Babes Fast Cars was first to reveal that the Speedster-inspired TT will be built, and now Audi has officially unveiled the car at the Wörthersee Tour in Austria.

Called the Audi TT Clubsport Quattro, it’s an updated version of the concept of the same name seen at the same festival in 2007. And as well as a turbocharged engine producing 'more than 296bhp', today's press release claims: ‘Small-series production of this model cannot be ruled out’. Quite.

Small-series production has in fact already been confirmed. Audi's marketing director for the Middle East, Bernd Rosenbichler, told Babes Fast Cars: 'We have been asked if we could imagine bringing this car here. We are planning on making the worldwide premiere of this car here and then launching it just for the region.'

We know the basic facts already. Speedster-inspired looks means the roof has disappeared to be replaced by a fixed deck with twin humps and two huge rollbars.

The pumped-up looks include twin air intakes either side of that large single-frame grille that seems to get ever bigger. There are LED daytime running lights from the TTS while twin pipes and a rear diffuser butch up the rear. Behind 19-inch wheels nestle 340mm (front) and 310mm (rear) brakes.

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Audi is presenting a revolution in the top class at the Detroit Auto Show 2008 – the first 12-cylinder diesel engine in a high-performance roadgoing sports car. The V12 TDI with a displacement of six liters powers a concept car based on the Audi R8. This unit generates a huge 500 hp and 1,000 Newton-meters (737.56 lb-ft) of torque. Audi is writing a new chapter in diesel technology with this power unit. Equipped with the expertise that Audi has built up through its motor sport activities, the R8 V12 TDI in matt “Grace Silver” embodies superb road handling, pioneering technology and fascinating design.

The V12 TDI is closely related to the engine in the Audi R10, the two-time Le Mans winner – so it catapults the Audi R8 into supercar terrain concerning performance too. It sprints from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 4.2 seconds and its top speed is well over 300 km/h (186.41 mph). The peak torque, reached at only 1,750 rpm, paves the way for effortless acceleration that is unrivaled even at this level.

The new V12 TDI belongs to Audi’s family of V engines but has the ideal included angle for this engine type of 60 degrees between cylinder banks. Its highlights include the new chain drive layout that includes the two newly developed high-pressure pumps for the common rail injection system.

Its sound is as thrilling as you’d expect in a sports car of this caliber. For all the subtle smoothness that typifies this design principle, the twelve-cylinder unit is full-bodied and equipped with energetic overtones that make no secret of its performance potential.

Thanks to their high performance and pulling power, all Audi TDI engines are ultra-dynamic sources of power. The brand has often enough demonstrated its sporty character in its production cars, especially the six- and eight-cylinder 3.0 TDI and 4.2 TDI. Audi has also been writing a new chapter in its success story on the racetrack since 2006. The diesel engine in the R10 sports prototype won its very first endurance race at Sebring, Florida, when it was pitted against an entire field of gasoline-engined challengers. But its most crucial victories were surely in 2006 and 2007 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, when it simply outclassed the international elite.

The V12 TDI race engine in the R10 produces over 650 hp from a displacement of 5.5 liters, giving it the potential for a top speed as high as 330 km/h (205.05 mph) depending on the gear ratios. Its power and sturdiness immediately impressed both fans and experts, who were impressed by its restrained noise level. Unusual for a race engine, this powerful Audi diesel makes barely more than a whisper.

Long traditions of motor racing and production technology complement each other at Audi. The FSI engine of the R10’s predecessor, the R8, captured five wins at Le Mans with a direct gasoline injection system. Audi is also looking to maximize the advantage by using the race-tested FSI principle in its production models. The latest examples of this are the V8 with high-revving concept in the RS 4 and the production version of the Audi R8.

The roadgoing version of the new V12 TDI is built at the Györ plant, in Hungary. And the R8 V12 TDI still has a massive 500 hp on tap. In developing the six-liter engine, it was a clear priority to integrate it into the current family of Audi V engines, of which many thousands of versions with 6, 8 and 10 cylinders have already been built – both gasoline and TDI.
Audi’s engineers were in an ideal position to use their experience building the racing engine to develop the road version. Like the other power units in this range, the distance between cylinder bore axes on the V12 TDI is 90 mm (3.54 in.). Yet its included angle is 60 degrees, not 90 degrees. This means no free inertial forces or mass moments of inertia can occur with the V12. The results are refined in every respect.

The 83.0 mm (3.27 in.) bore and 91.4 mm (3.60 in.) stroke produce a total displacement of 5,934 cc – just like the 3.0 TDI. At only 684 mm (26.93 in.) long, this large diesel engine is very compact and just 166 mm (6.54 in.) longer than the V8 TDI. This compact length is key to accommodating the V12 in the mid-engined Audi R8.

The V12 TDI crankcase is made from gray cast iron with vermicular graphite – a high-tech material referred to as GJV-450 that is already used on the V6 and V8 TDI engines. GJV-450, made by a patented casting process, is about 40 percent more rigid and 100 percent more fatigue-resistant than gray cast iron. This enabled the developers to make its walls thinner, cutting its weight by around 15 percent compared with conventional gray cast iron.

The two cylinder heads are each made from three main elements. These are a base section made from a high-strength aluminum alloy incorporating the intake and exhaust ports, an oil-bearing upper section, and a reinforcing ladder frame supporting the two camshafts.

The valves are actuated by low-friction roller cam followers; the compression ratio is 16.0:1. Map-controlled swirl variation of the combustion air has been adopted from the V6 and V8 TDI engines. This produces permanently optimized swirl concerning both emissions and high performance.

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Reported to make 500 bhp and 737 lb-ft of torque, the V12 R8 is the version every Audi fan wanted when the car first debuted at the Paris Auto Show in 2006.

Scheduled as a concept car, the car will debut at the 2008 NAIAS. Performance figures are 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, as well as a top speed of 186 mph.

Included is a video which says everything about the visual design language of this beauty:

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It certainly looks like a drop-top A3, and although that car’s on the way, this is the Audi Cross Cabriolet quattro. This two-door, four-seat cabriolet previews Audi’s Q5, and perhaps more significantly, will make its debut at the LA Auto Show today using diesel power. Audi hasn’t forgotten that all concept cars must feature some irrelevance, so it's given this cabriolet whopping 380mm ceramic front discs.

The Cross Coupe quattro – shown in Shanghai earlier this year – previews the even smaller Q3 which will face off against the BMW X1 when it goes on sale in 2010.

Today's LA star is Audi’s tease for their medium-sized 4x4, the Q5, and it’s definitely a tease. While Audi’s three concept cars this year (Q7 V12 TDI, Cross Coupe quattro, and Metroproject quattro) will make in production almost unchanged, this Cross Cabriolet is another matter.

At least when BMW previewed its X3 with the xActivity concept it had the decency to leave the B-, C-, and D-pillars in place, and just cut a few holes in the roof instead. Judging by our spy video the car is nearly production ready, so it may take a bow with a fully fixed roof as soon as the Detroit show in January 2008.

The closest it’ll get to going off-road will be when it mounts the pavement on the school run, probably scraping those 21-inch wheels along the way. Anyway, these pictures show the concept with its lowered suspension: at the touch of the button it can raise itself up 40mm in four seconds.
Size-wise it’s actually bigger than the BMW X3, though these photos disguise the girth. It’s 4.62m long, 1.91m wide, 1.63m high, while the wheelbase is 2.81m in length: the X3 is 4569mm, 1853mm, 1674mm, and 2795mm respectively.

Diesel is Audi previewing the company’s AdBlue technology which car was shown earlier this year. The 3.0 TDI is known to us, with 236bhp and 369bhp, plus its 38.7mpg, but the clever bit is the urine in the exhaust. Developed in conjunction with Mercedes (who call it Bluetec), the system pulses urea into the exhaust gases, drastically cutting NOx emissions by around 90 percent. That means Audi will be selling diesels fitted with this technology throughout the US from 2008. The Cross Cabriolet also features an eight-speed automatic, which will appear in production soon.

There’s the next generation MMI, with an LCD screen that slides out of the dash, A8-style. In front of the MMI controls is a touch pad, similar to that found on a laptop. It can be used to move map sections, or taught to understand specific patterns as your finger traces over the pad, and the car corresponds with a specific function.
The dash sweeps back through the cabin to make this cabriolet a four-seater, and legroom is generous as this is really a large 4x4. Each passenger has a heatable and coolable cupholder, while all the seats have an Airscarf function to keep passenger necks warm with the roof down, a system similar to the one found in the Mercedes SLK and next-gen SL.

The platform is from the A4 and A5, and while the Quattro system puts 60 percent of drive to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions, if needed this can be upped to 85 percent; conversely up to 65 percent of twist action can go to the front wheels in slippery conditions.

Google Earth makes an appearance, so you can get quicker, easier mapping, see where you’re going beforehand, and thanks to Internet connectivity, also be warned about traffic, the weather, and even air quality.

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Welcome to the new Audi A1. Or as it is officially known, the Metroproject quattro. It's currently tagged as a design study, but we've already scooped the prototype out on the road.

This concept car is being unveiled to the world at the Tokyo Motor Show next week, but the embargo has been broken by some enterprising souls abroad, so now we're bringing you all the details on the new A1 a week early.

• Is this a new A2 then?

The concept is a three-door, four-seater, but - like the A2 - it isn’t some cheap city car, but rather a premium product with a hybrid powertrain. Expect a B-pillar to appear for production but hopefully those aluminium roof pillars will stay.

The side profile shows a low, sporty car, and Audi is keen to push the sportiness of its brand. They were banging on about it at the launch of the new A4 and officials can't stop talking about 'driving pleasure'.

Looking very like the Shooting Brake concept from the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, the A1, sorry, Metroproject quattro, has twin pipes and those distinctively styled rear lights, designed to resemble a space ship. Apparently.
The concept is 3.91m long, 1.75m wide, and 1.4m high. The wheelbase (2.46m) is very close to that of the Mini's (2467mm). Make no mistake, Audi knows exactly what it's aiming for with this newcomer.

This is the official design sketch for the concept, and it’s exactly the same sketch that CAR Online got hold of back in July.

Our man Georg Kacher is very well connected in Ingolstadt, you see - which is why he can obtain images like this three months early.

There’s a flat-bottomed steering wheel like on the RS4, low mounted ventilation controls like those found in the TT and R8, and a few other lovely details as well, which we'll come to in a moment.

The gearbox is Audi’s S-tronic (nee DSG) system, for rifle-bolt gearchanges up and down the box. This will be available on the production A1, too.

• What on earth is that?

It's the Metroproject quattro hybrid system, more of which in a moment. Up front the concept car has a 1.4-litre TFSI engine developing 148bhp and driving the front wheels.
And before you cry foul over the quattro name, positioned over the rear axle is a 40bhp electric motor, which can deliver an additional 148lb ft slug. Together that makes the car four-wheel drive.

And despite the hybrid system, there's still a 240-litre boot. Which is bigger than a Mini's.

• Anything else?

This Audi is rear-wheel drive. No really. During low-speed running, the car can be powered solely by electric power. And as the battery only drive the rear wheels, the Metroproject quattro can, at times, be rear-drive only.

The lithium-ion battery provides a 62-mile range when in runs on pure electric power, and can recharge from any power socket. Combined with stop/start technology, Audi claims a cut in fuel consumption of 15 percent, so this car does 57.7mpg and only emits a mere 112g/km. Very handy.

• Is it quite sprightly then?

It's fleet of foot as well as green of tailpipe, says Audi. The 0-62mph time is 7.8 seconds, and there’s a top speed of 126mph.

• The Audi what?

Audi mobile. It's a mobile phone but pop it into the slot in front of the gearstick and it becomes your car key. The phone also stores all your preferences, and your music.

That means you can take it out of the car and use it as an MP3 player or as a navigation device. It's basically Audi's MMI system in your hand: for instance, from inside your house you can turn on the car's heating while you're getting ready in the morning.

We're very excited about this car, and its arrival should prove more timely than the A2's. Had that car arrived today, it would've surely sold as well as the Mini, but it was hampered by high cost, tricky aluminium construction and low volumes. How times have changed.

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In 2005, Audi unveiled the Shooting Brake Concept vehicle at the Tokyo Motor Show.

The German automaker originally developed it as a study vehicle for research and development. Shooting Break Concept is one of the best concept cars that Audi made, according to many car magazines. Plans of production were tentative but now it's official that Audi has no plans to bring this concept into the mass production stages. According to reports, the company felt that the Shooting Brake concept would clash sales with the new TT roadster which the concept shares its platform.
However, the concept will survive in other forms. Expect to see some of its designs in the upcoming Volkswagen Scirocco concept that debuted at the Paris Motor Show last September. Audi and parent Volkswagen promise a full slate of new models patterned after the idea of the Shooting Brake.

Last year I saw it in Celje Motor Show, where I maid this stuning pictures. I was relay enthusiastic by its beauty. Maybe some day Audi would change his mind and release it after all. Till than we can just dream about that concept car...

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