Is this the most expensive...
Is this the most expensive car ever sold? The answer is almost certainly yes, if auction house Christie"s has its way. The rare GP racer from Audi goes under the hammer this weekend - and is expected to reach ÷£7.88million.
But despite its action...
But despite its action adventure appearance, the jaw-dropper, known as Nero, has nothing to do with the silver screen. Penned at Audi"s design centre in California, these official pictures reveal the firm"s vision of the future.
Up front, the stunning coup탩 wears Audi"s signature four-sided grille with pride. The four-ring badge also features prominently, while the vertical bars are similar to those on the firm"s TT Shooting Brake concept, revealed at last month"s Tokyo Motor Show.
Its long nose and small window area are emphasised by fully enclosed wheels, which also provide aerodynamic benefits. Inspired by the streamlined record-breaking cars built by the Auto Union race team of the Thirties, the show car has a teardrop shape which is dramatic from every angle.
The two-door Nero - Latin for black - features a translucent bonnet which gives a view of the engine bay. At this stage, no powerplant has been allocated to the model, but only the firm"s flagship W12 unit would suit its supercar style.
While the Nero is unlikely to make it off the drawing board, the presentation material for the machine features a quote from Audi founder August Horch, stating: "A dream worth having is a dream worth pursuing."
This hints at Audi"s intent to produce a coup탩 to rival BMW"s 6-Series. While the new TT will go on sale in the UK late next year, a two-door model based on the A6 platform is expected to appear in 2008. The Nero has been created as part of a competition to create a stunning showstopper for the Los Angeles expo, with the theme "An LA Adventure".