The players of ERC Ingolstadt will be starting into the new season of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) next Friday with a strong motivation boost.  Just a few days before their home match against Mannheim, Audi handed over their new company cars to the “Panthers.” In addition to receiving the sporty automobiles, the runner-up in last year’s main round was pleased with the large turnout of ERCI fans among the Audi employees who gave their idols an enthusiastic welcome.A future highlight in the streets of Ingolstadt will be a new Audi A3 featuring the club’s colors which the automaker presented to its guests. Glacier White, 110 kW (150 HP) and a two-liter TDI engine plus the ERCI logo and lettering on both sides will definitely turn the new Fan A3 into an eye-catcher. During the season, the one-of-a-kind vehicle will be raffled off four times for the period of one month, respectively. The contest will start on the erc-ingolstadt.de website on Friday and the Fan A3 will be presented to the spectators at the Saturn-Arena in the evening.

Before posing for a group photo with Audi representatives and the presentation of a 3,700-euro check by Ralph Linde and Dieter-Johann Sirsch to Steffi Praunsmändtl, chairwoman of the “Goals for Kids” club, the “Panthers” took a peek behind the scenes of their partner. During a guided tour of the paint shop for which they were wearing the obligatory gray overalls the athletes were able to watch how the cars receive their final coat of paint. For the A3 alone, twelve different colors are available.

The Audi brand has been the ice hockey club’s partner for more than ten years. Aside from numerous joint activities and events, the partnership is readily visible at every home match: with the four rings displayed on the ice, on the video cube, on the advertising boards, on the players’ bench and in the penalty box plus on illuminated advertising and a large fan banner opposite the fans grandstand.