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.

Audi TT Forza Motorsport Edition

From the rumor mill comes a report that Audi will be creating a special edition TT called the Audi TT Forza Motorsport Edition based on the Forza video game series. We already knew Audi partnered with the Forza Motorsport team when the R8 V10 became the cover-car for the Forza 3 packaging, but it comes to no surprise that they’re taking it a bit further than that. While this is the first car ever (that I can remember) to be based on a video game, it’s exciting to see where things are heading.

While there haven’t been any details released from Audi on this special edition, iCars.sg suggests it will come with an Xbox 360 console and copy of the game Forza Motorsport 3.

See below for more images:

Audi is delving further into marketing through video games. Later this year, Playstation 3 owners will be able to virtually test drive the new Audi e-tron electric supercar concept through what they’re calling Audi Space in Playstation Home.

All Playstation Home users will be able to play the game, the purpose of which to try and gain as much speed as possible through avoiding driving errors and gathering as much electrical energy as they can on the 3D track, and the Audi Space will feature reserved Audi apartments only for the best drivers.

I’m not sure many Playstation 3 gamers are the demographic to buy the electric e-tron when it’s released, but it gets the Audi brand name out to them, hopefully in a good way. Audi’s first major attempt at this was the A4 Driving Experience game for the iPhone, and the first version was terrible. The second version, released shortly after the first was better, but still had some work to do. Let’s hope they worked hard to make the Audi Space for PS3 a fun experience.

Audi R10 V10 in Forza Motorsport 3

Today at E3, Audi announced that the R8 5.2 V10 supercar is set to be the cover car for the new Forza Motorsport 3 for Xbox 360, due out in October 2009. Audi has sponsored the new game to some degree, as the Forza series is well known to be a leader in the racing game segment for the Xbox 360, and is one of the most realistic and highly rated simulation racers available today. Forza Motorsport 2, for example, is a best seller for the Xbox 360, and has become a Platinum Hit (which also means it’s only $20 now.)

Audi will be doing lots of promotional events for the game, including the AXF-24 Audi-Forza Challenge during Le Mans weekend at the Audi Forum New York City on June 13-14. Audi is also holding contests for the game and car. One contest (visit www.forzamotorsport.net/contest/) has entrants designing a skin for the R8 V10. Five finalists will win a free Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, and the Grand Prize winner, which will be chosen by voting at www.xbox.com/forza3contest, will have their design featured as the exclusive custom downloadable car available to those who pre-order the game.

Xbox and Audi also announced they will host an exciting and exceptionally unique AXF-24 Audi-Forza Challenge, which will take place June 13-14 at the Audi Forum New York City. Xbox has selected nine of its top North American Forza competitors as determined by rankings on Xbox Live to converge on New York to compete in a 24-hour endurance competition in “Forza Motorsport 3” running concurrent to the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France. The gamers will be split into three teams of three drivers, just like Le Mans racing teams on a yet to be announced track debuting in game upon release in October. The winning team at the end of the 24 hours on Sunday morning will win an all-expenses paid trip for them and a guest to the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans race where they will be hosted by Audi.

This is certainly a unique way to kick off the release of a game, and to promote the car, which I imagine is more of a brand image thing, since most video game players probably can’t afford the $165,000, even if it was available in US.

I, for one, can’t wait for Forza 3 to be released. While I was never a huge fan of Forza 2 (I got addicted to Project Gotham Racing 4 instead,) it’s a very good game, and Forza 3 is likely to be a big hit.

This is the type of game you want to play with a steering wheel. I personally use the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, but if you’re more hardcore about your racing games (or aren’t on a tight budget,) you could go with the Logitech G25 Racing Wheel, which I really, really hope to get some day.

Forza Motorsport 3 Xbox 360 case