Audi Slot
In year 2000 Audi launched the R8 LMP model, a car destined to be dominant on all endurance race tracks for several years. For its Le Mans debut, Joest Racing entered the works cars from Ingolstadt in the LMP P 900 class. Audi Canada and Slot Mods USA took the traditional slot car track to a new level, as this one included 3D printed 1:32 scale Audi A4s that you drive with an iPad and custom cameras. Bummed you missed it? Lucky for you and I they released a great making-of video about the process of creating the interactive installation. So where is the SIM slot on your Audi? It’s either between the SD cards or, in some models, inside the glove box. These are the two most common locations for the SIM slot in Audi cars.
Audi Canada Reinvents The Test-Drive With World’s First iPad Controlled Slot Car Race
TORONTO, January 16 – With the release of a documentary short film 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.
Audi Q5 Key Slot
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.
Here’s a video outlining the project.
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) of Industry Films.
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.”
This is the documentary, “Painting Coconuts”.
More information, including final race leaderboard, is available online at http://experiencequattro.ca/
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
Credits for the Audi quattro® Experience and the “Painting Coconuts” documentary
Client: Audi Canada
Client: Jennifer Dobbs
Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo
Executive Creative Director: Zak Mroueh
Creative Director: Shane Ogilvie
Copy Writer: Jon Webber
Art Director: Simon Au
Agency Producer: David Isaac
Account Team: Adam Lang, Barrett Holman, Christina Polyzos
Production House: Industry Films
Digital Production House: Thinkingbox
Director: Tamir Moscovici
Media Agency: Mediacom
Track Fabrication: Slot Mods
Car Model Fabrication: Uplis Ltd
Slot Car Parts: Electric Dreams
Event Company: Vision Co.
Cinematographers: Anthony Arendt, Vinit Borrison
Post Production: Married To Giants And Alter Ego
Colourist: Wade Odlum
Editor: Paul Proulx
Audio House: Pirate Audio
For more information and interview requests please contact:
Cort Nielsen, PR Manager, Audi Canada, 905.428.5820, Cort.Nielsen@Audi.Ca
Zak Mroueh, Zulu Alpha Kilo, President and Creative Director, 416-777-9858 x222
Making of the Audi Quattro slot cars - 01.22.13
Here’s the latest from Shawn Sims, Director of NOTlabs and resident car aficionado.
Audi Slovenia
Back in October 2012 in Toronto’s Royal Bank Plaza, a shipping container sized structure popped up alongside a new Audi Quattro A4. In the glowing glass container, you’d find quite the slot car track, essentially a tiny Audi wonderland, which you could race through via iPads. Audi Canada and Slot Mods USA took the traditional slot car track to a new level, as this one included 3D printed 1:32 scale Audi A4s that you drive with an iPad and custom cameras. Bummed you missed it? Me too. Lucky for you and I they released a great making-of video about the process of creating the interactive installation.
The short film, Painting Coconuts - The Audi Quattro Experience, is filled with inspiring craft and passion. It follows David Beattie, owner of Slot Mods USA, and his team as they produce the one of a kind interactive artwork. Every detail is painstakingly hand crafted. The trees are made from dried Japanese Sedum flowers, custom circuits were built for the POV cameras, and when sourcing a 1:32 scale model of the current A4 proved difficult, they 3D scanned a real one and used the digital file to 3D print the slot cars. Check out the making- of video and lots of close ups on the next page…
Audi Slovakia
It’s amazing to see how crude the foam structure starts and how refined and smooth it finally gets.
Here you can see the process of 3D scanning with a structured light technique. Lines are projected onto the car while a camera tracks the contours that it makes and produces a digital 3D file.
3D printed A4!
Since the 3D printed Audi needs to be smooth for paint, they apply a finish to it that they can sand down before it heads to the painter.
Awesome original Audi Quattro hiding in the barn.
Audi Slot Car Track
Nice billboard…
Audi Slogan
The custom POV camera and circuit board looks like it was difficult to make considering the size constraints inside the slot car.