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From YourSITE.com Events Coverage In many ways, the Essen Motor Show is much like SEMA. The main focus is, of course, the aftermarket with a heavy emphasis on the European tuning firms, wheel companies and parts sellers. Like SEMA, there is spotty support from European car manufacturers, though the Volkswagen Group and Audi include it on their annual calendars. Unlike SEMA though, Essen is open to the public on all but one media day and enthusiasts from around Germany, Europe and the world flock here to ogle the latest tuned cars and even buy new and used parts. Considering the scope and the subject matter, Essen has its own distinct feel that’s really quite its own.
There is one more parallel between the two aftermarket shows that was evident this year. The lagging world economy did markedly dampen the amount of vendors displaying and slightly weighed against attendance. Notables like KW Suspensions and Audi tuning house Oettinger are usually regulars here, though both were absent in 2008. Like the rest of its corporate siblings, Audi uses Essen to showcase a different side of the company. Unlike most motor shows where a color-coordinated sampling of Audi’s latest models is the norm, the stand at Essen takes on three major directives.
Making the biggest headlines, Essen is where Audi Sport usually rolls out new racecars or makes announcements for its intents in the upcoming season. Both were part of the 2008 agenda, with the debut of the R8 LMS GT3-spec racecar Audi plans for a marque-specific series that will support the European Le Mans Series in 2009. Audi also confirmed there will be a successor to the R10 TDI at Sebring and Le Mans next year dubbed the Audi R15 TDI. The latter will be diesel and open-topped, but few other details were shared by Audi Sport boss Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. That Audi has won both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the DTM title this year wasn’t lost either - both winning racecars were part of the Audi stand.
With the show focus on the aftermarket, it’s no surprise that simply factory Audi models might go unnoticed. Instead, production Audis on the stand are mostly Audi Exclusive painted and personalized versions by Audi’s in-house tailor-service quattro GmbH. These individualized Audis included a red RS 6 sedan with titanium exterior pack and red-stitched alcantara interior and a vibrant green S3 with titanium pack and green-accented interior,
Last for Audi AG, Essen also plays an important role for the company’s the in-house accessories division. Cars outfitted with the latest parts and upgrades available over Audi dealer partscounters mark the final theme of the corporate display. Amongst racks of new wheel designs, baby seats and the motorized Auto Union silver arrow child’s car, we also found a new body kit for the facelifted A3 Sportback, an orange TT Coupe with the accessory body kit, an A5 2.0T with 20-inch wheels and Audi Exclusive interior, a Q5 S-line and the all-new S4 sedan.
As mentioned, Essen is a major event for the traditional European tuning houses as well. While mainstay Oettinger sat this one out, others like Abt Sportsline and PPI were there in force. Abt Sportsline’s focus this year was Audi’s new Q5, and the Kempten-based dealer/tuner firm had a full line for the car that includes a far-from-subtle widebody kit, wheels and more.
PPI continued to show their strong intent to make a name for themselves as one of the more prominent Audi tuning houses with several heavily-kitted display vehicles. These ranged from their ‘PS-TT Sport’ and ‘PS 5’ – a take on the S5 coupe, to the aggressive widebody Q7 ICE. PPI also presented no less than two built R8s – the previously seen R8 Razor package and an even more aggressive R8 Razor GTR making use of copious amounts of carbon fiber for body kit, new body panels and more.
Even more tuner Audis were peppered amongst other stands. Caractere was part of a multi-firm display, and featured their new B8 A4 sedan body kit – the first time we’d spotted this handsome kit in person. AEZ Wheels showed off an S5 with their product, Rieger showed off several kits including a new one for the A5 and German tuning firm Artevo Performance shared their augmented S3 Evo.
Perhaps inspired by Audi AG board member Michael Dick’s own Gulf-liveried Mk I and Mk 2 TTs, we spotted a TT and an S3 in the familiar blue and orange livery. Showing just how extreme the European aftermarket can get, these had matching blue and orange leather, Lambo-Style Doors and more.
Down economy or not, the Essen Motor Show continues to thrive – a circus for the European aftermarket industry. From the mild and most OEMplus offerings from quattro GmbH to widebody gold-plated monstrousities, the show is considerably important given it captures the Audi aftermarket to such a wide extent.
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