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Originally Posted by mountainstar
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Audi in 2007 sold 115,000 cars out of 16 million cars sold in the USA. Small beans. Looking at average demographics of the irl there are probably few audi owners that are fans and even fewer that would attend an irl race. You compare that to the ALMS. Numbers overall might be a little lower but it is more Audi's demographic. Assuming for a moment that the cost of the irl and the ALMS would be the same, Audi would likely reach more of it's potential customers in the ALMS.
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On the contrary!!!
Audi cars belong to a niche market and comparing it with the 16 millions car os the States is completely out of any sense.
As you correctly say, there are currently many more Audi owners in the Alms fan base then the irl's one.
But after some years in the ALMS, there may be reasons to state that the potential of the Alms fan base, in terms of sales, has been filled, and new segments deserve to be explored, in order to develop (or just maintain) sales. The irl fan base could be one of them. In this perspective, Having an Audi engine winning Indy500 would be way more significant than winning in Alms for the empteenth time.
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Originally Posted by mountainstar
I think what Audi did for 2009 was just panic like every other manufacturer. That is what I guess based on first hand knowledge. They will be here for Sebring and the R8 GT3 is coming on line as well. I suspect they may be back in 2010 full bore if the economy goes out of panic mode.
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That's your typical wishful thinking attitude
If economy recovers it could just help Audi's expectations about IRL.