Video: How You Can Appreciate Le Mans Racing Though Truth In 24

Video: How You Can Appreciate Le Mans Racing Though Truth In 24

HERNDON, Va., April 8 /PRNewswire/ -- If you enjoy ridiculously expensive carbon fiber race cars that rarely pass each other, go to a Formula One race. If you can look past candy-colored decals masking sheet-metal sameness, turn to NASCAR. But if you seek visceral motorsports thrills loaded with human drama, unique engineering, real racing strategy, exhaustion and suspense, then the Le Mans series is your ticket.

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Now you can experience the exhilaration of Le Mans racing, culminating in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Late March brought the exclusive release of the award-winning documentary Truth in 24 as a free download on the iTunes Store (www.iTunes.com). Now, iTunes has made available an HD version of the dramatic documentary produced by Chicago-based Intersport and the talented storytellers of NFL Films. Check out Truth in 24 on iTunes in stunning, high definition or standard definition at www.iTunes.com/truthin24.

With all of these offerings, Truth in 24 will come alive on any Mac or PC, iPhone, iPod with video and on any widescreen TV with Apple TV. Enthusiasts can also get a hands-on feel for Le Mans racing through a new Truth in 24 driving challenge app for iPhone and iPod touch. It is available on the Apple App Store.

The Truth in 24 driving application, developed by Factory Design Labs of Denver, challenges iPhone and iPod touch players to monitor fuel use and tire wear just as Audi Le Mans teams do during races. It also offers exceptional graphics, a new driver's point of view, multiple courses and provides links to the film's iTunes Store download site and www.truthin24.com.

Early reviews have pegged Truth in 24 as one of the best racing films ever made. It has already collected awards at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and the Gasparilla International Film Festival in Tampa. The plot centers on the 2008 duel between upstart Peugeot and the Audi teams that had won seven of the previous 24 Hours of Le Mans competitions. What makes the documentary so compelling, though, is the masterful storytelling of NFL Films helped by uncommon behind-the-scenes access.

"The chance to tell a story about a group of people trying to achieve something remarkable together - that is what we've been doing for 40 years at NFL Films," said Keith Cossrow, the NFL Films director of Truth in 24. "The way this story unfolded, and the characters who ended up playing starring roles ... you couldn't write a better script."

The action surrounding Le Mans endurance racing long ago captivated the likes of Paul Newman, Steve McQueen and Carroll Shelby. It has become a rite of passage for self-respecting makers of sports cars ranging from Ferrari to Porsche to Audi to the Chevy Corvette. Imagine pushing a car at speeds that hit 200 mph and then drop to 35 mph in a matter of seconds. Then do that over and over again in blinding sunlight and slick night rains for 24 hours straight. It's the same as driving from New York to Los Angeles in one day.

As the narrator of Truth in 24, action star Jason Statham, dramatically puts it: "For nearly a century it has been motorsports' ultimate challenge, pushing man and machine to their absolute limits."

Even non-racing fans owe a debt to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Numerous safety and convenience innovations that we now take for granted in our cars trace back to the French race. Imagine getting into a vehicle without windshields or wipers, headlights or hoods, seatbelts or disc brakes.

These insights and more are found in Truth in 24 and the chase for the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans checkered flag.

But the competitive nature of Le Mans racing spurs constant evolution. And so it is in 2009. The mechanical star of Truth in 24 is the Audi R10 TDI, the first diesel-powered car to win Le Mans and the reigning champion three years running. Rivals had started to catch up to the R10, so Audi developed a successor car, the Audi R15 TDI.

The R15 made its racing debut last Saturday at the 12 Hours of Sebring race in Florida where it finished in first and third place. To learn more about the Audi R15, follow R15 TDI on Facebook and Audir15tdi on Twitter. Or go to AudiR15TDI.com. Next up: the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

ABOUT AUDI OF AMERICA

Audi of America Inc. and its 271 dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. The Audi line up is one of the freshest in the industry with 23 models, including 12 models launched during model years 2008 and 2009. Audi is among the most successful brands globally. In selling one million vehicles worldwide in 2008, AUDI AG recorded its 13th consecutive record year for sales and profits. Visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.

About NFL FILMS

Since 1964, NFL Films has revolutionized the way America watches football and set the standard in sports filmmaking. The exclusive all-access sound, stunning cinematography, stirring orchestral music and poignant storytelling are the trademarks of NFL Films. Winner of 95 Emmy awards, NFL Films is widely recognized as the most honored filmmaker in sports. Each season, the studio produces and distributes more than 2,500 hours of new NFL programming for the NFL Network, broadcast and cable networks, NFL.com, home videos, DVDs and CD-ROMs. For more information, log onto www.NFLFILMS.com.

ABOUT INTERSPORT

For more than 20 years, Intersport has been recognized as an Emmy Award-winning creator, producer and distributor of original sports and entertainment programming as well as an industry leader in event marketing and corporate hospitality. The Intersport Media Group is one of the largest independent producers in the U.S. through the distribution of sports and entertainment content across all media platforms. The Intersport Event Marketing Group designs and executes national event marketing initiatives, including mobile marketing tours at professional, collegiate and youth sporting events as well as major event corporate hospitality programs. Intersport is headquartered in Chicago with offices in New York City and Los Angeles. For more information, please visit www.intersportnet.com.

Video: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/audi/37629
Source: Audi of America

CONTACT: Brad Stertz of Audi of America, +1-703-364-7440, or mobile,
+1-703-344-1320, brad.stertz@audi.com, Media Web site: www.audiusanews.com

Web Site: http://www.audiusa.com/
http://www.truthin24.com/

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