In a region where exclusivity is more of a priority than a penchant, it is of little surprise that the Middle East is Audi’s best market in the world for individual customisation of its cars.

This aspect of Audi’s business is better known as ‘Audi exclusive’ and is handled by its subsidiary quattro GmbH, which has its headquarters in Neckarsulm, Germany.

Arabian Knight recently visited quattro’s facilities, where Managing Director Heinz Hollerweger and head of technical development Stephan Reil offered a deeper insight into its four pillars of business.

Founded in 1983, quattro stands for a very special way of life under the banner of the four rings, explains Reil. “Through our portfolio of high-performance vehicles, exclusive customisation options and lifestyle apparel, quattro aims to meet all the requirements of its customers. Also, since 2009, we’ve been developing the customer racing division with our incredibly successful R8 LMS car.” 

Audi was very successful in world rally championships in the mid-eighties with the Audi Sport quattro, with its pioneering turbo-powered five-cylinder all-wheel drive capability. This car went on to be a road car version in the Audi 80, and Reil says that quattro has continued to build on this success as one of the few manufacturers that offers “a close connection between race and production cars”.

Testament to this are the R8 LMS racing cars, with more than 120 produced and sold since 2009. These cars have won 23 racing championships and 190 track victories around the world. 

Reil is also keen to point out that quattro’s customer racing division is entirely separate from the highly successful endurance and DTM racing series. 

“The customer racing division with the R8 LMS is an international profit business for us. We sell these cars for around €330,000 ($352,000) and provide maintenance and parts. Last year we sent out over 50,000 parts to 64 customers around the world.” 

Besides participating in races, customers can also reserve a place in Audi’s race experience training courses with the R8 LMS ultra, a three-phase programme which culminates in race track driving at the famous Nurburgring in Germany.

quattro also has a new race series with the TTRS models for ‘gentlemen’ or non-professional drivers, which costs a total of €99,000 ($106,000) for the 12-race series.

Arabian Knight also visited the hi-tech production centre for the R8 LMS in Biberach to gain an insight into their manufacture. Obviously what comes out of this factory is a race car, but it is interesting to note that the majority of the components are from the standard R8 production car, testimony to the close connection between racing and road. 

“The success of our performance models in the racing division is the inspiration behind our fast-growing RS range of products. We couldn’t be making high-performance cars if our racing division wasn’t successful,” comments Reil.

All RS high-performance cars are produced by quattro at Neckarsulm and represent the top tier of Audi’s range with advanced technical prowess and performance. 

Between factory tours, Arabian Knight was also able to test the R8 on roads where they really feel at home – the Autobahn. 

Arabian Knight also tested the new RS4 Avant, and was pleasantly surprised to sample supercar performance from the family car. This car accelerates from 0-100 kmph in under 4.7 seconds thanks to its 4.2 V8 turbo engine. This power unit is harnessed by the latest incarnation of the renowned quattro all-wheel drive and uprated 18-inch wave brake system for ultimate safety!

Demand for the R8 and RS models continues to grow globally – in 2010 there were 8,000 models produced and in 2014 the figure was expected to be close to 20,000. 

The RS performance sector, says Reil, looks set to grow profoundly in China, the US, Russia and the Middle East.


AUDI EXCLUSIVE

Audi has invested heavily in a global individualisation trend that offers customers wonderful personalised options in paint colours, leather, trims, wheels – in fact all manner of customisations. 

From “I own an Audi’ to ‘I own my Audi’, Audi exclusive makes each Audi unique, whether it is a customer wishing to personally choose colours and trims for his A1 or a hotel chain seeking to engender some corporate identity to its A8 fleet.

And with a choice of over 100 exterior colours and 16 interior colours, not to mention the multitude of trims and veneers, it becomes highly unlikely that one’s choice is not going to be unique.

Garreth Greif, the dedicated Relationship Manager for Audi exclusive who hails from quattro’s headquarters in Neckarsulm and is now based in Dubai, UAE, speaks passionately about his labour of love in creating what now represents a third of all Audi cars into the personalisation programme. 

“This region has long had a strong interest in individuality and performance, and we spend a lot of time with our clients ensuring we can provide both. The demand for customisation is increasing and in 2014 we would have customised 200,000 vehicles globally,” he says.

Greif says that several limited editions are produced for markets such as China and the US where runs of the R8 are kept to just 50 cars. Another popular option is the luxury long wheel base A8, often ordered with Poltrona Frau leather, all manner of exquisite accessories and even reclining seats, for governments and corporate luxury fleets.

At the Audi Forum Neckarsulm, quite often up to 150 cars are handed over to their owners in one day. This impressive three-storey glass-fronted showcase includes an acclaimed Nuvolari restaurant and a dedicated ‘Audi exclusive’ floor for quattro, showcasing examples of some of the pinnacle bespoke vehicles ranging from the A1 up to the limited editions of the R8 and S8, representing a variety of taste and individualism.

Meanwhile Hollerweger, who has been with the Audi Group for 37 years, is keen to highlight Audi’s many industry ‘firsts’.

When Hollerweger joined the company in 1977 it marked the end of what was then the NSU brand and since then all cars built in Neckarsulm have borne the Audi brand. 

By 1978, Audi was testing its first four-wheel production car, the Audi 80. “This car was a breakthrough as it handled icy conditions fabulously and unsurprisingly it evolved into a successful rally car throughout the early eighties,” says Hollerweger.

“Audi was also the first to produce a five-cylinder turbo diesel engine. At the time, there were also corrosion problems in the industry and so in 1986 we produced a car, the Audi 80, with the first fully galvanised body,” he continues, adding that Audi was so confident in the new car that it provided a ten-year warranty against rust, setting new standards in this class. 

Audi also introduced the most reliable turbo diesel engine and in 1992, its extremely low fuel consumption was documented impressively when an Audi 80 TDI drove all round the world covering a distance of over 40,000 km whilst clocking up an average fuel consumption of 75 mpg (120 kmpg), he points out.

“This has been a fascinating brand to work with and when we registered the ‘quattro’ label it was a statement of intent for the future,” says Hollerweger. 

“We are a company of firsts,” he asserts. “Under our mantra ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ (advancement through technology) we seek to develop technology, performance and emotion in all of our products. Our connectivity in performance and reliability between the race track and the road is very much our focus. When people desire ultimate performance we provide it with our pinnacle RS and R8 models. As you have seen with our R8 LMS, the very core of the vehicle is there within our road model.”

Audi exclusive, adds Hollerweger, provides more options for personalisation than its competitors, particularly at the top-of-the-line ranges where the percentage against production cars is evolving. 

“Also, the accessories range which is under our wing is growing while our prominence in the racing sector is a driving force for the business,” he says, pointing out that Pirelli has teamed up with Audi to launch the new ‘Audi powered by PZero’ collection of leather jackets, sneakers, caps and scarves for drivers. 

quattro is not just Audi’s nomenclature for all-wheel technology but more of a collective euphemism for four very successful businesses representing technology, performance and luxury and, moreover, a company that invests in and values its 900 employees. 

As Hollerweger’s puts it: quattro is looking at a “very bright future”.