Top athletes meet top performance

In the dressing room, team captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer gives his teammates a pep talk and emphatically slams one fist into the open palm of his other hand. Serge Gnabry sits on the bench opposite him, while Robert Lewandowski is to his left. So, this dressing room represents football prowess at opposite ends of the field—with one man who has prevented countless goals and two who have scored countless ones for their club. Offense and defense united in skill. Dressed in their official team kit, the players have their water bottles, sports bags and towels to hand.

What looks like players psyching themselves up for the second half of an important Bundesliga game during the halftime break is in fact part of the shoot for the “Imagine the unimaginable” commercial, which brings together top-class athletes. That’s because the three star footballers share top billing with the new Audi RS e-tron GT By reinterpreting the Audi RS models’ trademark features for the EV age, the all-electric gran turismo ushers in a new era at the Four Rings. As the first high-performance Audi series model to be propelled solely by battery power, the sporty newcomer to the e-tron family impresses with a high level of dynamism, power and fun behind the wheel—while still being practical enough for everyday driving. As the dressing-room scene plays out, the Audi RS e-tron GT is on a short break from shooting.

When no pep talk is happening in the dressing room, the atmosphere on set is relaxed and laid-back. The goalkeeper and his teammates make jokes and fool around. It’s plain to see the trio are not only in sync on the field but also pretty tight off it. That’s why this afternoon is frequently punctuated with bursts of laughter and spontaneous dance moves. But on the cue of “Roll camera. Action!” in the studio, the three teammates from the Bundesliga’s record champions snap right to attention and are fully focused on the job at hand. Changing tack at a decisive moment is second nature to the FC Bayern Munich players. After all, this skill is key to sporting success. Whoever’s out to stay top of their game can’t afford to ever lose sight of their goals.

Next, one of the key scenes will be shot on set in the replica dressing room. Now the focus is on Serge Gnabry who, following a short burst of dancing, has sat down on the bench again. The striker with the number seven shirt closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. As he does so, he slowly straightens his upper body and raises his head. The camera zooms in on him. At that moment, the dressing room walls in the background part, letting dazzling light shine through the gaps. In the commercial, the word “imagination” is heard as a voiceover and acts as a crucial turning point in the storyline.

The sequence encapsulates the commercial’s overall message. As director Alex Schiller explains, “Imagination is the key concept. As soon as we hear it, anything is possible. I deliberately chose to make this shift happen in a subtle way so that the full import and impact of the word becomes clear. It smoothes the way for elements that don’t fit in with the reality of footballers’ everyday lives—such as dressing-room walls that are torn apart. Our imagination opens the door to things that at first seem impossible. The question is always whether you let doubts hold you back or go on believing anyway. Your mindset is the real game changer.”

With their slew of championship titles and ever-new footballing highs at home and abroad, FC Bayern Munich has for many years proven in spectacular style that their mental outlook is spot-on. Willpower, self-confidence and the drive to embrace new challenges time and again—that’s what success is built on. Speaking on behalf of his team, Manuel Neuer puts it in a nutshell: “Of course, we set out to win. If you want to be one of the teams to beat, you have to have the right attitude. With us, you can count on drive and ambition always coming out strong on the field. But it’s just as important to pair professionalism with the joy of the game and a keen sense of curiosity. I think our team manages to combine all of those things and, in every game, we show we’re hungry for the next win. We push each other harder than ever before because we have to tap into those inner reserves of strength even more.” Serge Gnabry and Robert Lewandowski show their agreement with an approving and very decisive nod.

This unwavering pursuit of victory and the goal of being best in class are what bind and drive the Four Rings’ almost 20-year-long successful partnership with FC Bayern Munich. The new Audi RS e-tron GT underscores the carmaker’s mindset. At first, the commercial provides only glimpses of the progressive gran turismo’s details—such as the powerful quattro blisters above the wheel arches, which allude to the Four Rings’ all-wheel drive technology of the same name. There are also flashes of the matrix LED headlights, RS and e-tron GT badge on the trunk lid as well as the elongated light strip at the vehicle’s rear. But it’s only at the end that the entire all-electric gran turismo is revealed in a long shot. In silhouette, its defining features are the flat-floor architecture with an underfloor area built to accommodate the battery between the axles and the roofline that stretches far to the rear.

To look at it is to love it. And that’s exactly how Manuel Neuer, Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry feel when, during a short break in the shoot, they are given a quick introduction to the car by Rolf Michl, Director Sales & Marketing at Audi Sport GmbH. “As the Four Rings’ first all-electric, high-performance model, the Audi RS e-tron GT is the latest iconic addition to the RS model portfolio,” explains Michl. “We are ushering in a new era for the RS badge at Audi.”

That instantly piques the footballers’ curiosity. They circle the car and take their first peek into the interior, which is finished entirely using leather-free materials as part of an optional package. Robert Lewandowski makes the first move, opening the trunk and nodding appreciatively at its generous proportions. A moment later, a car door swings open. And without further ado, Manuel Neuer takes a seat in the rear. After inspecting the interior headliner, the 1.93-meter-tall goalkeeper finds there’s enough headroom and smiles contentedly. In the meantime, Serge Gnabry has opened the passenger door. Spotting the illuminated e-tron GT logo projected onto the floor, he lets out an admiring “Cool!”

The excitement in the air is instantly tangible. If only the commercial wasn’t being shot in a studio under wraps, the pro athletes would have probably jumped at the chance to take the Audi RS e-tron GT for a spin there and then. But it had to be left at just an initial viewing. After a few final words about the car from Rolf Michl, it’s back to business. Roll camera. Action! The shoot continues according to schedule. In addition to the scene in the dressing room, the footballers perform in two other scenarios that day before a round of satisfied applause signals the end of the shoot for the FC Bayern Munich players. Robert Lewandowski gives one last cheekily broad grin at the camera for the film crew before the director announces, “It’s a wrap! Thank you everyone.” For now, that’s the end of the top athletes’ encounter with top automotive performance in Munich.