Audi's (almost) total absence in Monterey!

[willyjp]

Just returned from 3 days in Monterey. I flew down due to lack of time.

I was very disappointed to see ONLY 1 R8 (@ Concorso:silver w. cf blade, no plates) with no one around it on 3 trips past.

Other than that, one would not know of Audi's existence from this Monterey week! This despite the fact that EVERY other "premium/luxury segment" marque was represented...some of them to wretched excess!! Mercedes, Lexus, Cadillac and Infiniti (and SAAB for crying out loud!!!) had pavillions @ P. Beach. BMW's presence was understated, but not zero.

Seems amazing to me, especially since very, very few people have seen an R8 Spyder yet (though their kids have...in Iron Man 2!). I can understand maybe not spending on a full line pavillion, but a cameo presentation of a Spyder (or the ETron?) would have been very appropriate, it seems to me.

That R8 @ Concorso fits the description of R84ME's late car...was it? Were there any others from R8Talk there?

[harrison]

I don't think R84MEs' car had CF blades Willyjp. Us R8 owners are too busy lately to go tear up the competition at Monterey. BUT AUDI seems to have dropped the ball on this one,Keeping our cars a bit more exclusive for a while longer.

[R84ME]

That's really too bad, Willie. Sorry there wasn't a better turn out.

I've been trying to get ACNA National, the SoCal & GG chapters engaged for two years now without any hint of success. It's sad but, without support from Audi & ACNA, the marque is doomed to have a consistently poor turnout in Monterey. They just haven't figured it out yet. I had some family commitment s this year but I think there are quite a few R8 owners within 100 miles who would have attended - if someone organized the events. It's just a lack of motivation.

Speaking of which, someone needs to pick up the Audi R8 Club domain and do something with it. I have a similar need for the R8Registry. Rich at OEPPlus was going to host if for us at one point but he got too busy. Clearly, most of you don't think this is worthwhile due to lack of participation. PM me if your interested in either of these domains and and I'll transfer them to you. Otherwise, they're going to expire, like my R8 ownership did.

[willyjp]

I think it's just too "thin" a market....and also perhaps a product that, though it is much loved by its owners, does not attract the "types" who tend to generate club-like loyalty.

I have been "messing around" with sportscars since I started driving in 1957...my parents had a series of Alfas then.....(in fact I took my driver's test in a 1957 Giulietta "Normale" Spider...legendary bad 2nd gear synchro required double clutching to downshift to 2nd, and of course the single Solex 80 hp./1300 cc Normale engine required one always keep plenty of revs in hand---driving examiner said I "almost flunked because you don't shift into high gear above 20 mph, you downshift too much and you don't know how to shift very well"!!!)......but I digress....

My point is, I have seen just about every sports car marque come and go from consciousness of US car enthusiasts. And some generated loyal groups of enthusiasts and followers...club people...and some didn't so much.

Looking back from today's vantage point, several things stand out. MG seemed to always have a loyal following, and still does....but mainly the same guys and they're dying out! Austin Healy not so much in the old days, but they have a huge vintage club with very high standards now. Triumph people were never much for "clubbing" and I think that's still true. Porsche people have always been "clubby" and PCA is one of the best today. One could go on and on!

Alfa Romeo was very, very popular in "the day" but not especially with club type people, and yet, today it is nationally one of the strongest of the vintage clubs, attracts young people (younger than their cars often!) and of course has now the prospect of new cars, which will bring in new blood!

When you reflect on those, and many others (Jag., Corvette, BMW, etc., etc.), it's hard to see what exactly makes the magic of a group of owners who want to socialize, tour, compete and enjoy their cars. I'm not sure factory support has much to do with it at all, though it sure has helped in some cases (PCA being one good example).

So, I just don't know what the "fate" of the R8 will be as far as club activities and socializing interest. I know that most Audi Club chapters don't seem like a very good "fit" for most R8 owners. And, in fact that is probably the key right there: a lot of the "first generation" R8 owners are not really much interested in that kind of thing. So it will probably depend on whether the used R8s tend to get into the hands of the kind of people who WANT to do the "sportscar club" thing.

[z356]

Well, it was not a total no-show. Audi was an official sponsor at Gordon McCall's Jet Center Party (Willy you will have to spring some cash for it on your next trip) on Wednesday night. Besides various A8's, Audi managed to include two R8's - a red Spyder and a black v10 coupe. This is a large affair that was well attended (although it was much more intimate & interesting years ago when it started as "Cigars & Cars" in Gordon's old detail shop next to the Airport). The silver R8 coupe at Concorso (now at the Pasadera Gulf Club, a much better venue for it) belongs to Carmel forum member Loudv12. I talked with him & his wife over an hour towards the late afternoon at that event. Good guys and true enthusiasts. They are former Lambo owners. Earlier that day I saw another R8 coupe parking outside Concorso. Finally, there was one black R8 that was parked at a party I attended on Dolores in Carmel (my hometown) during the week. But that was all I saw during the entire week, either driving on the road or parked anywhere in this area. And I attended the quite a number of functions - two days of the Memorabilia Meet at the Embassy Suites, Doug Freeman's mini Concours-on-the-Avenue, Pebble Rally Lunch Stop in Carmel, Concorso Italiano, RM/Steele Russo auctions, Goodings (2 days) and The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The only things that I normally go to but missed this year were The Quail (price gouging) and Laguna Seca on Saturday (too busy with other commitments). Re: sightings of R8, I must admit I was expecting to see more enthusiast's driving it around during this important week, when this area is the focus of the entire automotive world! Z356

[willyjp]

Well, it was not a total no-show. Audi was an official sponsor at Gordon McCall's Jet Center Party (Willy you will have to spring some cash for it on your next trip) on Wednesday night. Besides various A8's, Audi managed to include two R8's - a red Spyder and a black v10 coupe. This is a large affair that was well attended (although it was much more intimate & interesting years ago when it started as "Cigars & Cars" in Gordon's old detail shop next to the Airport). The silver R8 coupe at Concorso (now at the Pasadera Gulf Club, a much better venue for it) belongs to Carmel forum member Loudv12. I talked with him & his wife over an hour towards the late afternoon at that event. Good guys and true enthusiasts. They are former Lambo owners. Earlier that day I saw another R8 coupe parking outside Concorso. Finally, there was one black R8 that was parked at a party I attended on Dolores in Carmel (my hometown) during the week. But that was all I saw during the entire week, either driving on the road or parked anywhere in this area. And I attended the quite a number of functions - two days of the Memorabilia Meet at the Embassy Suites, Doug Freeman's mini Concours-on-the-Avenue, Pebble Rally Lunch Stop in Carmel, Concorso Italiano, RM/Steele Russo auctions, Goodings (2 days) and The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The only things that I normally go to but missed this year were The Quail (price gouging) and Laguna Seca on Saturday (too busy with other commitments). Re: sightings of R8, I must admit I was expecting to see more enthusiast's driving it around during this important week, when this area is the focus of the entire automotive world! Z356

Well, you're obviously amongst the cognoscenti as far as Monterey. I'm just a hick from the sticks when it comes to Monterey week....haven't attended in years and don't really know the ropes around there at all any more. The crowds seemed so much bigger and the events so much vaster than I remember from being down there almost 20 years ago that I was kind of disoriented! I'm not familiar with the event you mentioned Audi sponsoring, and in fact not familar with a lot of the stuff that goes on before Friday.

I originally wanted to drive the R8 down but time constraints led me to fly in Thurs. PM and out Mon. AM, so I obviously did miss quite a lot of miscellania that, it sounds like, could be some of the best stuff of the week. I did hear from several Oregon people who went to the Quail that, they felt, it was boring and not worth the money this year.

But my point was that, from the standpoint of the average car guy seeing the widely accessible stuff this year, you would barely know that Audi existed. And that, given their stated intentions in the US market, is surprising to me.

Maybe next year we can get an R8 group up for some kind of low key tour perhaps, and then a group display @ the Concorso.

[Dan1]

Audi was at many places at Monterey this year.
The McCalls event where they had the largest display of any of the Manufactures there, They included Porsche, Bentley, Jaguar, Lotus, Morgan, not to mention the private Jet manufactures.

There were also 20 2011 A8 audi's that were loaned out for 4 to 5 days to a number of people.

A A8 2011 test drive day in Carmel Valley.

An A8 2011 on display at Pebble Beach.

[Dan1]

A few more pictures from the McCalls event.

[Dan1]

Last 5 from McCalls

[z356]

For next year, I would suggest that the Golden Gate Region of the Audi club join forces with the local Porsche, BMW & MB clubs to make a new event called "Legends Of The Autobahn" become a rival to Concorso Italiano and The Quail. Let's face, all non-Italian cars will be always second class citizens at Concorso. It's their show and the other marque's corrals are side-shows. The Quail is the best 'complete' event all week - enough significant vintage cars to hold your interest but not overwhelm you like Pebble, the best food and drinks in an all-inclusive price, and an elegant crowd. But the organizers have gotten greedy and keep raising the price per ticket each year. I remember well I only paid around $100 when it started years ago, after the owners kicked Concorso Italiano out from that venue to start their own event. As good as The Quail is, I guess my limit was $350, the price I paid last year as a "loyal repeat customer". I refused to ante-up the $400 for it this year. Regardless, it is a vintage car event - you park your R8 outside and never see it again (or anyone's elses newer ride) until you leave. In Concorso years at the Quail venue, you would walk around the substantial BMW and Porsche corrals in the adjacent parking areas. Back then Concorso was inexpensive and you could easily go back & forth. Now at $400 @ and more security than at a Presidential fund raiser, once you enter The Quail you dare not leave for fear they'll never let you back in to enjoy your Champagne, caviar and oysters, all of which, if truth be told, is in abundant supply inside the gated compound. So that leaves us with Legends of the Autobahn. Your cars are authentically crafted in the Fatherland (never mind those engines from the Magyars) and some RS models from Neckarsulm are indeed legends in those roads. R8 owners can park their cars in union with other great German autos (old & new) and enjoy a wonderful day. My guess is that they will improve the food & drink offerings next year. The event is located closer to Carmel than The Quail on La Canada golf course on Carmel Valley Road, so traffic will be slightly better in & out. So if you have any influence with Audi or the California regional clubs, please see if you can make that happen. Maybe by then I will have an R8 and join you all. z356