Autoblog

click above image to view more high-res images of the Audi A1 Concept

Audi's new city car concept might look OK in the official press images, but it looks even better in person with its imposing grille and sleek yet muscular lines. There's also a lot of attention paid to the details of the concept such as LED headlights, aluminum roof arches and those stunning rear lights. One detail the concept could do without, however, are those garish chrome wheels. The metroproject quattro doesn't look significantly smaller than the A3, but it's likely this show car is a little larger than the production model will be anyway.

Underneath, Audi has developed a hybrid drivetrain for the metroproject. A TSI (turbocharger + supercharger) engine drives the front wheels, while the electric motor sends all of its juice to the rear, making it a pseudo-AWD car. Also of note is the mobile electronic device that's embedded in its dash. It's basically Audi's version of an iPhone that actually does more than Apple's own Crackberry, including allowing the owners to access some of the car's systems remotely.

When we asked Audi CEO Rupert Stadler whether the production model would come to the U.S., he simply replied "Why not?", so there's a good chance we'll see this come Stateside at the A1 soon after it begins production in 2009.

Check out the full press release from Audi on the metroproject quattro concept after the jump and our complete gallery of official and live images from Tokyo below.

[Lead photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images]

All live photos ©2007 Siddharth Raja / Weblogs, Inc.

The Tokyo Motor Show is less than two weeks away, but according to Automotive News, Audi still hasn't finalized the design for its entry-level MINI-fighter, the A1.

The problem stems from Audi execs that think that the current concept is too radical to go into production. Although Audi's designs have never been extreme styling statements, the idea of pitting sometime that's a serious stretch for consumers looking for an option outside of the MINI might be too much to ask.

Production of the Polo-based A1 is practically assured, likely to begin in the third quarter of 2009 at Audi's Brussels assembly plant. The new entry-level Audi will be powered by a range of turbo'd gasoline or diesel engines, between 1.2- to 2.0-liters, with a naturally aspirated 1.4-liter making it into the base model.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]