“About 20 percent of our business is in that top echelon of the RS cars, and another 20 percent are the S cars. So 40 percent of our business has that heavy sporty focus.”

Sheed says these vehicles are high performance in terms of their handling, the materials they are made of, and the electronics and technology they come with. But there are several other strands to performance.

“Responding to customer needs is another performance area,” says Sheed.

That includes Audi track experience days which cater for all levels of experience from customers wanting to sharpen driving their skills, through to those wanting to experience the exhilaration of motorsport under controlled conditions.

Steve Hansen spoke to customers at a recent Audi track experience day at Hampton Downs and shared his views on what it takes to be a top performer in the everyday work environment, the family environment, and on the track.

“He’s been recognised both locally and globally as having a performance attitude, and mindset and focus, and that fits with our Audi sports range,” says Sheed. “We talk about the holistic view, not just 0 to 100 times, not just acceleration. At Audi we think that’s important.”

It’s not new either. It’s exactly 40 years since the innovative Audi Quattro all-wheel drive system was introduced, making it the first company to offer four-wheel drive for passenger vehicles.

“That was about safety first and foremost, then giving it a performance edge,” says Sheed.

He says the next step in Audi’s ongoing commitment to performance is electrification, which will see the brand continue to uphold its commitment to producing premium vehicles, with a growing emphasis on sustainability.

“We’re at the tipping point now of the introduction of vehicles coming into our range that are powered by electricity, not by petrol or diesel. Just because they are electric doesn’t mean they can’t be a performance Audi.”