Audi is turning escalators into Autobahns in its fall campaign for the ‘quattro’ all-wheel drive feature in its 2011 models.

The German manufacturer is branding escalator handrails in seven subway dominations in upscale areas of Montreal and Toronto to promote their line of cars. The handrails have been wrapped to look like roads, with dotted yellow lines running the length of them and the slogan ‘If you don’t have quattro, hold on tight’ subtly printed along the dotted lines.

The escalator execution is part of a transit-station domination that includes escalator wraps and branded partitions between the escalators. The execution was handled by Montreal-based Time2Ad, while creative was handled by Lowe Roche and media by MBS/The Media Company in Toronto.

The subway dominations will be complemented by national print, radio and online ads.

This is only the second time Time2Ad has branded escalator handrails, which are traditionally brand-free zones in subways stations. The first time was to promote Turkish Airlines at Toronto’s Sheraton Hotel.