now THAT is an Audi

he has better taste in cars then he does in houses.

Heh, I used to work in that building. An R8 wouldn't exactly stick out in that lot.

There's a gym at 2882 Sand Hill? That's news!

@seanpercival: lol - that's Not an Audi, per se. The R8 is the exception, rather than the rule.

@BartKela: yeah, it's around back.

@lawrence: Audi is the new BMW and Porsche killer. Check out the stats and check the race results of the Le Mans Series where Audi is killing Porsche. The R8 is serving notice that there is a new King of the Hill in German performance luxury.

Drive one (R5, TT or R8) and you'll never look at another brand again.

@search.scientist: Audi has been killing most racing series for years. The R8 is a pretty spectacular production car, but Audi has been at BMW's "level" for the last several years, so I'm not sure where any surprise would come from.

I saw one this morning... REALLY sweet looking

@search.scientist: Also, the TT sucks, the R5 doesn't exist so I'm not sure how'd you drive it (the R5 is rumored to be a smaller mid-engine car based off the R8, maybe you're confusing it with the RS5, which also is not in production) and while I like Audi the idea that you'll drive one and never look at another brand again is kind of bullshit when they're basically BMW equals.

You have misquoted Mr. Clarkson.

The actual quote is, "Driving most supercars is like trying to man-handle a cow up a back staircase. But this is like smearing honey into Keira Knightley."

@seanpercival: No, actually, it's not an Audi, it's a Lamborghini. Sorry, Sean. Your A3 has nothing (besides a logo) to do with Larry's R8.

Let me get this straight. The richest man in California doesn't have a treadmill at home to work out on? Or even a bowflex? He goes to a crappy little gym in the back of some VCs office? Of course, I once saw Tom Siebel eating a gyro on University Ave in Palo Alto, but he ain't Larry.

@HumphreyBogus: Good Question. Why would anyone willingly drive to a gym to use their equipment when you can do so at your own place in comfort? The ONLY thing I can think of is for eye candy (dare I say love?)

What is the name of this gym and is it more expensive than Equinox in Palo Alto?

Larry's house is down sandhill on the other side of 280 so Equinox wouldn't be a choice anyway. Just curious.

@matto: You can't really claim it's a Lamborghini when so much that quattro GmbH has done has been put into Lamborghinis. I understand that the chassis is the same and all that, but it's not like a Holden being rebadged as a Pontiac when all the work was done by Holden. Audi and VW are responsible for modern Lamborghini, which is the Murcielago and the Gallardo, and is what the R8 is derived from.

@search.scientist: Yeah, Audi is sure tearing it up in Formula 1.... wait, wut?

Keira and honey...mmmmmmm......

Maybe the gym has good personal trainers, etc. Considering Larry's sense of aesthetics, he probably feels that filling up a room at his compound with exercise gear is bad feng shui or something.

If he wanted a personal trainer for his home gym, he'd have to book regular appointments, etc. By going to a gym, he can be flexible with his schedule.

Keira Knightly would never allow anything that fattening near her.

And: thank GOD you don't have a pic of Ellison in short-shorts. Gah! He's probably had a knee lift and a ball tuck by now.

@BartKela: Larry Ellison could surely afford a live-in personal trainer. They'd love the gig, and he'd probably pay much better than any gym they themselves did not own. And make your trainer your bodyguard as well and it's a twofer.

You all realize we don't give a fuck, right?

Of course Larry could afford to hire a live-in trainer, but that doesn't address my hunch that he'd find an exercise room ugly.

If you're gonna have domestics, the personal chef, butler/personal assistant, chaffeur or maid make a lot more sense. After all, you eat several times a day, plus a personal chef can cook for houseguests. A personal trainer is going to sit around and do nothing most of the time. The person would probably get quickly bored unless they had something else (for example, he/she was a writer).

Uh, wouldn't Larry use the pretty damn nice gym at the company he's CEO of?

I assume he'd actually be less comfortable at the company gym. After all, he could get cornered by some kooky director/VP pitching his/her pet project and just needs "a few minutes" of Larry's time.

The Oracle gym is probably bugged anyhow. No way to have a discreet conversation, something off the record.

Trainers ALL have other lives; they're like baristas that way. Maybe you've got a point about the exercise equipment, but I think it's the eye candy issue that's the key here. He's not going to get a fresh view delivered to his house every day unless he starts letting cheerleading squads use it for training.

I'm asuming they're refering to the golf course/country club between 3000 and 2884.. 2882 is Draper. The only thing in that building is a little cafe.

The country club they're refering to requires some serious referals and recommendations to even be considered to be considered.

Unless of course he was working out at the 3000 sand hill gym which isn't to shabby for a complex gym. But I just don't picture larry doing that.

What color was it? I saw a White with orange panels R8 a few days ago on Stonehedge in Hillsborough. Pretty sweet looking for an Audi.

They are also doing a V12 Turbocharged TDI stepping of the R8

[www.essex-audi.co.uk]

One of the sites I look after ([www.essex-audi.co.uk]) has a march reg R8 on for 5 quid short of a 100 Grand if any UK VC's are reading this

re R5 do you meen the Q5 the baby SUV thats launched on the 19th

Maybe he needs a spot.

Unless Larry joined the country club very recently, no, he's not a member. He'd get in without a problem, but he just doesn't seem to be the golf club kind of guy. If he were, he would have joined twenty years ago. It's not like he got rich recently.

The SHGCC gym is decent, but it's really a self-service setup -- not a personal trainer type of gym. They have basic gear and well-maintained machines; it's clean, too.

And you're right, I don't imagine him going to the 3000 Sand Hill complex gym; that's really for people like the receptionists, administrators, etc.

@DweezilLOL..."Maybe he needs a spot", it's a really good point.

He has no problem hiring staff for the way they look. What they do is secondary in the importance ladder.

He hires sharp looking eastern european guys to drive at least two of his cars.

I agree with the guy above that said that the gym machines would be bad for the fung shui. But I just don't get why he would drive to a gym.
Is it a public gym or do you need to be a tenant? Thanks.

@Zoo: Yes there is a small gym in the back of 2882 Sand Hill. I know this because I worked there, and yes Larry is known to work out there.

fyi the Palo Alto Equinox is cougar central, plus there seem to be lots of students there too (how are they affording $125 a month? guess daddy's rich), so it's eye candy a plenty should Larry fancy a gander.

My Uncle just got his delivered (Lives in Stockholm, Sweden) and Daaaaaamned that is one sweet piece of road-beast!!

@Noticer: Yummy Mummies indeed.