Audi lovers in the city could not have asked for more. An archetypical Audi showroom in Nandanam — first in Chennai — and the super-sports Audi R8 V10 unveiled together, early this week.
With its honeycomb façade and wide open spaces in the front and on one of the flanks, the showroom makes a pretty picture and has all the makings of a landmark. The interior is just as grand. The design bears resemblance to an airport terminal. No coincidence, clear deliberation. Audi wants all its dealerships to have this look. The auto major has a name for it — Audi Terminal Design. The curvature of the walls adds to the drama.
It provides the right ambience for the Audi R8 V10, which is all about class. And also, power and speed. The 10-cylinder, 5.2 FSI engine of this super sports car puts out an impressive 525 hp and leaps from 0 to 100 in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed of 316 km/h.
The roar from the machine, when Michael Perschke (head, Audi India) tried the accelerator in the company of Miss India 2007 winner and actor Sarah Jane Dias, gave an idea of the zip in store for the buyers, which includes 24-year-old Rathna Kumar, a member of the Rathna Stores family. The fortunate youngster walked away with the enviable keys and a promise that Narain Karthikeyan will give him tips on driving the Audi R8 V10.
K. Subramanian, CEO, Audi Chennai, spoke about how faithful the dealership is to the Audi design and in bringing the Audi experience.
The showroom has been designed to display 12 cars. In addition, there are Audi Shop and Audi Exclusive Elements, where customers can pick up a range of customised products and Audi merchandise.
This showroom on Anna Salai complements the Audi service facility in Ambattur, where 30 to 35 cars can be attended to everyday.
