Online Insight Into the Audi A8 Creation Process

On the Audi website at www.audi.de/makingof and www.audi.com/makingof it is now possible for the first time to take a look behind the scenes at the otherwise secret creation process of the Audi A8. With the help of various animations, videos and sound elements, the elaborately produced online special “Audi A8 – The Making of” presents a wide range of background facts on the development of this sporty luxury saloon.

What does Grace Kelly have in common with the Audi A8? How does the “nose team” work? When does a car get married? All these questions are answered in the new online special on a microsite.

Divided into concept, design, development and production phases, the film presents numerous details from the production creation process at Audi. As a special feature, the experts responsible for each particular area present their subjects in sound and pictures, confirming in their own personal way that technology is shaped by people.

The microsite comprises various functions which enable all topics to be presented extremely vividly. 360° views, for example, provide a detailed look inside the Neckarsulm production shops. One highlight is the assembly process in fast motion: a camera installed in the body of an A8 observes the creation of the luxury interior on the assembly line. Various videos present a number of work stages, “info points” provide background information. Users can partake in an online factory tour along the virtual visitor route.

The online special about the product creation process of the Audi A8 is a addition to the technology section on the Audi website where the company provides deep insights into automotive development. Here visitors can obtain information on a wide range of topics, from quattro drive to the Audi Wind Tunnel Centre.

The Audi A8, which came onto the market in 1994, was the first vehicle with an all-aluminium body. For its successor, which was launched in Germany in October 2002, Audi invested more than € 200 million in the production facilities and Aluminium Centre in Neckarsulm. Since then, nearly 17,000 Audi A8 models have been delivered to customers worldwide (up to the end of November 2003).