DEALER group Vindis has hosted a special invitation-only driving day at Rockingham Motor Speedway.
The ‘Ride and Drive Day’ showcased not only the latest range of Audi sports models but also took the concept of car retailing out of the traditional dealership environment.
The sell-out event saw more than 300 customers from the Audi centres in Bedford, Cambridge, Huntingdon, Northampton and Peterborough head to the Northamptonshire circuit to test the sporty S and RS models and the R8 supercar.
Rockingham’s Wet Grip Area – which combines a kick-plate, water walls and low-friction basalt tiles to simulate a variety of driving conditions including ice, rain and wet leaves – and the venue’s 4×4 off-road course were available for customers as well.
Away from the test drives, the event also offered a host of entertainment, including gaming pods and a world-class air display by Northamptonshire-based The Blades to ensure all members of the family were made welcome and enjoyed the experience.
Vindis Group’s Paul Woodhouse said: ‘Audi Showcase events are highly successful and popular events, which allow us to reach out and engage with our clients on a different level, and provide an opportunity to experience the Audi brand in a fun and informal atmosphere.
‘Rockingham is the ideal venue for us, as we like to offer our customers a wide range of fun things to do on the day, and the flexibility of the venue’s facilities allowed us to do just that.’
Peter Hardman, chief executive of Rockingham, said: ‘We were really pleased to host the Vindis Group at Rockingham. Recreating a virtual dealership showroom is a brilliant concept, as it’s a great way to really engage with clients away from the usual sales environment.’
This was the second consecutive year the ‘virtual showroom’ has been held at Rockingham, bringing together the main local dealerships under one roof.