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Already over 110,000 registrations for "Q7 Globe"

• 38 countries currently use the online portal for the new Audi SUV

• The largest multi-channel marketing project of Audi

• Broadband microsite with information, films and downloads

Audi's: www.audi.com/q7globe

Some special insights into the virtual world of the Audi Q7: A film containing images of trials with a camouflaged Audi Q7 in the desert, designers explaining the styling of the future Audi SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) in words and pictures, photos and film clips of the Q7 as downloads, exclusive information about the technology, or an attractive competition. Even though the Audi Q7 will not have its premiere until the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the virtual world of the "Q7 Globe" online portal has already been providing insights and prospects for the new Audi model since March. Over 110,000 prospective customers worldwide have already registered for the microsite at www.audi.com/q7globe and there have already been almost half a million visits to the site.

The Q7 Globe was jointly initiated by Audi Marketing Communication and Audi Relationship Marketing. André Lutz, in charge of Potential Customer Management, explains: "The Q7 Globe is not just simply a website, but a key component in a program for the generation and support of prospective customers at an international level, and for the extended launch campaign introducing the new SUV. This is Audi's biggest multi-channel marketing project to date for the launch of a new model." Lutz goes on: "The Q7 will be Audi's first vehicle in the SUV segment. This means that this car has no predecessor at Audi. For this reason it is essential to get to know new customers and to win them over from other brands in order to achieve sales targets. The Q7 Globe project was launched as early as in March in order to identify this target group at an early stage. It has been a great success in this respect: Around sixty percent of people registering an interest drive vehicles of other brands. The online special is made available centrally by Audi Marketing to all importers, along with the other elements of the Q7 Globe. So far the program and its online special are used by 38 markets throughout the world. It has been translated into seven languages to date. Further markets and language versions are to follow. Germany heads the chart of prospective customer registrations, followed by the USA, Belgium, France and Italy.

Users can access an elaborately designed website that makes full use of the multimedia opportunities offered by broadband Internet. The virtual world of the Audi Q7 will open up in five thematic phases, which will be released step-by-step, up to the vehicle's premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and supplemented by additional content. In the first phase, "Evolution", the visitor experiences the tradition and innovation of the Audi brand – with highlights from the areas of technology and motor sport, from the "Audi Pikes Peak quattro" design study through to the production model, with exclusive Q7 films and photographs to download and use as desktop backgrounds or screensavers.

The second phase, "Design", contains such items as interviews with Audi designers Dany Garand and Satosha Wada, who provide information about the styling of the Audi Q7. The third phase, "Performance", is being released with immediate effect. In this phase it is possible to access 3D animations as well as some initial information about engine options, drive trains, handling and ride quality, plus some new shots of the Q7. "Comfort" and "Flexibility" are also still to come before September. Potential customers will be addressed specifically after prospect data has been evaluated. In addition to this, users of Q7 Globe have the opportunity to take part in a competition to win a high-end Bang & Olufsen speaker system, as well as VIP tickets for the Frankfurt Motor Show.