The below article was written by Lili Radloff from 24.com (South Africa’s largest internet portal). Lili was part of our most recent Audi MVP days, and a new member to the club. 4 Audis, 4 hours… Lili Radloff is well impressed. Article: Lili Radloff So, last week I got invited to the Audi MVP day. Why, you ask? Well, because I’m fabulous and important, obviously. Okay, and because Sam couldn’t go. Just so you know, MVP stands for Most Valued Player because VIP is just so last year, dahling. Anyway, 7 other very fabulous and important people and I met at the Audi Centre at the Waterfront and started admiring the cars over coffee and biscuits. I had tea, because I had the tiniest of hangovers, and that’s how I roll then. We had to split into pairs and I put dibs on Chris Rawlinson from Huddlemind as a partner because I’d heard he’d done about a 100 advanced driving courses. Also, he’s from London so he has the cutest English accent. First up was the Audi TT. Now I have to admit, I have anissue with sports cars. Usually I think people who drive them are total tossers. Well, I am eating my words. The TT is a FABULOUS car. And I’ve driven lots of cars. Picture this… If a sleek, sexy jungle cat and a cheetah – the animal, not the rugby player – had a secret Transformer love-child, this would be it. This baby positively purrs. And, holy hell, it fucks off. Hello baby… grrr Also, ahem, the breaks are really good. (There was a moment when I forgot it was an automatic car and I had a small touch of clutch confusion.)  Chris still has all his teeth, by the way. And he’s a true gentleman as he didn’t even raise his voice once. Even though I must’ve raised his heartbeat considerably. Next we swopped cars with Charl and Brad from Blueworld and it was time for me to drive the Q7*. I felt like a very rich German soccer mom on SPEED. This monster is luxurious to the max and immediately I imagined myself to be superior to all the other drivers on the road. Superior and … safe. We stopped at one of the beautiful lookout points along Chapman’s Peak and in full-on test-the-mommy-car-mode I lifted and shifted all the seats, creating seating space, then packing space, then seating space, then packing space and so on. All done with one hand. Smooth, I tell you. *As Women24’s Sex Editor, I feel honour-bound to tell you that you won’t be having sex on this car’s bonnet any time soon. It’s simply too high off the ground (unless you’re a tall, sexy freak of nature like that Eric dude from True Blood). But seeing that the car is big enough to have a 6 person orgy INSIDE the car, who cares?         Check the view, ladies. Next was the Q5 we got from Matt and Justin. Dudes, what a car! I think it’s by far the coolest, prettiest, zippiest and most powerful small SUV on the market. Chris and I nearly had a fistfight when it came to handing over the keys to Joe and Sue. And finally it was time to drive the A5. It is BEAUTIFUL. It’s the type of car to inspire poetry. With sleek, feminine curves she is sexy as hell, without being girly in the least. The A5 we drove had one of those automatic gearboxes which has 3 different gear systems so you never feel the car changing gears. Or something like that – I wasn’t really listening, I was too busy admiring it. I navigated crazy lunch time Cape Town traffic with it, and got more than a few salivating/admiring/jealous-as-hell stares. Then, Wernich, our charming host, treated us to a lovely lunch and some Jagermeister at the Cape Grace. I admit I cried a little when I had to say goodbye to the TT, but then, I am a girl after all. Which one of these cars would you buy? If you could, that is… Hey, follow me on Twitter @liliradloff and while you’re at it, follow @Women24 too.

Post Originally written on local Site: www.matthewbuckland.com
Big up to Joe Botha and Chris Rawlinson (aka I did an “advanced” driving course) for putting this fun shindig together. The idea was to drive a variety of Audis (a Q5, A4, A6, TT, R8 to be precise) across beautiful Cape Town, with a social media twist. It was to be tweeted, blogged, Facebooked, Flickred and whatevered. Swapping cars along the way, we started off at Audi Centre Cape Town in the city centre, then to Constantia Village, and then to Noordhoek where we met up with former Springbok Bob Skinstad at The Toad (his bar), back through Hout Bay, Llandudno, ending at Mouille point. I believe this may happen again. And I certainly recommend it!
The fact that there were fast, shiny cars had nothing to do with my participation: I was interested in being part of a social media junket using non-traditional methods to advertise and PR themselves. Ok, I lie — it was a bit of both. For me this is a great example of a company opening its doors to new methods of marketing, rather than just going the traditional advertising route. Will be interesting to gauge the return on investment.
Pics of the day below (excuse the quality, was on my iPhone):

Audi is presenting a new vehicle concept – the Audi A5 Sportback. The five-door model with the long, flowing rear end unites the best of various vehicle genres: the emotion and elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan and the practicality of a station wagon. The Sportback joins the Coupé and Cabriolet as the third member of the A5 model family.
The A5 Sportback will be rolling into Audi dealerships in September featuring an emotion-packed design, high everyday practicality, a sporty character and engines that are as efficient as they are powerful. Sales have already begun, with prices starting at 33,650 euros. A further, specially-priced model to follow in 2010 will make the A5 Sportback the entry-level model in the A5 model series.
Audi, the inventor of the Avant, is setting new trends in design with the A5 Sportback. The five-door coupe is defined by elegant lines. It is 36 millimeters (1.42 in) lower than the A4 Sedan; with its short front overhang, long wheelbase, wide track and the four frameless doors with their slender window lines, it is the very picture of sporty elegance.
The interior is spacious, offering uncompromising comfort in all four seats. The large luggage compartment hatch is harmoniously integrated into the long, tapered tail end with the flat C pillars; the spoiler lip underscores the tension-filled character. The luggage compartment volume of 480 liters (16.95 cu ft) nearly matches that of the A4 Avant and increases to 980 liters (34.61 cu ft) with the rear seats folded down.
The A5 Sportback follows the consistent path of innovative technologies at Audi when it comes to the drivetrain. All of the engines are highly-efficient direct injection models – TDI for the cultivated diesels, FSI for the gasoline engines – and all comply with the Euro 5 emissions standard.
All models are equipped with a recuperation system that recovers energy during braking and deceleration and stores it temporarily in the battery.
Audi is initially offering three gasoline and three TDI engines, with three more engines to follow by mid-2010. The gasoline engines – the two-liter TFSI with 132 kW (180 hp) or 155 kW (211 hp) and the 3.2-liter V6 with 195 kW (265 hp) – are equipped with the Audi valvelift system for variable control of valvelift. The intelligent technology boosts performance while simultaneously reducing fuel consumption.
The 2.0 TDI produces 125 kW (170 hp) and consumes on average a frugal 5.2 liters of fuel per 100 km (45.23 US mpg). It is coupled with the start-stop system, which further enhances fuel efficiency in city traffic. The 140 kW (190 hp) 2.7-liter TDI offers even more power. The 3.0 TDI, which also features the S tronic, puts out an impressive 176 kW (240 hp).
Like the three gasoline engines, the top diesel engine delivers its power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. The two most powerful engines are optionally available with the newly developed sport differential, which variably distributes power between the rear wheels and provides even greater dynamics, driving pleasure and safety. The two TDI models with front-wheel drive – the 2.0 TDI and 2.7 TDI – and the 2.0 TFSI (132 kW / 180 hp) benefit from another Audi innovation: The ESP stabilization program with electronic front differential lock increases agility and prevents understeer.
The perfect complement is the Audi drive select vehicle dynamics system, which enables the driver to freely vary the throttle response characteristic, the shifting points of the seven-speed S tronic, and the boost provided by the servotronic steering system, which comes standard (from power outputs of 140 kW (190 hp) upwards). The system is offered as a modular package with at least one of the following three options: sport differential, adaptive shock absorber control or dynamic steering with variable boost.
At a glance

Engines

• Six engines from 125 kW (170 hp) to 195 kW (265 hp) at launch; three additional engines by the middle of next year
• Direct fuel injection for all engines
• Exceptional performance with exemplary efficience
• All engines with recuperation system
• 2.0 TDI and 2.0 TFSI with start-stop system

Drivetrain

• Depending on the engine: manual, multitronic or seven-speed S tronic
• quattro all-wheel drive in the top models; sport differential for variable distribution of power to the rear wheels as an option from 176 kW (240 hp)

Chassis

• Balanced axle load distribution, lightweight construction suspension
• 17-inch aluminum wheels standard, with options up to 20 inches
• ESP stabilization system with new electronic front differential lock standard on front-wheel drive models
• Optional Audi drive select dynamic control system, adaptive shock absorber control, dynamic steering and sport differential available as options

Body

• Sporty, elegant design with flowing, stretched lines
• Large luggage compartment hatch with two-piece cover
• 480 to 980 liters of luggage space (16.95 to 34.61 cu ft)
• Generously spacious interior with easy entry

Equipment and trim

• Comprehensive and comfortable standard equipment with luxurious options
• State-of-the art assistance systems available as options
• Two powerful MMI navigation systems available