Audi Opens Massive Center in West London

On October 19th, 2009 West London will become home to the largest Audi showroom/dealership and auto center in the world. This seven story superstructure cost nearly $75 million, took six years to design and build, and is an engineering marvel on many levels. Above ground the structure stretches 183 feet wide by 78 feet tall with a basement section that sits below the water table and the level of the river Thames.

The new Audi center is an ambitious project designed by famous architectural firm Wilkinson Eyre Architects and is expected to employ a minimum of 100 persons in its seven floors. There will be a large 32-bay workshop in the basement, three floors to serve as the showroom, a business and conference center and a showroom for classic Audi vehicles near the top.

"Like Nothing We've Built Before"

Jeremy Hicks, who is the director of Audi UK states that the building is complex in its scope and size and "like nothing we've built before". The primary purpose of the building is to help showcase Audi and its planned expansion from 31 to 44 cars in its lineup by 2015. The showrooms in the new center will be capable of showing off up to 116 cars at once meaning that the salespersons who cater to the expected 30,000 customers over the next year will be able to show off many of the available trims of the Audi models available currently on the market. This will help customers to come to a better decision about what they want when ordering their car rather than having to envision it, or work strictly off of pages in a book.

Audi's Lineup

Audi's current lineup of vehicles fits within the mid-luxury to high-end luxury family of vehicles. From the Q7 and Q5 crossover SUVs which combine elegance with functionality for families and those interested possibly in off-roading in style, to the sleek and sporty R8 with its transparent engine bay providing speed and awesome power to satisfy thrill-seeker in anyone, Audi's lineup of cars is designed to offer something for everyone. The four-door A4 and A8 sedans are perfect for the family with a more upscale feel to it while delivering the quality and high level of functionality and service that Audi is well known for, Audi's complete lineup of cars, starting at around $26,000 will fit right into the massive new showroom perfectly. The elegance of Audi's vehicles and design fits perfectly with the elegance and design of the new West London showroom.

Though some may question the wisdom of such an extravagance during an economic downturn, we must keep in mind that Audi began this project in 2003/2004 when the economy of the UK and the world was doing very well. Also, the sheer marvel of this structure is such that even those without money to buy will be swinging by to take a look at this building, which will help to improve Audi's banding through the UK and the rest of the world.

Additional Audi openings in celebration of its 100th anniversary, include an Earthworks operation that will cost $100 million for a new body-manufacturing shop in Germany, and the recent opening of an Audi store in Jacksonville Florida.