Adding to the existing A4 Driving Challenge game on the iPhone that Audi released in September of 2008 to promote the then-redesigned A4, the company just released a new game called “Audi A1 Beat Driver” to promote the new small car. As with any advertisement/promo-game, it doesn’t cost anything to download and play.

Audi A1 Beat Driver features nine songs to drive to the beat to, if that makes sense. In the game, you drive the A1 down a virtual road, swiping the screen to steer while trying to hit as many blocks as possible to the beat of the music. Imagine Rock Band or Guitar Hero, but with a compact car instead. As with every video game that’s ever existed, you try and collect power-ups and avoid obstacles along the way.

An International list of scores is kept on the leaderboard in-game, and naturally you can share your score via Twitter or Facebook and view more information about the Audi A1 from within the app. I wouldn’t call the game a “keeper,” but it’s definitely worth a download and one play-through.

Don’t expect to see these in your Audi showroom any time soon, but don’t be surprised if you do see one of these in the future. Theo Chin, auto artist extraordinaire, has created a few Audi A1 concept variants so we can get an idea of what might be coming our way within the next few years.

First up are the two variations of an A1 convertible:

Audi A1 Cabriolet

Audi A1 Soft-Top

Next up we have some high-performance versions of the A1:

Audi S1

Audi RS1

Even though Audi specifically said they won’t be making the RS1, I do expect to see the S1 one of these days. And if that’s not enough for you, there will be plenty of aftermarket tuning companies to tickle your fancy.

Courtesy of Theophilus Chin

Audi just released images and information on the upcoming optional Competition Package for the newest car in the Audi lineup – the A1. Color scheme taken from the competition model Audi Quattro Sport S1 from the 1980’s, the A1 Competition Package features a white and orange theme along with some unmistakably racing-inspired trim.

The A1 Competition kit doesn’t change the performance of the car in any way (but don’t racing stripes add 5 hp?) Other than the obvious exterior color changes, the kit adds a leather central tunnel painted special colors, a leather sports steering wheel, and a set of sport mats. The rear-view mirror is painted the colors of the famous model that Walter Rohrl drove at Pikes Peak almost 25 years ago. The car also receives a set of custom alloy wheels, which look quite nice, I must say.

Check out more pictures at fourtitude

Audi is working especially hard recently to bring electric power to their lineup. Initially, we thought the launch of the e-tron electric sports car was a one model deal, but it turns out Audi is calling “e-tron” their “brand name for electric mobility.” The electric sports car they showed will be launched first, in late 2012 in limited numbers, but will be followed by other models powered by an electric powertrain.

The Audi A1 e-tron, for example, will likely be the next step. Audi is calling the A1 e-tron a “Mega City Vehicle,” and with a power output of 102 hp, gets 31 miles out of its electric motor. A small rotary engine serves as a range extender, giving the A1 e-tron an extra 124 miles. Audi says the car will get around 124 mpg with both the gasoline and electric motors.

Audi is also applying the electric concept to developing full hybrid vehicles. The Audi Q5 hybrid will be on the market as early as late 2010, and the A8 hybrid in being displayed as you read this at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The A8 Hybrid Concept is more of an engineering study than a preview, but the idea is solid. The concept car is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo engine, and along with the electric motor, gets an output of 245 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque.

Wasabi Green isn’t the first color that pops into my mind when thinking of what color I’d like my new interior, but Audi is offering it as an option in the new A1. They promise it won’t be over-the-top, however, and will be used “selectively to create accent, such as in details like seams.” Might look pretty good after all.

Special colors, both on the interior and exterior, really help with the uniqueness and personality of a car and even help the owner feel more connected to their ride.

Wasabi, in case you aren’t aware, is a Japanese type of horseradish that is extremely spicy. I’m not one for overly spicy foods, so I try to stay away from the stuff. As an interior accent color though, I could see it looking pretty cool on certain exterior colors.

Audi A1 Wall Art

Although we saw a few Audi A1 spy shots back in October, we haven’t heard much about the upcoming A1 subcompact since then. Audi just came out saying something along the lines of “we’re not telling you anything about the A1 yet.” How nice of them.

Early next year though, we’ll be getting all the details on the A1 when Audi reveals it in its online premiere, then will show it at the 2010 Geneva Motors Show in March. In the mean time, Audi informed us that they will be giving us a “look through the keyhole” in the coming weeks, so expect to see more of the A1 little by little.

For more material on the A1, check out Audi’s A1 Facebook page and their A1 minisite.

2010 Audi A1 Spied

We’ve been hearing about the compact Audi A1 for a while, and now we have our first official spy shots of the small hatchback. The A1 will be a likely competitor to the Mini Cooper, and as you can see from the photos taken outside of Audi headquarters in Munich, Germany, it will first be released as a three-door hatchback model with a five-door version to follow.

The 2010 Audi A1 will be shown at next year’s Geneva Motor Show, and will be on sale later in the year. Expect a FWD layout initially, with a possible quattro system down the road. While there is no word on engine choices, we expect a wide range of gasoline and diesel choices in Europe, with only a few engine choices in the States if it makes its way over here.

source: carmagazine