TORONTO, CANADA – With the release of a documentary short today, Zulu Alpha Kilo and Audi Canada have put the final touches on the Audi quattro® Experience. This one-of-a-kind interactive installation put participants in the driver’s seat of a custom-made 1:32 scale Audi A4 quattro® slot car for the chance to test their on-track skills.

Using the world’s first iPad enabled slot car controller, visitors to the installation were able to take their A4 for a wild test-drive around hairpin turns, down long highway straightaways and through icy mountain passes – terrain that would get the better of lesser vehicles.

The project involved a number of innovations to marry the worlds of slot car racing and technology with the Audi brand:

• A handcrafted 140 sq. ft. (20’ by 7’) custom slot car track
• 3D printed 2013 Audi A4 vehicle shells fit with Audi quattro® all wheel drive slot car chassis and custom in-car cameras
• Custom iPad app integrating live in-car camera feed and digital voltage modulator to control vehicle acceleration
• High definition bird’s eye view race cam with integrated Facebook, Twitter and YouTube share function

The film, entitled Painting Coconuts, captures the entire build through the eyes of track maker David Beattie of Slot Mods USA. Set behind the scenes leading up to launch of the Audi quattro Experience, the film offers a unique look into Beattie’s personal story, his passion for the art of custom track design and the sport of slot car racing. It also delves into his process and the challenges his team faced to execute a project with so many innovative features. The film was directed by Tamir Moscovici (Urban Outlaw).

Zak Mroueh, President and Executive Creative Director of Zulu Alpha Kilo, said, “This was the perfect opportunity for us to reimagine what a test drive could be, and bring a truly unique and memorable experience to Audi fans.”

Jennifer Dobbs, Audi Brand Marketing Manager, said, “In every way, this innovative experience brings to life our passion for design, craftsmanship and sportiness. It’s also a perfect embodiment of the progressive ideals of the Audi brand and our desire to delight our customers in Canada.”

More information, including final race leaderboard and full-length documentary Painting Coconuts, is available online at www.experiencequattro.ca.

Additional Background on The Audi Canada Slot Car Build (compiled by Fourtitude)
If you happened through Toronto’s bustling financial district while this display was active, you would have had the chance to experience the Audi A4 and its quattro all-wheel drive system in an intriguing way that was sure to stick with you. Of course you’d get to drive with one of those cool iPad controllers, but you’d also get to post footage of your actual drive on Facebook as it was hosted by an Audi Canada account.

In doing so, you’d also get an experience not many are able to afford. A starter custom track configuration from Slot Mods USA begins at a mere $50,000. Why so much? Each configuration is painstakingly built with grandstands and structures, aluminum armco railing, period correct signs and banners, landscaping, trees, of course the cars like those on the road as well as the Barn Find ur quattro and R8s at the Audi dealer. There’s and all of the controlling and power supply needed to animate the build. That Audi’s went further with iPad integrated controllers and car-mounted mini-cams only adds to the complexity.

Slot Mods USA has built track configurations for well-known and well-heeled car enthusiasts around the world. The likes of Jay Leno and Bobby Rahal have them, and United Autosports owner Zak Brown has a sizable setup of his own, albeit less the iPads.

We’ve included two videos below. First up is the aforementioned ‘Painting Coconuts’ documentary that documents the build of the track and focuses on the story of David Beattie and Slot Mods. Next up is a short put together by the agency and focuses more on the marketing project and the creation of those custom laser-scanned and 3-D printer created quattro-driven 1:32 scale Audi A4 slot cars. Once you’ve watched these two, make sure to head over to Experiencequattro.ca in order to get even more behind-the-scenes detailing about this very custom build.

About Zulu Alpha Kilo:
Zulu Alpha Kilo is based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in July 2008 by world-renowned Creative Director Zak Mroueh, the agency has a staff of 54. Clients include Audi Canada, Bell Canada, Coca-Cola Canada, Corona, Service Inspired Restaurants and Workopolis. Everyone in the company belongs to one company-wide creative group, and free-spirited, collaborative ideation is one of the agency’s core principles.

About Audi Canada
In 1971, Audi was first introduced to the Canadian market. Today, a network of 41 Audi retailers sell and service a range of premium vehicles nationwide. Headquartered in Ajax, Ontario, Audi Canada markets a line of luxury cars built in plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, Germany, as well as Slovakia, Belgium and Hungary. The parent company, AUDI AG, resides in Ingolstadt, Germany. Additional information on all Audi models and history can be found at www.audi.ca