Audi Attempts World Record Drive: Three Continents in Three Days

On June 8 auto journalist Gerhard Plattner and co-driver Franz Doppler will attempt to set a world record, driving from Africa, through Europe to Asia in just 72 hours. The duo will depart from Rabat, Morocco in an Audi A3 TDI e, traveling 3,044 miles (4,900 km) through 13 countries before the adventure ends on the Asian side of Istanbul.

The small 105hp Audi will undergo a genuine torture test while en route, testing its safety, efficiency and comfort. “The A3 has ideal characteristics for all three continents. Nevertheless, any attempt to break a record also requires a lot of good luck, especially regarding the weather and traffic,” said Plattner at a press conference during the  Audi Forum Ingolstadt.

The route will take both Plattner and Doppler by ferry to Spain, where they will drive along the Mediterranean coast of Spain, France and Italy before crossing the Alps into Germany. There they will proceed on to the Balkans and then over the Bosporus to arrive on the Eastern side of Istanbul.

Plattner already holds several records, including the fastest drive around the world (in an Audi S2).

In total he has driven more than 4.3 million miles.

Official release after the jump:

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25,000 German Audi Employees Get 6 Days of Reduced Hours

Audi has just announced that due to reduced demand the automaker will cut workers’ hours for six days in February. From the 20th to 27th of February 25,000 workers will be effected at the Audi plants at Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, Germany.

Dr. Werner Widuckel, Member of the Board of Management for Human Resources at Audi said that the reduction in hours will mean that no layoffs will occur and that the company has long term goals in mind that will not be sidetracked by short term economic instability.

The reduction in work hours comes as somewhat of a surprise considering Audi has consistently boasted the achievement of key corporate goals in 2008, including an increase in market share and an overall sales volume of one million vehicles – the first time Audi has ever broken the one million unit barrier.

According to Audi’s report, the company is not expecting any other such hour decreases and actually expects a busy production year with the launch of six all-new models.


Official release after the jump:

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