SHARP Drives: The Audi Circuit Experience
It is often said that the reward for a Canadian winter is a Canadian summer. The warm embrace of summer days, the lush, never-ending green of the trees, the hypnotizing sparkle of the sun off the water — paradise. So, what better way to experience the thrill of driving than along the country roads of a beautiful small town far from the gridlock of the city? This is precisely what the Audi Canada team had in store for us. With their Audi Sport and Audi e-tron lineup of vehicles, Audi promises an exhilarating experience.
The paradox of country road driving is that you must get out of the city to get to those country roads, so the day started with a small group of content creators boarding a 10-seat turboprop plane and heading west to Goderich, Ontario. Self-described as “Canada’s prettiest town,” Goderich sits on the shores of Lake Huron in Western Southern Ontario. Why fly? The drive is roughly three hours from Toronto, and the fastest, most direct way for us to get there was in the air. Honestly, it beats sitting in traffic. Soaring above the clouds, the kilometres slide past. Circling Goderich from above as we approached, I would be hard-pressed not to agree that it is pretty, and of course, there was that sparkle of light dancing off the lake’s surface.
Once on the ground, we were met by a fleet of 2024 Audi’s before being whisked away to the stunning Lune 1860, a new multi-purpose venue inside a beautifully renovated 19th-century Italianate-style home. Peppered throughout the grounds, Audi-inspired activations were set up for experimental and educational purposes, including an e-tron GT and Q4 e-tron surrounded by artfully placed mirrors designed to emphasize and showcase the design of the vehicles, and as a product, created some excellent content capturing vignettes. There was also a Q8 e-tron set up to allow individuals to experience an immersive sound bath and experience courtesy of the vehicle Bang & Olufsen sound system and some decorative branch and forest scenes covering the windows and dashboard. Of course, this was all a precursor to the actual reason we came, driving the Audi Circuit.
The Audi Circuit, a series of roads temporarily closed off for our use to test drive a lineup of e-tron vehicles. The circuit was designed to allow us to see how the cars performed, taking corners, launching from 0-100, and overall handling, all to get our hearts racing, which, as it so happens, we got to see the result in real-time.
Once arriving at the start of the circuit, all the drivers were given heart rate monitors, which synced to an app that tracked our heartbeats as we drove — an interesting little touch to show how acceleration and speed affect the body. In fact, when you drive an Audi, you’ll reach a “sweet spot” — there’s a strong bond between car and driver, summed up in a single heartbeat — and it feels as though the car was designed just for you.
The cars assembled for our driving pleasure were the Audi SQ8 Sportback e-tron, the Audi e-tron GT, the Audi RS 6 Avant, and the Audi R8 GT, the show’s star. Each vehicle boasts unique features that we were eager to experience, from the instant torque to the iconic four-wheel drive systems of the quattro control, promising a thrilling and informative drive. As we revved the engines, the cars unleashed a certain giddiness; these cars can drive fast, for sure, but when you’re behind the wheel, it’s as though you’re one with this glorious, lightning-fuelled machine.
Of course, we took full advantage of the brand’s V10 supercar by getting some quality time with the Audi R8 GT, of which there are only 10 in Canada. Launching from 0-100 in 3.3 seconds, this rare high-performance sportscar took us to incredible speeds. It was an impressive display of power and performance working harmoniously. Flying down the track was electrifying, to be sure, but the boatloads of adrenaline felt more like confidence than anxiety.
While there is no arguing with the Audi R8 GT’s raw V10 combustion power, the e-tron model’s performance was impressive. The RS e-tron GT matched the R8 in its 0-100km timing, coming in at the exact same 3.3 seconds, more horsepower at 637HP versus 602HP and Torque at 612 lb-ft versus 413 lb-ft. Couple that with the inarguably smooth and comfortable drive you get from the e-tron, the actual roominess of the interior, and the 5-80% charge in 22.5 minutes; these Audi EVs are looking like the future of automobiles. Plus, the AWD e-quattro adjusts to the road conditions in an instant. With this level of traction and control, that special, emotional type of connection returns — it’s like every tire was tailored for you.
After our time on the circuit, we returned to Lune 1860 for post-driving nibbles courtesy of one of Canada’s Best 100 Restaurants, The Pine. The small bites, made using locally sourced ingredients, included delicacies like maitake mushrooms on lettuce wraps, grilled wagyu beef skewers, strawberry compote bites, and more. Delicious refreshments and curated cocktails were served as everyone relieved their favourite moments of the day, creating the perfect end to the eventful day. As the sun set over the country roads, we returned to the small plane to soar above the clouds. As we sailed through the air, making our way back to Toronto, it was the perfect moment to reflect on the incredible day of breaking new speed records, new heights, and a delicious summer bounty, reaffirming that there isn’t anything quite like a Canadian summer or an Audi experience.
Learn more about the Audi Sport and Audi e-tron lineup here.
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