As we make plans for those last vacation drives of the summer, and daytime temperatures hover around the 90-degree mark, it should be kept in mind to check not just your car’s coolant level, but also the hoses. In part due to emission controls, the higher operating temperatures of today’s cars combined with the Florida heat; also take a toll on the hoses and belts. This is especially true if your Audi has both some miles and years behind its taillights. I cannot remember the last time one of my Audis has had a fan belt fail, if ever, and that goes back to 1980, but there are other belts. It was not that many years ago that I recall folks mentioning that if you were running a turbo, it was also a good idea to let the engine idle for a little while after some long and hard driving. Of course, Audis have after-run fans but it is a good idea to give the engine a chance to cool off, even just a little.
One habit I have taken up after pulling into the garage is to open the hood. It certainly warms up the garage but also allows the engine to cool down a lot quicker. The other item and just a thought here, should you open the hood after turning the car off, keep one’s hands out from behind the radiator. Those electric fan motors have a tendency to start contingent on engine temperature. We do not need any accidents.
Plans for the third gathering of the Citrus Region are now on the books for September. If you are in the Orlando, Lakeland, and Daytona area, make sure to give Patrick [email protected] a shout to find out additional information regarding this upcoming event.
October has the Lake Mirror Classic, in our sights. Jim Vandercrake is checking on possible group parking for Saturday the 19th. Should you not be able to join us on Saturday, this is a three-day event of classic cars, boats, and motorcycles in a Florida town also known for numerous examples of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.
It looks like a second drive is in the works for Sunday November 10. As many of you have requested, this will give those who have to work on Saturdays a chance to join us. At this stage of the planning and it is all very tentative, thoughts are having groups starting in Orlando and Tampa meet at the Yalaha Bakery for a quick pit stop, then drive on into Mt Dora to meet folks who may be coming from Daytona and Jacks. A luncheon at a German restaurant is in store and Walter has already checked the menu, Bavarian Haus. After a quick review of the link, I believe a few of us may not be able to wait until November.
There continues to be much to enjoy from the ACFL’s offerings and activities, but we also need folks to volunteer and help with planning and execution of events and the running of the club. As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, we are looking forward to those who wish to volunteer and have been members of the ACNA for at least a year to consider running for the ACFL Board of Directors. Presently, BoD members are responsible for the newsletter distribution, maintaining our chapter web site, sales of raffle tickets, membership on boarding and retention and some event planning. We are looking for additional members who wish to work on and lend a hand with these endeavors.
Table of Contents
Up the Road
Event Listing
ACNA & Chapter News
Other Items in the News
Classifieds and Audi Tradition
As Seen/Members’ Photos
Sunday Drives
…but then there’s more
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August 3, there will be the usual and always enjoyable early morning eye openers at Reeves Motorsports in Tampa and Suncoast Audi in Sarasota. At Reeves, that strong cup of Joe along with a sugary but delicious ersatz beignet, helps clear the view of the great collection of cars that gather shortly after sunrise.
September 7, Our fifth annual tour of the Audi Technical Center in Clearwater. In the past, and as those who have attended can attest, this has always been a very informative experience, often with guest speakers and always an opportunity to see first hand, some of Audi’s behind the scenes operations. Once again, we have plans for at least one and possibly two guest speakers and presentation from AoA.
October 2nd- 6th The 29th Frank Beddor National Event in Nashville. This year’s event has numerous and varied activities planned, which should appeal to many additional folks and families than the more track-oriented nationals in years past.
October 18th-20th, Lake Mirror Classic, Lakeland
November 10th Drive and Luncheon This is our first Sunday event to allow those who work on Saturdays (Especially some of you Brand Specialists) to participate. Destination, Trip-Tiks, and details to be announced shortly.
December 7th Toys for Tots, Reeves Motorsports
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September 7, 2013, Audi Technical Center Tour
Clearwater FL 9:00 AM, Audi Technical Center
Please RSVP to [email protected] by September 6, 12:00 PM in order that we can plan for donuts.
Palm Beach Region
[email protected]
Citrus Region (Orlando)
[email protected]
September 28, 2013, 12:00 PM, luncheon Golden Lion’s top deck, Flagler Beach
http://www.goldenlioncafe.us/location.asp
ACFL Events in Florida
October 19
Mirror Classic Lakeland FL
Gulf Coast Region
[email protected]
August 3, 2013, Cars and Coffee
Reeves Motorsport, Tampa 7:00AM
August 3, 2013, Cars and Coffee
Audi of Sarasota, Sarasota 8:00AM
November 10
Yalaha and Mt. Dora Drive Event
Driving Events with Performance Driving Group
August 17th – Palm Beach International Raceway
August 31st – Homestead Miami Speedway
Contact David Loppert for details: [email protected]
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Le Mans Reeves event write up has now been posted in the ACNA website
Enjoy Le Mans and Reeves, the continuation of a new tradition ..
Elections for the Board of Directors, Audi Club of Florida
If you are presently and have been an active member in good standing of the ACNA for over a year, and wish to serve, we are looking forward to your involvement and expertise. At present, we are in need folks who will work on the monthly newsletter, in addition to helping plan and execute events. Should you be so inclined drop me a line at[email protected] by August 15, 2013. We plan to have elections by the middle of October.
ACNA S5 Raffle
We need to reach the 75 mark if we are to receive some financial assistance from the ACNA. For clubs our size if we reach that mark, we will receive $1000, which is used to pay for web sites, domains and in support of our events. In view of the fact that as a chapter, we do not require any membership dues this is one of the few ways we can receive funds. So support the chapter and give yourself a chance at an S5. Andreas at [email protected], has tickets available and will give you all the details. A thank you, goes out to all who have already purchased raffle tickets, your support is appreciated. It would be great if one of our members won the car.
Spend $50 to save $3,000 on a $50,000 MSRP Audi
If you have been an ACNA member in good standing for six months, you will be eligible for a 6% discount from MSRP on the purchase of certain Audi models. Yes, a few of the usual suspects have been excluded, the R8, RS5, TTRS, and a few others, but check out the details at ACNA Membership Benefits. If you plan to be in the market for a new Audi, it literally pays and saves to be an active member of the ACNA. Just do the math on the Audi of your dreams.
Welcome Aboard
Welcome to our new ACNA members. Our membership numbers are once again growing which means additional critical mass in different regions of the state and hopefully more events and participation. Those of you who are new to the ACNA will receive an on boarding note from David Loppert, if you have; any questions feel free to drop either David [email protected] or me [email protected] a line. I also suggest that if you have not had a chance yet check out both the ACNA website, and the Audi Club of Florida website. There is a great deal of good information plus some excellent photos of member’s cars.
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And now for the numbers
June may have been the best ever for Audi and the 30th consecutive month of beating the previous year’s monthly sales Audi June sales, but the numbers on the scoreboard compared to its chief rival; the other boys from BavariaBMW June sales, certainly, do not portray a stellar performance. In June 2012 there were 1.72 BMWs sold per Audi. In June 2013, there 1.98 BMW’s sold per Audi. There may be some increases in market share for Audi, but it is not coming at the expense of BMW. The year to date figures for 2012 are 1.94 BMW’s per Audi and in 2013, 1.89 BMW’s per Audi so they are maintaining this years improvement from earlier months, but that will not last unless the monthly figures improve significantly. Besting internal numbers is always a good thing but it is the numbers compared to one’s competition that show the true score. Remember as the demand for new Audis goes up, so does the residual value of the Audi’s we own.
You cannot build one yet, but here is a start
Pricing for the 2014 RS7 RS 7, Pricing Announced
A look into future Audis
Here is a combination of some photos and renditions of new Audis. Text is in German but one can recognize the models many of which are not available in the US. There are also some very interesting horsepower (PS) figures for a few of the vehicles. Der Blick in die Audi-Zukunft
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For Example: Wanted: Wanderer or DKW motorcycle of motorbike pre 1950 [email protected]
You can also use the Classifieds Forum on the Audi Club of Florida web site
If you have a special Audi such as one of the S or RS models or a pre 2000 that you would like to sell, we will list it once in the newsletter. I will need the year, model, color over interior color, and your email address. Longer and non-member postings can be placed in the website. We will also list DKW, NSU, and Wanderer motorcycles. If you are looking for a particular car, once again S, RS or pre 2000 model plus a bike, we will also try to accommodate you here.
An Item for next years bucket list
Check out this reason to head to Europe next summer. Goodwood
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This month we are featuring the vintage Audi Coupe race car owned by friend-of-the club Johan Aerts. Andre Lotterer took Johan’s place behind the wheel for this year’s ….
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Andre Lotterer and the Audi Coupe |
Have a picture of your car or some news you’d like to share? Send your photo to Walter Moore [email protected]
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Adventures and Drives taken with your Audi
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On the Ozello Trail |
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The Speed channel no longer airs the F1 races, so I have moved from what some have called NASCAR TV to NBC Sports, which does carry the F1 races. As an unintended consequence of this move I started watching some of their other programming and for most of the first three weeks of July, I remained glued to the TV watching the Tour de France. It is not that I follow bicycle racing or even recognize more than a few of the racer’s names past and present except those that have been nailed for doping. Besides ŠKODA, more on that later, Garman, and Europcar, I do not even recognize many of the sponsors. Nevertheless, this is an unbelievable individual and team event along with the fans who dressed in everything from colored tights to almost nothing, going absolutely nuts as they cheer on their individual favorites and teams in the peloton. It is the never-ending tour of a snake of bicycles through both lush and parched countryside, coastal regions, French Alps, the Pyrenees, palatial châteaux’s, small villages and the castles, forts, abbeys, cathedrals and in Corsica, the Martello Towers that for me makes it so interesting. Those of you who joined us for the last MPG Rally may remember seeing a Martello tower at the finish line in Key West.
On the human side, the other interesting aspect of the Tour are the thousands and I mean literally thousands who gather and cheer their favorite cyclist and country on waving national, provincial, and other flags. All is more than just quite colorful. One thing, which seems to be absent, is the nationalistic bent of the judges so often ascribed to Le Mans, another Gallic racing event of great note. Perhaps it is because the broadcast announcers, both American and English do not even mention it; one does not know what one does not know.
In Paris, the 100th Tour de France came to a close on the Champ De Elysees with a firework and laser light display at the Arc de Triumph, a fitting tribute to the tour from the city of lights.
One can easily lose oneself imagining a leisurely drive along many of the routes and through Alpine meadows in an open vehicle. In the past, I recall a few Audi Cabrios as team support vehicles. This year besides one each of a MB, BMW, and Volvo station wagon, the remaining official red sedan and bevy of colorful team cars were all ŠKODA’sCombi. This vehicle is very similar to the Audi A4 Avant but seemed bigger. Clearly, ŠKODA is a sponsor of the event though Cadillac was sponsoring the broadcast on NBC Sports. Interesting, ŠKODA feels that the athletic types who watch the tour in Europe see these folks as potential customers. This side of the pond, it is Cadillac who feels the expenditure for three weeks of eight to ten hours of daily broadcasting, to this potential customer base has some value. Though it must be said, I have not seen a Caddy with a bike rack lately. An additional item and this relates to the spectator vehicles parked along the route, aside from the caravans, campers, vans (VW Westphalia types) and camping trailers, the majority of the vehicles were hatchbacks or wagons.
Perhaps one can only ascribe the difference in vehicle types to European taste and practicality. Interestingly enough, this is not manifested just in France, but also in Germany and Great Britain amongst others where there is a preponderance of wagons. Have we missed something here?
Here is looking forward to having you join us at one of our upcoming events and should you have any questions, or comments, please give a shout.
Cheers and Safe Motoring,
Bob Greving |