In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Audi RS4 Cabriolet, Quattro GmbHs Stephan Reil
Filed under: Garage, Convertibles, Audi
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Audi RS4 Cabriolet
Just about the time that a Misano Red 2008 Audi RS4 Cabriolet arrived in the Autoblog Garage, the very last examples of the breed were rolling off the assembly line at the Quattro GmbH facility in Neckarsulm Germany. During my trip to Germany a couple of weeks prior for the launch drive of the new Audi A4 Avant, we had an opportunity to sit down in Neckarsulm with the General Manager for Development of Quattro GmbH, Stephan Reil. Quattro is Audi's in-house tuner division, comparable to AMG for Mercedes-Benz and the M Division at BMW.
Quattro GmbH has several divisions, one of which is responsible for development and part of the production of Audi RS models such as this RS4 Cabriolet and the new RS6. Another group is responsible for all aspects of a car from development to production and quality control. The first product of this latter team is the Audi R8 that debuted last year. The third group is responsible for accessories like the S-Line products and the last department handles individualization of new cars. When customers order a new Audi, they can have it customized in innumerable ways such as custom colors, upholstery and pretty much any add-on you can think of that adds plenty to Audi's bottom line. There is also a group apart from the vehicle groups that is responsible for lifestyle products, which could be anything from umbrellas to Jeff Kuhlman's (Audi of America Communications Director) favorite, the Audi cigar cutter. Read on after the jump for my impressions of the RS4 Cabrio and to learn what Reil had to say about Quattro and how they came to build this car.
Gallery: Autoblog Garage: 2008 Audi RS4 Cabriolet
Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
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