For the handful of years I've been involved in this space testing autos, I have to say that there are a few landmark vehicles, in my eyes. One of them is the Audi R8.
Not only did it inject Audi with a lot of "cool points" and give the brand some street cred, it's also one helluva product. You can use it daily, you can take it to the track, it doesn't matter.
Hell, you can even use it in a blizzard.
Known for its eclectic design and lovely V8 and V10 motors, there's a whole lot to love. If you've ever wanted to experience one and, for whatever reason, it wasn't possible, now's your time to act. That's because Audi has brought back it's #WantAnR8 campaign.
Provided you don't mind slapping together a video of it working its way around Sonoma Raceway.
If you win you get two choices:
1) A 2014 Audi R8 for a day in your hometown, or
2) A weekend trip to Sonoma Raceway to experience Audi's sports car driving school
Audi's press release follows:
Audi #WantAnR8 contest returns, putting fans in the director’s chair for a chance to win a day with the 2014 Audi R8
Heralded as one of the most successful Twitter campaigns in recent years, the Audi #WantAnR8 contest returns in a new way, giving fans the chance at winning their own R8 driving experience. For the first time, fans are challenged to prove their love for the R8 by taking their own virtual turn on the Sonoma Raceway to create a video featuring original Audi R8 footage and music from innovative recording artists from around the world. The contest kicks off on Wednesday, Oct. 23 and closes on Sunday, Nov. 10.
How to Enter
Fans will visit the #WantAnR8 Tumblr page to use exclusive Audi R8 video footage and the WeVideo editor to create their own R8 lap at the Sonoma Raceway. Three interfaces for different skill levels offer fans the choice of a variety of camera angles and video filters to make the experience their own. Then, entrants can finalize their piece by choosing a music track from a selection of innovative artists, including Two Door Cinema Club and Robert DeLong (Glassnote Records), La Vida Boheme and Ritmo Machine (Nacional Records), and Miami Horror, Goldroom , and Duologue (Vitalic Noise).
Fans will post their video to YouTube and Twitter with the hashtag #WantAnR8 for a chance to win. Previous years’ winners will select the next #WantAnR8 member who will choose from the following two prizes: one day with the 2014 R8 in their hometown; or a weekend trip to the Audi sportscar experience in Sonoma, Calif.
To participate, please visit http://audiusa.tumblr.com/wantanR8.
The History of #WantAnR8
In 2011, local D.C. Audi fan Joanna McCoy tweeted Audi of America about how much she wanted the R8. When she used the hashtag #WantAnR8 in her tweet, Audi took notice, and drove a brand new Audi R8 to Joanna’s house to use for the day. Building off that momentum, Audi launched the official #WantAnR8 Twitter campaign which gave users the chance to get behind the wheel of the brand’s flagship Audi R8 V10 for a day simply by tweeting.
Offering uncompromised performance and unmistakable design, the new 2014 Audi R8 model represents the pinnacle of Audi performance. The new Audi R8 has been further optimized thanks to numerous improvements, including an available new seven-speed S tronic transmission and new full-LED headlamp design, which continues to give the R8 an unmistakable presence while standing still and at speed on the road or the track.
The new S tronic transmission improves the 0-60 mph time by 0.3 seconds on the R8 V10 Plus and enhances comfort through smoother gear shifts and greater efficiency. You can see its heightened performance in action here: http://audi.us/1dGgjrJ