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Old Time Extravaganza Let’s call it a shindig. A Hollywood premiere. Audi celebrated its 100th Anniversary and introduced its all new A8 premium luxury sedan to the world on Monday night in Miami Beach at the renowned Founainbleau Hotel.

Audi constucted a monolithic hurricane-capable structure about a quarter mile up Miami Beach in which to hold the affair. The building will be used for about a week with Audi-related events. Media and glitterati on Monday night, dealers, community VIPs, consumers will all get a chance to see the new A8 during the week of November 30.
The total cost for the program is said to be $9.5 – $10million. This is a very significant sum today and goes back to the way automakers used to launch their cars – before today’s huge buget cuts.
Miami Design Week As a sponsor of Art Basel Miami Beach, Audi has provided transportation to various venues and display space for contemporary art.

For the media preview, Audi brought in 850 journalists from around the world. There was more Russian and other Slavic tongues being spoken than I could imagine. It wasn’t until the American contingent began arriving on the second day that I recognized anyone.
Audi Pavilion and Lucy LiuThe Audi preview building is very large. Like a sound stage with high ceilings and dramatic lighting, one half was set up like an auditorium for the initial display of the cars. Lucy Liu of Ally McBeal and Charlie’s Angels fame was the emcee and did a workmanlike job of it unlike previous cinema stars who have botched up their gigs royallly (remember Kate Capshaw and Dieter?). Her (estimated) 6-inch high dominatrix heels and slinky black dress set off the stage.
Worth of Wagner Following the very Germanic presentation concluding with a Wagnerian crescendo leading to the reveal of the cars, all 850 guests were invited to preview four A8s displayed among modern sculpture owned by the Rubell Familiy Art Collection of Miami and major sponsors of the Art Basel Miami Beach Scene.