By Kimberly Chou

For Audi’s latest advertising campaign, the automaker says it’s promoting a cause, not just its cars. With a motto of “Diesel: It’s no longer a dirty word,” the “Truth in Diesel” campaign aims to convince consumers that diesel is the greenest solution, said Scott Keogh, Audi of America’s chief marketing officer.

“You get behind a cause, you don’t get behind an engine option or a feature,” Keogh said. Switching to a diesel-engine vehicle “is something that you can do that’s realistic and right now and practical.”

The campaign is currently in its first phase, Keogh said. Phase two will be more heavily commercial, with greater emphasis on Audi’s A3 and Q7 turbo direct injection vehicles.

One component of the online campaign is a video distributed via YouTube, Vimeo and other Web sites. It illustrates the history of U.S. dependence on gasoline (images of foreign oil wars, empty pumps and angry Americans) and how diesel is a “cleaner, stronger, faster” choice (images of champagne spraying as an Audi TDI car wins a race). If 30 percent of drivers switched to a “clean diesel” vehicle, the U.S. would use 1.5 million fewer barrels a day, the video claims, citing Environmental Protection Agency projections.

To be sure, diesel is not a perfect solution. While the Audi campaign stresses diesel for “right now,” the automaker says it has hybrid vehicles in the works. Though diesel engines can be 20 to 30 more fuel efficient than gasoline engines, they’re still noisier and emit more particulates of soot (which contribute to smog). Also, fewer gas stations sell diesel fuel.

“We wanted to go emotional about [green], not scientific like a lot of our competitors,” said Bree Rossi, a senior account director at Factory Design Labs. The agency designed a social aggregator on the Audi USA homepage that trolls the Web for Audi-related blog posts, videos and Tweets; the various hits appear when visitors mouse over oil barrel icons.

The oil barrels play a big part in the Audi’s diesel campaign overall: in the television spot, barrels of what is assumedly foreign oil roll through city streets on their way back to a tanker ship, as puzzled townspeople — and Audi A3 and Q7 vehicles — look on.

For other online efforts, Audi enlisted SS+K – a creative agency that worked on Barack Obama’s presidential run – to create a Facebook cause page in conjunction with The Nature Conservancy, a global conservation organization. Similar to other donation-based Facebook ventures, Audi will donate one dollar for each person who joins the cause online through July 23 (up to $25,000), with the money aiding a carbon offsets program.

Factory Design Labs is also working on other interactive components for the Audi TDI campaign, including a Facebook game described as “Mob Wars meets Oregon Trail” and a calculator that shows how much one could save on gas by switching to diesel.

The Audi TDI campaign is not the first time an automaker has tried to promote the greenness of its diesel engines, or partnered with The Nature Conservancy to do so. To promote the launch of its BlueTEC clean diesel vehicles, Mercedes-Benz gave $100,000 to the Conservancy’s U.S. “Adopt an Acre” program.

Ingolstadt, 2009-07-07

Audi wins 2nd heat of “RCN Green Challenge” held at the Nürburgring

• Audi TT 2.0 TFSI takes first and fourth places in efficiency contest
• Needs just 1.6 liters of fuel per lap on the Northern Loop (20.8 km)
• Undercuts NEDC consumption for city by 28 percent

In the second heat of the “RCN Green Challenge” held on the Northern Loop of the Nürburgring, Audi once again proved that performance and efficiency are not mutually exclusive: Two Audi TT 2.0 TFSI models entered the efficiency contest, finishing in 1st and 4th place. In this four-lap competition in Germany’s Eifel region, the drivers of the victorious TT Coupé boasted an average fuel consumption of only 1.6 liters per each lap of 20.832 kilometers (12.94 miles). With these results, the winner beat the standard city consumption serving as the benchmark by 28 percent – a feat unmatched by any other participant.

During the contest, the Audi TT achieved an average fuel consumption of 7.7 l/100 km (30.55 US mpg) on the track. The RCN Green Challenge was held for the first time this year with the goal of combining speed, fuel efficiency and driving enjoyment. Car racer Hans-Joachim Stuck sponsored the contest. Audi entered two series-production 200 hp (147 kW) Audi TT 2.0 TFSI models approved for normal street traffic and equipped with six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive.

The efficiency contest was not simply about chasing the fastest lap times. The goal was to maintain the greatest level of fuel efficiency within a prescribed amount of time. The target time was based on the power-to-weight ratio of each vehicle and ranged from 10 to 15 minutes per lap. The drivers were challenged with meeting their target times as precisely as possible. This factor was evaluated along with their average consumption compared to the NEDC figure for the city cycle.

The 2.0 TFSI is available on the Audi A3, S3, A4, A6 as well as on the Audi Q5 and TT in power classes ranging from 125 kW (170 hp) to 195 kW (265 hp). In the highest power class of 200 kW (272 hp), the engine enables an Audi TTS Coupé equipped with the optional S tronic dual-clutch transmission to accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in just 5.2 seconds.

This video had to be shared; not only does it feature beautiful cinematography but it combines a couple of my favorite forms of motorsports into one breathtaking piece. Former head of DC Shoes and current Subaru Rally / Gymkhana driver, Ken Block, takes UK based Top Gear television personality, James May, on a run through his airfield gymkhana track. Amidst the jaw-dropping drive, Ken runs into the GOAT (greatest of all time) MX racer, Ricky Carmichael on the #4 Suzuki. Words can hardly describe the video... MUST SEE!

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After 100k of very hard driving, it was time for some service and maintenance on the Exalt Audi B5 S4. Upon inspection, we determined that the lobes on the cams were flattening and were probably responsible for the misfires we were experiencing at idle. Knowing that we needed to replace the cams, we opted to upgrade to the OEM Audi RS4 cams. However, this time we weren't going to take any chances with wear issues, so we cryo treated the cams prior to install. At the same time, we decided to replace all the valves, valve seats and retainers to address some visual wear and really freshen up the top end. Always looking for that extra bit of power, we Ported & Polished the cylinder heads while they were apart.

At the same time we were working on the Exalt S4, we were building another Stage 3 S4 that needed downpipes, like, yesterday. So what to do? Well, we put the LaBree split downpipes from the Exalt Audi on to the S4 in need and embarked on fabrication of the new Exalt Downpipes for the Audi B5 S4. Sweet, another Exalt part in the marketplace! But boy it didn't come easy; the downpipes weren't finished until 11am the day before the Big SoCal Euro show, meaning at 12noon on Friday, the day before a big show there was no engine in the car... but no worries, by 7pm, we had the satin black Audi started and on a test drive by 8. After the initial test-drive, Exalt co-owner, Derek king, summed up the experience in one word: "butter."

EXALT S4 Photo Gallery