Audi Social Media Covers Petit Le Mans Endurance Race

Extensive coverage on AudiR15TDI.com, Facebook and Twitter begins today

HERNDON, Va., Sept. 24 -- Audi Sport returns to Petit Le Mans this weekend to defend its unbeaten streak in the Atlanta race with Audi enriching coverage of the action through key social media outlets.

The Audi Sport Le Mans racing dynasty hasn't lost the 10-hour Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta raceway since 2000 and enters this year's American Le Mans Series contest with the new R15 TDI clean diesel car.

To help Le Mans racing fans, Audi enthusiasts and the media follow the action before and during the race, Audi today launched extensive social media coverage on Facebook, Twitter and at the Web site dedicated to the Audi R15 TDI. Television coverage of Petit Le Mans on SPEED Channel begins at 11:15 a.m. EDT on Saturday, Sept. 26.

This marks the third race that Audi has covered extensively this year using social media, following successful efforts at the 12 Hours of Sebring race in March and the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans race this past June in France. Facebook fans can follow developments easily at fb.AudiR15TDI.com. Regular updates will also appear on Twitter at tw.AudiR15TDI.com. Race enthusiasts and journalists can also catch up on the latest news at www.AudiR15TDI.com

Highlights will include clips of the R15 TDI on the Road Atlanta race track, driver interviews, previews, and quotes from Audi Sport team members. Coverage from the Sebring and Le Mans races is still available as are the latest Audi television campaigns supporting the advantages of TDI clean diesel technology, which is also found in the Audi Q7 TDI available in dealership showrooms now and the Audi A3 TDI that goes on sale later this year.

"It's important for Audi to provide extensive coverage of the Petit Le Mans 10-hour endurance race," said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. "Consumers can see the excitement of clean and efficient motor racing from the American Le Mans Series, while also observing the exciting engineering technology that is now built into the Q7 and A3 TDI clean diesel vehicles."

Featuring 225 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, the Q7 TDI has alerted American luxury car consumers to the advantages of modern clean diesel technology with its improved emissions, quiet performance, and ride comfort. The Q7 TDI employs 50-state clean diesel technology, which allows a range of more than 600 highway miles per tank. The Q7 TDI system also translates into 30 percent better fuel economy and a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas when compared to gasoline engines of similar size.

The EPA has calculated that if only one-third of the vehicles on American roads ran on clean diesel, the U.S. would use 1.5 million fewer barrels of oil each day. Audi was the first German car manufacturer to combine turbocharging with diesel engine technology in 1989, and has continued to evolve its technology ever since. Audi Sport helped prepare the way for TDI clean diesel in the minds of American consumers by racing the R10 TDI sports car from 2006-2008 in the American Le Mans Series and sweeping the major endurance races at the 12 Hours of Sebring (Sebring, Fla.) and the 10-hour Petit Le Mans in Atlanta. The R10 TDI also won all three 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance races in which it competed from 2006-2008. The R15 TDI continued the TDI clean diesel performance tradition by winning the 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race in March 2009.

In late November, Audi will launch its second model featuring TDI clean diesel technology. The Audi A3 TDI offers the same sophistication, styling, operating efficiency and ride comfort that has distinguished Audi throughout its model range. Standard amenities include dual-zone climate control, leather seating surfaces, cargo nets behind the front seats, split folding 40/60 rear seats and rear seat arm rest with dual cup holders. Some distinctive options include Audi Navigation plus with RDS traffic, the expansive two-panel Panorama sunroof, and Bluetooth hands-free phone preparation.

The pulling power of torque is the signature performance feature in all diesel models, and the A3 TDI clean diesel is no different. Offering 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, this model performs briskly and efficiently with unmatched performance with its EPA-estimated 30/42 city/highway fuel efficiency.

The competitive set for the A3 TDI clean diesel is unique. Only one competitor is currently in the field of fuel-efficient compact luxury vehicles. But that car does not offer the driving experience or the 5-door flexibility that includes 40/60 split rear-folding seats. The A3 TDI also offers a standard S line exterior sport appearance for 2010, a tighter steering turning circle, a top track speed of 130 mph, as well as a 12-year limited warranty against corrosion perforation.

The Audi approach toward efficiency is not just oriented toward TDI clean diesel vehicles. Audi is also the first car company in the United States to equip 100 percent of its gasoline engines with FSI direct injection technology beginning with model year 2010. Audi began racing with FSI direct injection technology in 2000 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and American Le Mans Series with the R8 FSI prototype racing sports car. This technology became available for U.S. Audi customers in late 2004 with the introduction of the 2005 A6 3.2 FSI quattro, and the list of Audi vehicles sold in the U.S. with FSI direct injection technology has continued to grow.

  Multimedia content

  Petit Le Mans teaser videos (taken from Sebring in March 2009)

http://audiusanews.com/show-video-gallery.do?method=view&cID=23&videoNo=5& key=

http://audiusanews.com/show-video-gallery.do?method=view&cID=23&videoNo=3& key=

  Audi TDI clean diesel U.S. TV commercials and promo videos

  http://audiusanews.com/show-video-gallery.do?method=view&cID=25&key=

  Image downloads for registered media only

  Download Audi A3 TDI photos

  Download Audi Q7 TDI photos

  Download Audi R15 TDI photos

  Download Audi R10 TDI photos

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