Black_RS4

Is this next to join TT family?

It's got looks to die for and a well known badge on the grille, and it could end up on a forecourt near you



The Audi Locus is the brainchild of Turkish stylist Ugar Sahin, who says the curvy concept has been inspired by nature, and it's one of the entries in this year's prestigious Mich*elin Challenge Design competition. But cues from the German brand's existing sports car line-up are also apparent - including the sweeping, dome-shaped panoramic roofline, which creates steeply raked screens.

Raised haunches and flared wheel*arches give it the look of a mus*cular, aggressive TT. There is also a deeper version of the Audi grille, plus a curva*ceous waistline and low sills - and it all makes the car a strong contender for the tyre giant's coveted title.

The Locus's dramatic styling has already attracted 13,000 visitors to designer Sahin's website. The event traditionally pulls in entries from students to professional stylists alike, and this year the contenders come from 51 countries across the globe. They're all competing for a chance to see their work brought to life and earn themselves a place on the stands at the Detroit Motor Show in the US.

Michelin's Tom Chubb explained the 2007 competition reflected real-world challenges faced by makers. "As with economy and the impact on the environ*ment, safety is a major con*sideration when it comes to design, research and development," he said.

Meanwhile, Audi is celebrating a record-breaking first three months of 2007. An expanding range, including the new TT, boosted the brand's sales in the UK in March by 19.8 per cent to a rec-ord 19,242. This increase has contributed to a 16.6 per cent improvement on the company's first quarter total, taking it to an unprecedented 31,232 sales.