Do you remember Audi’s early ’70s “pack of dogs” promo? If I recall, you could get a free brand-new Audi Fox if you had a pack of same-breed dogs that could beat the Audi in a race. If I’m remembering this right, after an early loss to a pack of greyhounds, Audi altered the rules so it was a five-mile race, pretty much guaranteeing no dogs would have the stamina to win. Also, I think a few of the dealer-provided Audi drivers swerved menacingly at the dogs, and flung long chains of sausages out the windows, as Audi had no intention of giving away any cars.
Many dog owners were accused of doping as well, including one recorded incident with a Pomeranian that hit 45 mph.
Also, I may be making all this up.
They look just like my boys, Chewie & Worf, who are, as it goes, fox hounds.
https://twitter.com/mojonaut/status/1532608426517450753?s=21&t=PBw9BGINxk_zcz9zPv7oLg
Audi altered the rules so it was a five-mile race, pretty much guaranteeing no dogs would have the stamina to win.
Based on my painful experiences with the Audi derived engine in our old Porsche 924T I doubt that Audi would make 5 miles without some kind of catastrophic, smoke filled breakdown and spend the next month in the shop waiting on parts master crafted from the finest, most expensive Zeppelin delivered Teutonic unobtanium.
Those dogs could go home, eat dinner, sniff each other silly, chase a cat in the wrong direction and eventually wander across the finish line before the Audi got out of the shop.
Looks like the driver is wearing a 70s era, prison issue “duck cloth”, chore coat.
Looks like he’s escaping something?
Outfoxing the hounds in a boosted Audi.
He’s been planning this escape for at least a year. You can tell by his easy yet attentive expression. The dogs aren’t his problem, he’s paying way more attention to the rear view mirror.
What is he escaping from with those hounds chasing him in an Audi?
Did he marry into a wealthy family and finally decide that life isn’t for him? The hounds of the estate chasing him out the front gate in the in-laws car.
Did he win a boiled egg eating contest and is rushing to find a rest stop (that doesn’t explain the dogs)?
Did he just escape a prison chain gang?
If so he he was incredibly confident about his plan.
He’s wearing his seat belt.
Why is he looking so intently yet nonchalantly in his rear view mirror?
What’s back there you poor artists rendering of a man?
What we have in this advertisement is,
A failure to communicate!
I like that they painted that illustrated Audi the correct color: rust.
I had two B5 A4’s. I had no end of minor issues with them (under warranty at least). I was smitten with the look and driving experience and recommended Audis to all my friends and family. Some of those people don’t speak to me anymore.
I don’t even like riding in Audis now.
“Many dog owners were accused of doping” but it turned out that the VW Group were the cheaters.
I preferred the Audi commercial that had a hot wheels track with a loop in it, it had the ‘professional driver closed course do not attempt yourself’ disclaimer, as if I wouldn’t try if I had that track, and I also may have imagined this commercial too
My greyhound would just watch the car go by. I don’t think she misses racing At. All.
I never had much to do with greyhounds till a relative got one. It’s surprising how much time they spend doing *nothing *
“40mph couch potato”
What I find interesting is that the Audi Fox wagon was for America and a few other markets only. In most places (and throughout Europe) the B1 wagon was VW-exclusive. That’s surprising both in that it meant there were enough Audi-only dealerships (read: former DKW dealers mostly from the ’58-59 import boom) holding on in America to lobby for one, and yet somehow there weren’t in Germany.
What is going on with the lead dog? I looks like someone kicked it in the butt the way its back legs are positioned.
It hit one of the spring traps.
To further handicap the dogs, there were spring traps hidden along the course that would throw the dogs off-balance by suddenly pushing the dog upward. Not enough to hurt the dog, but enough to throw off the dog’s cadence and slow the dog. The idea was to disrupt the dogs in ways that wouldn’t alert the owners to the disadvantages imposed upon them.
Torch has channeled his inner Joe Isuzu.
If Jason writes it, it has to be fact, right. Right??
What kind of race? Across the dog park? On tarmac? On a fox hunt through the Lower Saxony forest? Inquiring minds want to know!
Tell me more about these pomeranian races
The Pomeranian was disqualified when it was discovered it was using an RC engine and a roller skate. (” I thought those toots sounded way too long and high pitched.” claimed one spectator.”
For me, it’s the size that grabs me. Not via the perspective-induced one vis a vis the dogs, but just looking at the man in sitting in the car.
That sedan is about the size of a modern Corolla. Wow.
The Fox (80 B1) had a 97.2″ wheelbase. A late-2000s Yaris’s wheelbase was 96.9″ for the hatchback and 100.4″ for the sedan. (2470, 2460, and 2550mm.)
To keep it in the VW family, instead, the New Beetle’s wheelbase was 99″, 2515mm.
Wow. The New Beetle comparison is truly mesmerizing to think about.
Now I’m wondering about the dogs. Usually when they show dogs in a car ad, the insinuation is they came out of the vehicle (usually an SUV) in question. There’s no way all those dogs would fit in that Audi.
I struggle to get two of them in and out of the back seats of my wife’s B8 Euro Passat.