Trip to Germany (lots of pics)...
 

OK, OK, ... this isn't technically a B8 S4 thread, but I know most (all) of you are car buffs, so you'd probably find this interesting. I just returned from a 2 week trip to Germany with the family. We were there visiting a couple of my best friends. The trip included a 3 day excursion to the Nurburgring for the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix. It's an amazing weekend with lots of amazing cars.

For me, the highlight was a clean qualifying lap of the Nordschleife in a 997 Turbo driven by one of my friends (who incidently held the record on the Nordschleife at one point in a 600 HP Gemballa 911 Turbo). Seriously - amazing. Better than... Well, you know...

Here's a few pics - I promise some Audi content (though we were VIP guests of Porsche, so that was really the bias of the weekend)...

My friend's car - we spent several hours driving to the Nurburgring in this beauty...
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...y/IMG_5102.jpg

Our top speed on the autobahn - 323 KPH (do the math)
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...ermany/323.jpg

My favorite 997: the Sport Classic (there were about 20 of the 250 made at this event). Yes, that's Walter Rohrl on his cell phone.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...y/IMG_5173.jpg

Another Sport Classic
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...y/IMG_5166.jpg

Now for some Audi content - a beautiful R8 GT
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...y/IMG_5188.jpg

And an RS5
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...y/IMG_5174.jpg

Of course Stuck's car
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...y/IMG_5186.jpg

I had the opportunity to check out the new Jag XKR-S (my friend has been doing some of the factory testing of this one)
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...y/IMG_5234.jpg

A couple pics of my buddy racing (in the first pic he's in the Jagermeister K3 935)...
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...Piranhajpg.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...11ST125_01.jpg

Walter Rohrl cutting the grass on the Nordschleife...
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...y/IMG_5228.jpg

And finally, the latest mod to my car :)
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...819515D635.jpg

Really an amazing trip - if you ever have the chance to do a lap of the Nordschleife - go for it!

drool..................

Great pics (great cars). Thanks for posting. Nordschliffe? Been there, done that :p Actually, got a ride in the 'Ring taxi years ago when I was last in Deutschland and it was AWESOME. If I'm lucky enough to do ED on my S4 (or, God forbid, get something in Munich instead) then yes, it will definitely see a lap.

Sweet write up Mellow!! Great pics. 323 kph is 201 mph!!! Wow...

What an awesome experience. Thanks for sharing.

What a great experience! Thanks for sharing.

I hate you and your fancy friends!

Damn. I really wish I had more vacation and time to wait for my S4 this year - ED just wasn't in the cards, this time.

Thanks for sharing!

Well that was short and sweet LOL.... Awesome pics Mellow!

Did the 'Ring last year in a B8 S4 Avant! Can't wait to go back and your post makes me that much more anxious. Thanks for posting!

Awesome man. Love the craziness in the top speed picture!
-Tim

Thanks for the comments everyone - it was certainly an amazing time. Leo, your comment totally busted me up - darn straight we are "fancy"! (actually it's probably more like "lucky") ;)

One question - what does your friend do for a living?!? Because if it's driving 997s on the autobahn and testing new Jags, well... lucky indeed!

haha - well one guy used to work for Porsche motorsports, now he does vacation real estate in Germany. My other buddy used to be a factory driver for Porsche, now he races for Kremer Racing and does some independent factory testing at the Nordschleife.

(good friends to have :) )

So you stuck the ring sticker on your S4 and it hasn't been on the ring? That is like abomination over here, some German told me your suppose to stick it on right after you come off the ring. But anyways looked like a fun trip, I just finally broke the Q5 in on the ring last week. It was my slowest lap ever lol.

And thanks for sending me texts every few days along with several of the pics posted here! Now that you are home, we need to go out and let you play with the Pulley tune :)

Jealous, nice pictures.

Yeah, it's like that "Trees of Mystery" sticker on the back of Neal's car. Don't you just hate posers? :D

I will probably never do any of those things so I appreciate you sharing, great pics, great cars, at the center of the German car universe :)

nice documentation...you are a lucky dude

Where's the S4 pictures?