Another Audi That Will Never See Production

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Volkswagen may show the car for lonesome commuter – Audi won’t have that. They have a concept for a single that has a girlfriend. They call it the “1+1-seat, ultra-light car for congested urban spaces.” I don’t know how a car that barely seats two will alleviate urban congestion, but I’m sure Audi will have an answer. For now, “the Audi urban concept combines elements of a racing car, a fun car and an urban car into one radical new concept.” There are two: A Sportback model, and a Spyder.

On board there is room for two people, their position slightly staggered and at a sporty, low level. What about controls? “All controls and materials are subject to the dictates of ultra-lightweight construction in order to ensure that the sensory experience they convey is unique and compelling.” I see. “The driver can adjust the steering wheel and pedals to his own body measurements.” A-mazing!

“The cockpit consists of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer,” (a better word for plastic). Now that seat is interesting. Shall we let it all hang out?

It comes with two e-tron electric motors . “A lithium-ion battery supplies the energy – ideal for extended city tours.” How far? No idea.




Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

More by Bertel Schmitt

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 8 comments
  • Wallstreet Wallstreet on Sep 13, 2011

    Bertel, Will you mind providing some photos & coverage on Frankfurt IAA? A few photos of booth babes will be great. Thanks in advance.

  • Bunter1 Bunter1 on Sep 14, 2011

    I thought Auto-Union c/d-type right from the start. Interesting from a personal standpoint-I've been playing with a staggered seat 1+1 motorcycle engined design for years. Gotta get back to that.

  • Akear Does anyone care how the world's sixth largest carmaker conducts business. Just a quarter century ago GM was the world's top carmaker. [list=1][*]Toyota Group: Sold 10.8 million vehicles, with a growth rate of 4.6%.[/*][*]Volkswagen Group: Achieved 8.8 million sales, growing sharply in America (+16.6%) and Europe (+20.3%).[/*][*]Hyundai-Kia: Reported 7.1 million sales, with surges in America (+7.9%) and Asia (+6.3%).[/*][*]Renault Nissan Alliance: Accumulated 6.9 million sales, balancing struggles in Asia and Africa with growth in the Americas and Europe.[/*][*]Stellantis: Maintained the fifth position with 6.5 million sales, despite substantial losses in Asia.[/*][*]General Motors,&nbsp;Honda Motor, and&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;followed closely with 6.2 million, 4.1 million, and 3.9 million sales, respectively.[/*][/list=1]
  • THX1136 A Mr. J. Sangburg, professional manicurist, rust repairer and 3 times survivor is hoping to get in on the bottom level of this magnificent property. He has designs to open a tea shop and used auto parts store in the facility as soon as there is affordable space available. He has stated, for the record, "You ain't seen anything yet and you probably won't." Always one for understatement, Mr. Sangburg hasn't been forthcoming with any more information at this time. You can follow the any further developments @GotItFiguredOut.net.
  • TheEndlessEnigma And yet government continues to grow....
  • TheEndlessEnigma Not only do I not care about the move, I do not care about GM....gm...or whatever it calls itself.
  • Redapple2 As stated above, gm now is not the GM of old. They say it themselves without realizing it. New logo: GM > gm. As much as I dislike my benefactor (gm spent ~ $200,000 on my BS and MS) I try to be fair, a smart business makes timely decisions based on the reality of the current (and future estimates) situation. The move is a good one.
Next