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So now we are all back from Europe I thought I would take the chance to post up some of my pictures and comments on what has turned out to be a fantastic if ballistic tour of Europe. My thanks to Mac (Mac4RS) and Dave, Patrick (pad125) and his partner Val, Dave (caldy) and last but definitely not least since he did the entire trip in a Astra estate hire car after his RS4 failed within the first few mile Kris (kr) and his partner Lynsey. Not to mention keeping us RS4's honest where V8 M3's and Scooby's could not.

Their company made the trip and I thank them all for putting faith in me to orgnise a trip that I hope all enjoyed and will probably spawn at least a second outing.

As the others have said there are so many highlights ; the factory tour and seeing hand built R8's was amazing. They are building 17 a day but for a bit of trivia for the rest; how long do you reckon it takes to build an A6?

BTW for all those awaiting the carbonisation issue, I hate to break it to you but the engines for all cars including R8's are all built in Hungary and Quattro GMBH only puts the final RS exclusive parts on to the car. Our RS4's were primarily built in Ingolstadt (chassis plus engine from Hungary marriage) and then shipped to Neckarsulm for completion and customisation where appropriate. So we didn't get any answers.

But here are some of the cars on show at the Neckarsulm forum.....



















and all of us drivers together.....

The first day I was concentrating so hard on not crashing at the Ring I didn't take any pics but it is a unique experience not to be forgotten.

The other highlights included Davos to Livigno through Bormio to Stelvio. The Munt la Schera tunnel is a little known tunnel running nirvana, one car wide and 3.5km long and with three RS4's blasting through it will leave an indellible memory. The drive to Livigno after that is equally as impressive, travlling along side Lake Livigno through open sided tunnels cut through the rock face. The best 10 Euro's I think any of us have ever spent.











We may not have done the 'Top Gear' part of Stelvio because it was snow bound but did made it up the even more tretuous Southern face and then came down one of the other routes which was daunting and caused KR's hire car brakes to give of smoke signals!













More to follow...

too cool
thnx for sharing

how about some names for the drivers lineup photo? lol

Once into Italy, then out, the in again skipping back and forth across the border the Auto route to Lake Garda was good fun, especially when Italians are so easy to bait into a drag challenge.

The weather had not been great for us (even snow on the pass) but on Wednesday and Thursday it came good...

Our hotel in the lakes...





and the view of Lake Garda form our rooms...







A sunny 25 degrees on Thursday morning and we set out North again (yes we were all vain enough to wash our cars on the Wednesday night when arriving at Lake Garda),






set to go to the San Bernardino Pass, that idea was parked when we came across the miles of tunnels along the Eastern shore of Lake Como that lead to the Splugenpass which was simply breathtaking









Some 40 hairpins combined between the up hill climb and down hill descent and sheer drops make it as challenging as Stelvio. By the time we had done that route it was time to head to our last hotel just outside Lucerne.



with an unusual swimming pool / sauna...



Our last stop before heading home the next morning





I was gutted when my RNS-E went psycho on me and split me from the others before it was suposed to but managed to get my ferry with 10 minutes to spare. 540 miles in 6.5 hours including another v.expensive 90 Euro top up stop in Germany and the last 30 miles in an hour, I can't believe how sh**e the Dutch are at driving!

So in conclusion, a fantastic tour, great company, the Swiss have the best roads and tunnels (The Italians would be on a par but their road surfaces are sometimes as bad as the UK) and well worth doing. If anyone wants details of the routes we took or hotesl we stayed at feel free to PM me.

And not stopped once by the law apart from outside my house when I got home by some jumped up prat in a BMW 530d touring area car who has subsequently put me on a verbal warning. Only one of 2 downsides to an otherwise excellent trip. Just wish KR had his car to enjoy it all.

One last comment, the RS4 is a simply awesome car to do this trip in. Never put a foot wrong, on track, in snow at sea level or at 9000+ feet, took everything in its stride and still delivered 23.7mpg on the trip and hit 300kph on the speed on the derestricted sections of German Autobahn. If anything seeing Mac's car has made me appreciate how beautiful a car it is and how versatile it is and appreciate it as a super wagon even more. I won't be getting rid for a long time yet.

pad125's car sounded awesome, mac was right the Tubi exaust does make ears bleed, so I know I have to get my back boxes done to complete the package. I'm sure there were a few bleeding ears in Lucerne when we were doing drive by's on Thursday evening; all the locals were gesticulating for us to give it the beans in pad125's car / nominated evening taxi.

ArthurPE wrote:too cool
thnx for sharing

how about some names for the drivers lineup photo? lol

Left to right mac4RS, P_G (Me!), caldy, KR and taking the photo was pad125

The others have far better pics than me and some video footage as well so hopefully the story will be better told by them.

thnx, it's good to put a face to a name...

caldy caught me by surprise though! I though he was some young hot rodder, lol! but I see he's a young at heart hot rodder

P_G wrote: Left to right mac4RS, P_G (Me!), caldy, KR and taking the photo was pad125

The others have far better pics than me and some video footage as well so hopefully the story will be better told by them.

Looks like you had a fantastic few days Graeme and co, those pics are awesome !!!
I think you just might get the job of organising this trip again next year, just change anything you feel would make it better, if anything, and i think you'll have a lot more owners to keep you company next year.

Sounds like you had a really good time, I am gutted I could no join you guys. The pictures are splendid, the R8s look good in them pics, prob the colour do them justice (don't think much of the RS5 front end). Funny you say that about the RS engines being built in Bulgaria, that's what my Audi tech guy told me, to save on cost!

Excellent pictures there too, the RS4's look well planted esp the Avant (Mac ).

So what was the out come of KR's car then?

Arthur you made me laugh ref the young hot rodder, I bet your in your zimmer frame (or walker as you guys call it)

sonny

caldy caught me by surprise though! I though he was some young hot rodder, lol! but I see he's a young at heart hot rodder

Thanks a bunch Arthur!

Here's a few more photos to enjoy.....















I've got 2 in car videos of Graeme and I to post up - I just cannot work out how to do it coz the files are massive! They're on a IOMEGA external hard drive - any clues???

sonny wrote:Excellent pictures there too, the RS4's look well planted esp the Avant (Mac ).

sonny

It should be well planted, he was lugging around his 4 spare wheels and half a brewery in the back from all the beers he and his co-pilot had during the tour!

And some more..............

The beginning - goodbye Tynemouth


AM Tiergarten Hotel - home of the lovely Sabine!


AM Tiergarten Bar


AM Tiergarten Dinner


Audi Exclusive



Display Hall


Goodbye Ijmuiden - fellow 'Ringers' from the MLR club who'd been to the Ring and to Spa.

P_G wrote:

sonny wrote:Excellent pictures there too, the RS4's look well planted esp the Avant (Mac ).

sonny

It should be well planted, he was lugging around his 4 spare wheels and half a brewery in the back from all the beers he and his co-pilot had during the tour!

HAHA fair one.

Nice pics Caldy, those steaks on the hot stone are the best, a must for every Ringer (my mouth is watering just looking and thinking about it)

amazing trip ans glad everyone got back safe and sound....gutted i couldnt make it along.

cant wait for my trip out in september

hey, no offense, but guys of with our 'worldy experience' seldom are modders, lol, I'm guessing I'm of the same generation as you...

we're not old for the world, just old for modding

caldy wrote: Thanks a bunch Arthur!

Here's a few more photos to enjoy.....

I've got 2 in car videos of Graeme and I to post up - I just cannot work out how to do it coz the files are massive! They're on a IOMEGA external hard drive - any clues???

I have to make an attempt to keep up with my son - in a 530 hp, 580 ft.lb. EVO RS Sprint! He's too young to know true fear...............but he's promised to join the trip to the Ring next year.