Audi to Utilize Unique (& Expensive) Marketing Tactic at Frankfurt Auto Show

German automaker Audi will spend more than $14 million on an indoor track at this year's Frankfurt Auto Show, Bloomberg is reporting Monday. Audi's interactive exhibit will be over 300 feet long, 200 feet wide and nearly 40 feet high. A 1000-foot+ track will also allow for test driving. About 30 models will be at the show, and visitors can drive more than 10, including race cars. The move is only the latest by Audi to attract buyers who typically consider competitors BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The Frankfurt International Motor Show, which runs from September 15 to 25, will no doubt carry a strong vibe this year. “We'll make a strong statement,” Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said in an interview last week. “It'll be surprising, emotional, architecturally great, with a real wow effect.” Luxury auto manufacturers have stepped up marketing tactics in recent years to increase branding power. Auto shows are seen as a great opportunity for potential customers to explore the vehicles they're interested in, without the pressurized sales environment. BMW beat Audi and Mercedes-Benz in May, selling 121,168 cars worldwide, a jump of 19% from a year ago. Audi sold 113,400 vehicles, a 19.5% increase, while Mercedes-Benz sold 108,766 cars at a 7.3% y-o-y increase. China's huge growth has been attributed to rising sales, but industry publication Auto News expects that the country's demand for German luxury automobiles will cool this year. The Bloomberg report notes that "The German automakers have also been building elaborate permanent showcases for themselves. Porsche SE opened an all- white 100 million-euro museum in 2009, following Mercedes's spiraling gallery in 2006. BMW boasts that its 250 million-euro museum and customer delivery center has become Munich's top tourist attraction since its completion in 2007."