (£2.94 billion) in the process. With its programmes for both road and race cars the brand continues to maintain its dramatic trajectory. On the road it has extended its reach into important new segments with strong offerings such as the A3 Cabriolet, the Q5, the TT RS and the R8 5.2 FSI quattro, and in the near future will break further new ground with the A1 compact hatchback, the Q3 compact SUV and the A5 Sportback five-door coupe. On the race circuit Audi Sport has contested the 2009 Le Mans 24-hour marathon with the R15 TDI – a completely new sports prototype powered by a newly developed ten-cylinder diesel engine.

Audi celebrates 1-2-3-4 victory at the Nürburgring

Commanding triumph for Martin Tomzcyk 
One-two lead for Audi in the DTM 
Markus Winkelhock best driver of a year-old car 
Ingolstadt/Nürburg – By scoring an impressive 1-2-3-4 win at the Nürburgring, Audi re-captured the lead in the DTM at the beginning of the second half of the season. With title defender Timo Scheider (35 points) and Mattias Ekström (34 points), as many as two Audi drivers are ranking at the top of the standings after six of ten rounds. 

The dominating man at the Nürburgring, however, was Martin Tomczyk: The 27-year-old German was in a class by himself throughout the whole weekend. After posting the fastest times in free practice, qualifying and the warm-up, Tomczyk set the pace from the outset in the race as well. With a commanding and flawless drive, he repeated his Nürburgring victory from the year 2007. In total, this was Tomzcyk’s fourth exploit at a DTM race, enabling him to advance to fifth place in the standings. 

“Everything worked out perfectly here straight from the start,” he said. “The pace was right throughout the whole weekend. It was a nice, rather calm race for me – almost like at my victory in 2007 – simply perfect. I want to thank Audi and the Abt team for this fantastic car.” 

Audi’s 1-2-3-4 win was perfected by Timo Scheider and Mattias Ekström as well as Markus Winkelhock as the best driver of a year-old car. Title defender Timo Scheider finishing the race as the runner-up re-captured the lead of the standings. After his fifth consecutive podium finish, Mattias Ekström is just one point behind his teammate and five points ahead of Gary Paffett (Mercedes). 

Ekström collided with Mercedes driver Bruno Spengler on the starting lap and damaged the front of his Audi A4 DTM in the process. Despite the damage he was able afterwards to drive almost the same lap times as his two team-mates in front of him. “After the collision with Bruno (Spengler), my car was a little slower on the straights, but except for that it was okay,” said the Swede. “That was not intentional. I was completely caught by surprise about Bruno braking so early. I’m happy that I was able to continue the race and still finish in third place.”

Right at the beginning of the race and after the first pit stop, Ekström also fought captivating duels with Timo Scheider, which the reigning champion managed to decide in his favour each time. “Of course I’m happy to have re-captured the lead of the standings,” said Scheider. “The duel with Mattias (Ekström) was fair and okay. We’re both fighting for the championship. That means you use your elbows – of course in the case of a teammate not quite as heavily as with other rivals.”

The three Audi A4 DTM cars of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline drove a lonely race in front of 86,000 spectators (throughout the weekend) at the front of the field and thus underscored Audi’s commanding performance at the Nürburgring, which was completed by Markus Winkelhock’s fourth place in the year-old A4 fielded by Audi Sport Team Rosberg.

“That was a really nice quattro victory – albeit without quattro drive – and a superb team performance,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “We were strong throughout the weekend here and now have the 1-2 lead in the championship. That’s a good base for the second half which started here at the Nürburgring. Everyone did a great job. And I’m also very happy that Martin Tomczyk made such an impressive comeback.”

For the other five Audi “factory” drivers, the Nürburgring race was less fortunate. Katherine Legge had to park her Audi A4 DTM after a collision with Gary Paffett in the commotion in the first turn. Tom Kristensen was “turned around” by a rival on the first lap and retired after 13 laps because his car was too heavily damaged on the left-hand side. Mike Rockenfeller, as well, was hit on the starting lap and in the process lost all chances of scoring further points. Oliver Jarvis and Alexandre Prémat (both Audi Sport Team Phoenix) were forced to retire after a team-internal collision on lap seven. 

After a three-week break, the DTM will visit the circuit at Brands Hatch in Great Britain on September 6.