Audi takes enthusiasts to India’s fastest track

German sports car giant Audi recently launched its first of a kind initiative for sports car enthusiasts wherein they will get an opportunity to receive specialised training in the Audi R8 V10 on Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida.

Ammar Alvi has more to tell.

Audi, one of India’s leading luxury car manufacturers, launched its driving experience programme, the Audi sportscar experience (ASE), at the Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida, with high performance sportscars giving enthusiasts the opportunity to understand, drive and receive intensive training in the exceptionally engineered Audi R8 V10.

So what’s in this programme? The experience Racing Division of Audi has planned an attractive format, with dynamic slalom and lap training modules, internationally acclaimed instructors, a fleet of powerful Audi R8 V10 cars and one of the most exciting racing circuits in the world, the Buddh International Circuit.

According to Michael Perschke, Head, Audi India, “The Audi sportscar experience has been developed in line with the Audi brand’s three core value pillars–sportiness, progressiveness and sophistication. Whether it is the cars, the format or the conduct, everything about the program reflects what our brand stands for. These qualities and an exciting format together create a very unique and ideal opportunity for all car enthusiasts out there who have always wanted to dynamically explore sports cars, but never got a chance to do so.”

The experience is divided into two phase programmes–the Audi racetrack experience and Audi racetrack experience advanced. The racetrack experience focuses on sharpening a driver’s skills such as handling, steering, braking and sector training on a race track, under the guidance of an instructor. The sector training is designed to acquaint a driver with all of the racetrack’sparticular features and work out the racing line one bit at a time, before they tackle the entire circuit.

On the other hand, the racetrack experience advanced focuses more on understanding the racing line, over- and under-steering and regularity tests to master the entire race circuit.This exclusive program me promises the ultimate in dynamic performance and fun at the wheel.

The Audi sportscar experience caters to the sporty and the dynamic. Internationally, it is conducted on race tracks at Barcelona, the Nürburgring, the EuroSpeedwayLausitz, the Salzburgring, Dubai and in Spa, Belgium.

Those willing to participate in the programme will have to shell out some good bucks. The Only Experience package is available for Rs 98,000, the Experience plus local shuttle for Rs 1,10,000 and Experience plus local shuttle plus hotel stay for Rs 1,25,000.

As far as the instructors are concerned, Audi India racing talent Aditya Patel, who recently helped his team to a class victory at Nuerburgring, will be one of the instructors on board and said, “With the ASE, Audi has created an unmatched driving experience for car enthusiasts, giving them a chance to get behind the wheel of a very exciting sportscar on a real speedway. I feel this programme will also help in dispelling the myths about viability of a sportscarvis-a-vis Indian market. The Audi R8 V10 epitomises perfection and the ASE will give speed-lovers a chance to experience the Audi R8 V10 and its engineering prowess.”