R8 Gala: Audi showcases heartbeats in motoring history

Much has already been reported about the new Audi R8.

"Across the Middle East region Audi has been doing extremely well over the last year - we have reported a sales increase of 31% over the first half of 2007, which equals 3223 in total. The new Audi R8 has received an incredible amount of attention and has certainly acted as a brand ambassador for our whole model line up." Ernst Hasbach, Managing Director, Audi Middle East.

As Audi celebrated the arrival of probably its most important brand ambassador, Audi Middle East invited just under 1,000 customers and VIPs from across the region to join them in an evening that relived some of the most important heartbeats in their long racing history.

As the first mid-engine sports car in Audi's production car line up, the Audi R8 is the first of its kind from the German premium can manufacturer, but follows, however, a long history of racing successes featuring today's legendary wins at the Pikes Peak hill climb races, the German Touring Car series (DTM) and the 24 hours of Le Mans among many others.

With each heartbeat in time Audi retold the story of times gone by and technologies that became essential in modern-day driving and are now featured in its latest creation, the Audi R8.

The Audi R8 is more than 70% hand-built at Audi's Neckarsulm factory and features an aluminum body frame, the quattro permanent four-wheel drive, the Audi magnetic ride damping system, an FSI direct injection mid-engine visible through a glass compartment, the optional R tronic shift-by-wire gearbox as well as LED headlights and daytime running lights.

Despite its thoroughbred sport car character and design Audi aimed for the R8 to be a sports car that can be enjoyed every day.