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From YourSITE.com Events Coverage We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. The Essen Motor Show is basically the equivalent to America’s SEMA event in Las Vegas… except it isn’t much like it at all. In essence, this is the trade show for the European market just as SEMA is Stateside. But, Essen goes a bit beyond that in that it also caters to the public, with whole halls dedicated to schlepping parts to car enthusiasts and still others selling prime vintage cars. During public show days, car geeks march around, dragging their salivating tongues behind them. Also unlike SEMA where Audi’s aftermarket presence is more spotty, Essen is critical to both Ingolstadt and its prodigious aftermarket. For this and many other reasons, Essen is a cornerstone in Fourtitude’s annual round of show coverage.
Audi Sport It was Audi Sport that made the biggest PR ripple this year, presenting most of its plans for the 2008 racing season while joined with each of the factory works drivers who plan to race in either the German DTM series or at the wheel of Audi’s venerable R10 during the 2008 season. To summarize, the message from Audi Sport included confirmation of continued participation in the DTM, adding the B8 A4-based “R14” to the multi-car lineup. Several seats remain open as Audi has not yet confirmed the latest additions to the squad, though it did confirm that Vanina Ickx’s departure leaves her seat open for replacement. The message from Audi Sport also confirmed three R10s to compete at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, the diesel prototype’s participation in the European Le Mans Endurance Series and the American Le Mans to some level. And, though it certainly sounded as if this confirmed a full season in America for 2008, sources inside Audi say this wasn’t definite. Certainly Sebring and Petit Le Mans will be contested, though a full-season commitment is still up for debate according to one source.
Audi Accessories Audi’s own division charged with bolt-on or dealer-installed accessories generally uses Essen to display their latest offerings and this year was no different. In-touch with aftermarket trends, an Ibis White TT showed off Audi’s own body kit for non-S-line TTs and black gloss painted accessory alloys. Nearby, a new B8 A4 showed off a body kit with controversial red accents and an aggressive 5-spoke alloy wheel design first spotted at the Frankfurt Auto Show back in September.
quattro GmbH While Audi Accessories handles bolt-on components, it’s the quattro GmbH division that builds tailor-made cars under the Audi Exclusive badge as well as produces special limited-run vehicles like the R8 and the new RS 6.
Several special-build cars included an S5 coupe on 20-inch alloys, a bronzish brown Q7 S-line with custom brown leather interior and an Ibis White R8 with carbon accents and titanium-finished wheels. A new RS 6 was also on display. Aftermarket Beyond the Audi stand, the lineup of European Audi and Lamborghini tuners continues to grow, and their presence has seemingly never been stronger. A short list included:
Abt Sportsline Kempten-based Abt Sportsline has a long history with Audi, not the least of which is capped by the company’s ownership of several dealerships and management of one of Audi Sport’s works DTM race teams. Even still, the company is perhaps best-known for its ongoing line of Volkswagen and Audi tuning lines.
Included in Abt’s display this year was an A5, an R8 and an S5. Abt continues to show a more aggressive and also more polarizing, edgier look for their latest body programs. While once more subdued in their design, these latest offerings from Abt offer a distinctly different flavor far from Audi design that strike a stronger and more definitive Abt-specific look.
BBS Wheels Making the short list of cars on display at BBS, a white A5 S-line featured an as-of-yet unconfirmed new wheel design from the German manufacturer.
MS Design As a regular OE supplier to Audi, Austria’s own MS Design is known for subtle body kits, wheels and more. For Essen, the MS lineup included awhite TT Coupe bedecked with the company’s full exterior package.
Oettinger Germany’s Oettinger brought three Audis to this year’s event, showcasing various body and tuning programs now available from one of the oldest Audi tuning houses. These included the new TT, the B7 A4 program and a modified S3.
Pogea Racing Pogea Racing showed their continued fixation with the TT, this time with its latest offerings for the second-generation car. A coupe and roadster graced their stand, with a wild new body kit design featuring integrated S6 LED lights, Mercedes-S-class-style fender gills and frontal design seemingly inspired by the Porsche tuner Techart all integrated into the look. The final result is radical enough that we're guessing it won’t be for everyone, but it certainly transforms the TT.
PPI One of the larger Audi-centric displays at this year’s event has to be that of PPI. The firm showed off three new offerings, including an aggressive new body conversion for the Q7, the TT and the R8 “Razor”.
We’re told the R8 Razor represents the company’s upcoming Stage II setup, with additional and significantly changed Stage I and Stage III packages also planned. In addition to its three model program debuts, PPI also showed off a new wheel design. The rim design resembles a turbine and features a course brushed finish.
Also on the PPI stand were two modified versions of the childrens’ cars available through the Audi Collection. Each featured custom leather seating, Alcantara swaddled steering wheels and more. As PPI is owned by an American doctor based in Germany, it’s fitting that the two children’s cars were built specifically to be prizes in a charity raffle made to benefit a Frankfurt area children’s hospital.
Rieger German-based Rieger showcased their latest body treatment for Audi’s A5 S-line and S5, The Rieger kit includes a full body kit and their white-on-silver show car also featured Lambo Style Doors.
SKN Tuning This traditionally general tuning firm presented with a particular emphasis on Audi this year, with no less than three of Ingolastadt’s best in their collection. This included a new TT Coupe, an A5 3.0 TDI and a Q7 TDI, each with a comprehensive list of upgrades.
Vredestein Tires It was the Vredestein tire company that displayed two Audis at last month’s SEMA Show, so we’re beginning to see a pattern now at Essen where the company displayed a modified TT roadster and modified RS 4 Avant. As Audi launches more and more prodigiously attractive models, it’s no surprise that the corresponding aftermarket following continues to grow and prosper. Audi’s own display at the Essen event has never been as extensive, Audi tuning houses have never made such a strong showing while non-brand-specific firms like SKN and Vredestein go out of their way to make sure Audi is most prominent in their display. Moreso, there were numbers of other Audis and Lamborghinis on display that join these cars in the accompanying photo gallery. Certainly this was a banner year for Ingolstadt at this aftermarket showcasing event.
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