The R8: The Slowest Car Audi Ever Built

As the editor of a web site devoted to all things car-related, an e-mail with the subject heading, "THE AUDI R8: ‘THE SLOWEST CAR WE’VE EVER BUILT!’" will certainly catch you off guard.  After all, the car goes 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds.

Sending out press releases is not an easy job, because journalists see so many of them that we often read only one or two lines before sending the note to the trash.  Audi certainly got our attention at WCF.

In a new ad campaign for the United Kingdom market, the German automaker decided to focus on the meticulous task of building the Audi R8 instead of concentrating on the car's performance credentials.  Using a process which called for 20 different cameras to be utilized for every frame of video, the television spot is scheduled to premiere in the U.K. tonight at 1855hrs on Sky Sports One, during the England vs. Russia Euro 2008 football qualifier.  You can also watch the video now on this page.

Audi UK will spend more than £6 million (€8.6 million) on the unusual campaign for this £77,000 (€110,500) goliath.  What makes the ad so unusual from a marketing standpoint is that it pays no mind to the car's specifications, abilities, or exclusivity - three of the most important qualities to supercar buyers.

One premiere car club forming in the U.K., Continental, uses the slogan "Performance & Prestige".  For Audi to avoid advertising about these attributes is uncommon, but may be very effective.

In the release, Audi UK Head of Marketing Peter Duffy said that the R8, "symbolises progressive design, our pursuit of perfection and unrivalled handling built from our motorsport history."

"We had to tell the story of how the car is built."

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