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Visitors to Wolfsburg, Germany are in for a treat. The Lower Saxony city is home to Volkswagen, and in 2000 the auto giant built a veritable automotive theme park there to rival anything from California to the Persian Gulf. Called Autostadt (German for "car city"), the site attracts some two million visitors each year. The park holds several world records; serves as an accredited source of extra-curricular education; and encompasses a customer center, factory tour, test track, movie theater and various pavilions showcasing Volkswagen's history, production techniques and numerous subsidiaries.

The latest pavilion to open at Autostadt is the "Premium Clubhouse" in which this mirror-finish Bugatti Veyron stands as a center-piece. Chromed way beyond the level of other shiny superlikes, like the chromed Ferrari 599, McLaren's grand prix car, the chrome SLR or even Bugatti's own Pur Sang edition, the reflective Veyron sits in a mirrored room designed to blur the line between the observer and the observed as visitors see their reflection repeated infinitely in the space around them. Sounds like a real trip to make the actual trip worthwhile.

[Source: Carpages]

PRESS RELEASE

Autostadt reopens premium pavilion on the 31st of October 2008

Experience the extraordinary: architecture, art and design in the Premium Clubhouse

Friday the 31st of October 2008, saw the opening of the Autostadt in Wolfsburg's redesigned pavilion: with its spectacular display of architecture, art and design, the "Premium Clubhouse" represents the Volkswagen Group's multi-brand luxury and premium division. The British architect, Stephen Williams, accentuated the pavilion's unusual elliptic interior by adding a curved walkway and a lounge that virtually floats into the space. The exhibition area is characterised by the mirror-finish Bugatti Veyron, an artwork by artist Olaf Nicolai, and the artistic installations of Anselm Reyle and Peter Zimmermann.

Working site-specifically, Nicolai creates mental spaces in which he explores aesthetic perceptions. He challenges the observer to pay close attention as he transforms objects showing them in a different light. In his new work "Après vous", Nicolai displays a mirror-finish Bugatti in a mirrored room. The Bugatti Veyron is arguably the most technically intricate vehicle of all time, with its superb craftsmanship represents the pinnacle of excellence and exclusivity in the automotive world. The harmonious planes and structured lines of this elegant automobile are a reflective area in which the observer sees himself reflected back ad infinitum from the mirrors, thus becoming part of the exhibit: a phenomenon of endless play-back in which both the boundaries of the space and the boundary between object and observer are blurred.

The Autostadt in Wolfsburg is the Volkswagen Group's communications platform which invites its visitors to explore the world of mobility. Last year alone the theme park attracted almost two million guests. The visit by the 17 millionth guest marked a milestone in the success story that is the Autostadt, one of the most outstanding leisure destinations in Germany.

Nestling in a 25 hectare landscape and dotted with shimmering lakes, the Autostadt's unique architecture, design and surroundings provides a perfect backdrop for its many riveting attractions: in the ZeitHaus (museum) an exhibition of the classics of automobile history illustrates why they set benchmarks in their day; artworks and films engage with the Volkswagen Group's core values; interactive research stations invite participation. Cultural events – from themed communication to "Movimentos, the Autostadt Festival Weeks" – open new horizons. As an accredited extra-curricular place of learning, the Autostadt plays a significant part in the educational institutions of Lower Saxony.