China’s car market is increasingly defined by electric vehicles, yet Audi China is taking a different tack to nurture brand passion. On June 14, 2025, FAW Audi officially opened its RS Driving Academy at the Xiamen International Circuit. This new program is designed not around battery-electric cars but around the visceral performance of the Audi S and RS family, where high-horsepower engines and quattro all-wheel drive remain central to the experience.
The academy offers a full suite of driving theory and track-based training, from mastering high-speed curves to launching techniques and advanced handling maneuvers. Customers train under globally certified Audi driving experience coaches, using flagship RS models such as the RS 4, RS 5, RS 6, RS 7, and RS Q8, as well as the SQ7. These cars, powered by turbocharged internal combustion engines, are presented as more than vehicles—they are instruments for cultivating motorsport passion in an era where sound and mechanical drama are increasingly rare yet the passion of their dramatic delivery remains much-loved by consumers while their relative light weight makes them the preferable choice… specifically on track.
Audi is positioning the academy as both an educational and cultural project, one that turns consumers into enthusiasts and enthusiasts into skilled drivers while deepening China’s growing motorsport culture. The program extends beyond the racetrack with connections to professional competitions like GT World Challenge Asia (GTWCA), the China Rally Championship (CRC), and the Macau Grand Prix, offering participants insider access and firsthand exposure to racing at the highest levels. The effort seems to underscore the notion that Audi’s combustion-powered RS models remain critical for conveying the brand’s century-long racing heritage.
The launch also highlights Audi’s confidence in balancing future EV ambitions with the emotional pull of performance combustion cars. While the company is aggressively investing in electrification and preparing for Formula 1 competition in 2026 with hybrid-electric technology, it appears to be positioning the RS Driving Academy as a way to sustain excitement and loyalty among enthusiasts who equate passion with horsepower and sound.
By blending professional training, beloved combustion engines and cultural immersion, the RS Driving Academy represents Audi China’s statement that driving joy is not defined by propulsion technology alone. In a marketplace tilting toward today’s more silent EVs, the academy preserves the roar, drama, and heritage of Audi RS, keeping alive the spark that has fuels the four rings.