The A1 was first previewed back in 2007 at the Tokyo Motor Show in the form of the Audi Metroproject Quattro concept car, and then in 2008 at the Paris Motor Show. Finally, last month in Geneva, Audi showcased the much awaited super-mini, which is ready for production, and will compete directly with the Mini Cooper.

Initially the Audi A1 will only be available in Europe with four turbocharged, direct-injected engines – two TDI diesel variants and two petrol engines. The A1 will come with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch S-tronic gearbox with optional paddle shifters. With the help of the standard start-stop energy recuperation and other fuel-efficient mechanisms, the A1 is estimated to burn between 20-26km/l. The 1.6-liter TDIs will come in two variants to produce 90 and 105bhp. The 1.2 liter petrol engine will produce 86bhp, and the 1.4 liter will have 122bhp. It’s been rumored that Audi could be brining the A1 to the Indian market in the not-too-distant future. If the Indian market will accept a high end small car, however, is something that remains to be seen?

We showed you Audi’s ‘e-tron’ range in the last addition of our Green News. Well, it seems that Audi’s adding to the e-tron range at a fast pace, as the smallest (and newest) member of the Audi family gets its own e-tron version – the Audi A1 e-tron. And this is an interesting one, because it features a ‘range-extending’ internal combustion engine much like the production Chevrolet Volt. To be more explicit, the A1 e-tron features a front mounted electric motor that produces 100 horsepower at the front wheels. This gives it a range of 50 kilometers in city traffic – after which a small, single rotor Wankel engine (i.e. rotary engine, like in your favorite Mazda) supplies powers to a generator to ensure that you don’t get left stranded on the side of the road. The A1 e-tron takes 10.2 seconds to 100km/h, and can reach speeds of 130km/h.

The new Audi A8, revealed recently in Miami, is a good looking machine, and one that aims to take the fight squarely to the Mercedes Benz S Class and BMW 7 series. And, of course, it can’t do that without hybrid technology – albeit in concept form at the moment. The A8 Hybrid uses Audi’s award winning 2.0 liter, direct injection, turbocharged, four cylinder, petrol engine that produces 211 horsepower, and combines it with an electric motor that produces the equivalent of 45 horsepower. The combined total of 246 horses and 354lb/ft of torque, as well as an 8-speed gearbox, is enough to power this fairly substantial luxury car to 100km/h in a very respectable 7.6 seconds – all the while returning a claimed 16km/l. The hybrid drive can propel the car up to 65km/h on electric power alone – albeit only for a short 2 kilometer stretchs at a time.

If there were ever a car that we’d like to see offered in India, it would be the Lotus Elise. The Elise epitomizes driving pleasure by supplying nothing but the basic ingredients – and it provides those exceptionally well indeed. 14 years after its remarkable inception, the Elise has received a significant facelift to keep it in tune with the current trends in car design. By ensuring that the Elise stuck rigidly to the Lotus core values of performance through light weight, the Elise was able to produce supercar performance with city car economy.

The redesigned sports car is built on top of a new lightweight structure made of extruded aluminum alloy, and, as before, bonded with epoxy – as opposed to traditional welds that add additional mass. Available in both a standard 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder engine with 189bhp, and an SC variant with a supercharger bumping up power to 218bhp, the new Elise also benefits from improved aerodynamics and – as is now customary – LED daytime running lights and indicators.

We showed you the all-new VW Touareg in the News section last month. And, since both the Touareg and Porsche Cayenne share the same platform, it was only a matter of time before the new Cayenne debuted. And it did at Geneva, as Porsche showcased its entire brand new range that also includes a full parallel hybrid version of the SUV.

Porsche has focused on making the entire range lighter, and therefore not only more efficient, but also more agile as well. The overall weight of the Cayenne S, for instance, has been reduced by 180 kilos. On average, the fuel efficiency has been increased by over 20%. Moreover, just by looking at the new Cayenne, you get a sense that it’s a leaner and meaner machine on the whole.

The entry level Cayenne gets a 3.6 liter petrol engine producing 300 horsepower, mated to a new 8-speed automatic transmission. The Cayenne S Hybrid gets a 3.0 liter supercharged V6 producing 333 horsepower, and an electric motor that generates the equivalent of 47 horses – bringing the total up to a fairly substantial 380, and 427lb/ft of torque at just 1000rpm. The Hybrid can reach speeds of up to 60km/h on electric power alone.

The Diesel Cayenne gets a 3.0 liter producing 240bhp and 405lb/ft of torque. The Cayenne S gets a 400bhp 4.8 liter V8, while the Turbo retains its mammoth 500bhp courtesy of twin-turbochargers.

Tata Nano EV

Tata Motors uses the Geneva Motor Show every year to showcase the latest from its portfolio. And for the last few years that’s meant one of two things – a Nano, or its derivative, and/or an EV. Well, in this case, it’s both. Tata showcased the highly anticipated Nano EV, which adds to its portfolio of electric vehicles that already includes the Indica Vista EV – expected to go on sale in Europe later this year.

The Nano EV provides seating for four, and, uses polymer lithium-ion batteries to offer an all-electric range of 160 kilometers. It can accelerate to 60km/h in under 10 seconds, which means that it’s not exactly going to win any races on the way to saving the environment.