What is it about a long road trip that makes people's eyes light up? Surely it's not the prospect of roadside food, long hours struggling to find a decent radio station, or the inevitable stiff back - at least not for those of us who have attained a certain age.
No, the attraction of a long journey on the road is what you expect to see - and expect to discover - along the way. You might find the perfect barbecue joint in Topeka or the unbelievable bookstore in Denver, and you might find out something about yourself while you drive through Monument Valley or mid-town Manhattan. The point of a road trip is to set out for the horizon and see just where the road takes you.
Of course, for Audi of America, a big road trip can also be about making a splashy introduction for its next generation of diesel-powered cars and SUVs. But don't be fooled, these guys are natural-born road trippers.
Johan de Nysschen is Executive Vice President of Audi of America. On October 5, he joined a group of Audi employees, journalists, and celebrities on what they called "The Great American Road Trip." They set out to cover the United States - coast to coast - in a two-week road trip from the Tavern on the Green in New York City's Central Park to the Santa Monica Pier. Between the Big Apple and Tinseltown, the route passed through Washington D.C., Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Yosemite Valley, and Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey.
And Audi gave the trip a decidedly 2008 twist - instead of a "Cannonball Run" speed competition, they decided to grade each participant on his or her best fuel economy. They even hired IMSA officials to seal each car's fuel door at every fuel stop and record the total mileage, average speed, and fuel consumption for each car. The previous day's winners and losers were announced each morning of the trip, just to keep things lively.
The caravan included about half a dozen of the new Q7 and Q5 SUVs, a gaggle of the brand new A4 sedans, and a pair of A3 wagons. Audi staff brought along a variety of other Euro-spec vehicles, including some A8 sedans and a couple of drool-worthy TT coupes in battleship grey. All told, about 35 cars made the trip - all of them powered by Audi's new clean-diesel TDI engines.
But the real joy of a road trip is when someone else is paying the bills. Adventurers on the Audi Marathon enjoyed the finest hotels in America, and far from Stuckeys, we ate high on the hog.
I joined the trip in Las Vegas for the final push to the Pacific. But the route wasn't the obvious, direct shot down I-10 to Shakytown, or even the mildly wandering path following old Route 66 (though you should really try that sometime if you live anywhere in the Southwest). Audi had a much better drive planned for us.
Seeing California The Right Way
Flying into Las Vegas, arriving journalists were met by Audi's team and whisked away to the fabulous Wynn hotel on the strip. After a brief orientation, we piled into SUVs and were treated to an evening at the swank Club MiX on the roof of the Mandalay Bay megaplex.
But the smart among us took it easy on the cocktails, because there was an early morning and a long day ahead of us. We were up early and received our driving assignment: get to Mammoth Lakes at 11,000 feet into the high Sierras by nightfall, and do it on one tank of fuel. I was assigned an A4 3.0-liter TDI sedan, decked out in red and yellow Shell Oil livery.
Of course, for Audi of America, a big road trip can also be about making a splashy introduction for its next generation of diesel-powered cars and SUVs. But don't be fooled, these guys are natural-born road trippers.
Johan de Nysschen is Executive Vice President of Audi of America. On October 5, he joined a group of Audi employees, journalists, and celebrities on what they called "The Great American Road Trip." They set out to cover the United States - coast to coast - in a two-week road trip from the Tavern on the Green in New York City's Central Park to the Santa Monica Pier. Between the Big Apple and Tinseltown, the route passed through Washington D.C., Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Yosemite Valley, and Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey.
And Audi gave the trip a decidedly 2008 twist - instead of a "Cannonball Run" speed competition, they decided to grade each participant on his or her best fuel economy. They even hired IMSA officials to seal each car's fuel door at every fuel stop and record the total mileage, average speed, and fuel consumption for each car. The previous day's winners and losers were announced each morning of the trip, just to keep things lively.
The caravan included about half a dozen of the new Q7 and Q5 SUVs, a gaggle of the brand new A4 sedans, and a pair of A3 wagons. Audi staff brought along a variety of other Euro-spec vehicles, including some A8 sedans and a couple of drool-worthy TT coupes in battleship grey. All told, about 35 cars made the trip - all of them powered by Audi's new clean-diesel TDI engines.But the real joy of a road trip is when someone else is paying the bills. Adventurers on the Audi Marathon enjoyed the finest hotels in America, and far from Stuckeys, we ate high on the hog.
I joined the trip in Las Vegas for the final push to the Pacific. But the route wasn't the obvious, direct shot down I-10 to Shakytown, or even the mildly wandering path following old Route 66 (though you should really try that sometime if you live anywhere in the Southwest). Audi had a much better drive planned for us.
Seeing California The Right Way
Flying into Las Vegas, arriving journalists were met by Audi's team and whisked away to the fabulous Wynn hotel on the strip. After a brief orientation, we piled into SUVs and were treated to an evening at the swank Club MiX on the roof of the Mandalay Bay megaplex.
But the smart among us took it easy on the cocktails, because there was an early morning and a long day ahead of us. We were up early and received our driving assignment: get to Mammoth Lakes at 11,000 feet into the high Sierras by nightfall, and do it on one tank of fuel. I was assigned an A4 3.0-liter TDI sedan, decked out in red and yellow Shell Oil livery.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leave a comment