Audi 2010 Annual Report Download - page 82

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Mobility
Valcona leather. Silk beige is the color
of the seats; the headliner is alabaster
white. Harmony and brilliance of
style, of form. Such menial words as
“narrow,” “low” and “small” have no
place here. Instead, it’s space as space
should be – large, lavish, lovely. The car
off ers up a ride seemingly on air.
The executive seat at the rear of
the Audi A8 L* underscores this feeling
of luxury. Experience, perceive, be
attentive. Meinhard von Gerkan savors
it with all his senses. Close your eyes
and lean back – legs stretched out, feet
on the extended footrest on the back
of the front passenger seat – doesn’t
that feel cozy?
The individually controlled footwell
and seat heaters just add to the
feeling. There are more than enough
ways to adjust the electronic seats –
from seat inclination to backrest
inclination to lumbar support. But
the highlight has to be the massage
function. From the four available
options, Professor von Gerkan
fi rst chooses “Wave,” then “Pulse,”
and fi nally – for good measure –
“Stretch” and “Lumbar.” Does it
feel good? “Why yes, it’s very, very
pleasant,” responds von Gerkan,
who defi nes the ultimate in traveling
comfort as follows: “A car with a
chauff eur on roads with as little traffi c
as possible.”
Today is just such a day. Seamlessly,
traffi c fl ows on the highway from
Zurich northward. The driver and the
passenger converse without ever
having to raise their voices. Communi-
cation the way Meinhard von Gerkan
likes it. He is interested in the driver-
assistance, information and safety
systems in the Audi A8 L, “because I
like to sit behind the wheel myself.”
He wants to know more about the
technical innovations that make the
A8 L so special. Peter Rensen is only
too happy to oblige. Without diverting
his attentive gaze from the road, he
provides an in-depth explanation of the
adaptive cruise control with stop&go
function he has just activated. It is the
centerpiece of the Audi pre sense plus
driver assistance system, which can
make use of radar sensors and a video
camera to maintain a selected speed
within the system limits on an open
stretch of road, and also keep a set
The professor appreciates the
comfort and shows an interest
in the technical details.
Chauff eur Peter Rensen drives
the A8 L. The 8-speed tiptronic
transmission changes gear
smoothly. There’s barely a sound
to be heard.
* Fuel consumption and emission fi gures at the end of the Annual Report
A good match:
the famous architect
Meinhard von Gerkan
and the A8 L.
Professor Meinhard von Gerkan
“The A8 is not
a fl ash car. And
that’s what I like
about it.”