Audi A1 steals VW show ahead of Geneva expo

Audi's racy A1 — an obvious rival to BMW's successful new Mini — stole the show Monday at the presentation of Volkswagen AG's latest offerings for the Geneva Motor Show.

It helped that the compact model with the characteristic Audi grill arrived with American singer Justin Timberlake at the wheel, flustering the presenter and threatening to throw the show off course.

The A1's compact design is a departure for Audi, a brand better known for its perfectly engineered luxury sedans.

It represents a clear challenge to the Mini, a widely acclaimed revival of the classic that helped BMW win market share among a younger, hipper audience.

The A1 will be available as a hybrid version, and the German car company has intentionally left a gap to be filled between its larger A3 and the new A1 model, said CEO Rupert Stadler.

Volkswagen also unveiled world premieres for its four luxury marques Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Porsche, as well as more earthy brands Skoda, SEAT and of course VW itself.

VW chief executive Martin Winterkorn said the group expects to see growth in the world auto market this year after a difficult 2009. The company sold 41 percent more cars in January than the previous year, and is pinning its hopes on China and the United States driving growth in 2010, he said.

The group is on course to make hybrid and electric models a major part of its product range by 2013, Winterkorn said. A hybrid version of its Touareg SUV — developed jointly with Porsche's next-generation Cayenne — will go on sale later this year, he said.

Among the models that could follow are the Porsche 918 Spider, a two-seater concept capable of unholy speeds on the Autobahn, but saintly and silent electric operation in town.