By Tony Whitney
Contributing Writer
WHILE in Berlin
recently on a business
trip, I took the oppor-
tunity to visit onc of
the most remarkable
promotional efforts by
an gutomaker I’ve ever
seen and a facility that
could be duplicated by a
North Arnerican
automaker before too
jong.

Automobile Forum Unter
den Linden is a showcase for
Volkswagen Group products
and is located smack in the
middle of Berlin, not far tram
the Brandenburg Gate and
the recently re-opened
Reichstag parliament building.

As anyone who's been to
Berlin recently will know, the

ty is one vast construction
¢ and the entire core, it
ing reconstructed.
sunification of and
West Germany prompted a
huge wave of investment and
a move to re-instate Berlin as
the country’s federal capital.
Not surprisingly, German
automakers are at or near the
forefront of things and the
giant DaimlerChrysler group,
for cxample, is constructing ics
new world headquarters in the
city centre.

VW’s Automobile Forum
is located in an area that was
once East Berlin and was pret-

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lin showcase a unique experience

iv well ron down, though the
Unter den Linden fas abvays
been one « y's major
thoreushfares. Whe Forum
looks at first sight hike a huge
auto dealership, but it's mach
more than that and, in fet,
you cannot buy a var dere.

he multi-storey building
presents visitors with the full
range OF VW group products
to check out in detail, In
North America, we are gener-
ally foiniliar only with VW and
Audi products, but the group
also encompasses Skoda
(Czechoslovakia), Seat (Spain)
and the Bendey, Rolls -Rovee
and Bugarti luxury name-
plates.

Each brand has a separate
showroom and all are decorat-
ed in different styles to reflect
cach automaker's specific
character. All available models
are on show and savvy, smartly
dressed staff are on hand to
help visitors with their queries
and distribute brochures.

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and various
on display
ervthing from
astronomically-priced Bentley
ic baskets to inexpensive
ast auto models,
Beautifully constructed dis-
plays are devarcd to various
Aspects af automotive design
and manutacture and there's
even an on-site financial ser
vices unit to help would be
buvers with money queries.
here’s what VW calls an
“Auto Learn Workshop” &
children and other facilities to

selves, accesso!
other goodies
ard for sale

mind youngsters while their
parents browse the car tis-
seven an
ad a small
bistro serving the excellene
cottee visitors to Germany are
accustomed to. A program of

eshibits, discussions, seminars,

readings by authors and other
draws keep the Foruny from
becoming simply another car
shea room,

My eve was caught by

. Bugattis —- an
Adantic and a Royale.

According to the start, they
were part of the private collec
tien of VW Ana bess Dr.
Ferdinand Piech, an enthusiast
as well as an cvecutive.

‘The Forum has proved a
major attracdion in the “new"
Berlin and when it opened
carlier this vear, even: German
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
showed up tor the occasion.

Will we ever see anything,
like VWs Automobiie Forum
n North Anierics?

As far ay Tkaow, there's
nothing int
akhough ieense competition

inthe

pron

to take the stey

smaller scale in several cities,
Unt Visitors to

ferlia can cheek out VWs

Automobile Forunt Unter den

Vinden -- and there’s na

charge for admission. “The

sheh tethiy is tecated at the

corner of Frwarichstrasse and

Unter den Linden and it’s

open every day, all vear round.
tony = Whit column

appears couriey of the BC.

Autemebi_y Dealers’

Meuctasion.

arine Drive Notth Vanepuver'980-34 Ey
Chrysler’s discount superstore /

Eat