#AudiA1

Audi has no plans to introduce any more small vehicles to the U.S. market. 

Think we have it good in the US when it comes to automotive selection? Think again. There are quite a few cars available to our neighbors from the North and South, but not in our dealerships. What gives?

German luxury automaker Audi will likely launch a new flagship SUV, though the four-ring brand has no plans to expand its lineup in the opposite direction below its tiny A1.

The latest in MINI’s barrage of less-than-original new models was spied testing today wearing lots of black-and-yellow camouflage.

We might have some fancy cars over here in the USA, but there are quite a few vehicles overseas that we can’t help but think are desperately missing from our shores. More than a few are niche market models perfect for auto-enthusiasts, while others are more stylish or practical than what’s currently available in the US. And some are both.

America might not be blessed with the current-generation Audi A1 anytime soon, but Europeans may be getting a convertible variant with a retractable roof.

The Audi A1 will have a rolling cloth top in 2013, though further details are limited.

Audi has dropped a nice surprise, releasing details and photos of a limited edition A1 quattro set to go on sale beginning in the second half of 2012. Only 333 units of the hot hatch will be produced and of course, North America will never even get close to sniffing it.

A unique Audi A1 got shown off at the Tokyo Motor Show today, garnering not only the attention of the media but also that of the locals. At first glance the Samurai Blue Audi A1 just looks like a car that can’t make up its mind as to what color it wants to be, but to the Japanese it sports the look of their national soccer team.

Even though this generation’s Audi A1 won’t be making it to North America, Audi has admitted that they’re considering launching the next-generation to us Americans. Nonetheless we have another variation to maybe look forward to, a five-door Sportback version of the Audi A1.

Out at the annual Nardo Highspeed Test, many machines like 9FF’s Porsche 911 GT3 or G-Power’s BMW M3 came to show off their top speed. German VW/Audi tuner MTM was also on hand, with a shockingly fast car. No, it wasn’t an RS5 or some other brutish monter, but the cute and trendy Audi A1. Motivated by a 500-hp engine the little rocket hit an incredible top speed of 201-mph.

Rotaries may seem like a thing of the past these days, especially with Mazda preparing to retire the RX-8. But the Wankel-powered sports car won’t be the last Mazda to get the odd powerplant, thanks in part to a recent breakthrough.

Each spring, a jury of 66 automotive journalists from around the globe get together to pick a winner for the World Car of the Year title. The journalists are asked to vote by secret ballot, selecting the winner from 10 cars that have made the final cut.

We’ve seen some really clever stuff coming out of online video production these days, but Audi-tuner ABT Sportsline may have just taken the prize for innovative design and viral marketing.

For those that remember the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, the concept is similar – just in an interactive and virtual environment. Essentially ABT Sportsline did a series of YouTube videos with each one offering a decision that seamlessly links you to the next video. The result? You get to control good ‘ol Carolin Winter as she makes a decision on which personalized Audi A1 to purchase.

There are three results that ABT is showcasing through these videos, the Klecks, Aloha and High Voltage. Through a series of step-by-step decisions ranging from speaking to the receptionist or sneaking past her (cleverly using an ABT AS5 for discrete cover), to enjoying an espresso or venturing forward to the three modified Audi A1s from ABT Sportsline.

We thought it was a pretty clever way to market their modified Audi A1s to the masses, and if anything, it’s pretty entertaining to control the fate of a young female. Get your mind out of the gutter please.

Check out the video after the jump:

Volkswagen is apparently engineering their small car PQ25 platform to accept all-wheel-drive. The adaptation would allow for a new range of sporty hot hatches, among them the Audi A1 and Volkswagen Polo R.