A ll-new Aston Martin One-77 almost revealed

As supercar sales slow down around the world due to economic issues, Aston Martin went ahead and announced an all-new flagship supercar called the One-77. Though only releasing dark teaser shots of the oddly-named car, simply brightening up the photos digitally reveals a whole lot more.

Information available so far suggests a lightweight aluminium-bodied coupe with a 7.0-litre (or larger) V12 engine, good for around 700 hp. The front-engined rear-wheel-drive platform will also feature adaptive suspension, automanual paddle-shifted gearbox, pop-up rear spoiler and ceramic brakes.

Reportedly priced at more than 1 million British pounds (that’s more than Dhs 7 million to us poor people), the One-77 will go on sale by the end of 2009.

All-new BMW X1 Concept revealed early

BMW seems intent on diluting its brand image further with every new model they create. As if the X6, the X5 and the X3 weren’t enough, the German company has now created an X1 soft-roader, to be shown in near-production trim at the 2008 Paris Auto Show.

Most likely based on the equally-daft 1-Series platform, the BMW X1 is trying to break into a segment that didn’t ask for any luxury treatment. The sub-compact SUV genre is currently occupied by ultra-cheap offroad-capable Japanese machines with tiny engines. The X1 will no doubt combine a cramped interior with all-wheel-drive and a range of 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines from the BMW parts bin.

Expect to see the X1 in production as a 2010 model by next year.

Citroen builds GTbyCitroen real video-game car

We’re not quite sure what the purpose of this concept is, but it sure looks great. Shown at the 2008 Paris Auto Show, the car is called GTbyCITROËN, and it will be a playable car in some game called GT5 on some kid’s contraption called PS3. It seems to be a non-working full-size model, as Citroen’s press release is filled with nonsense, but no real mechanical details.

With GTbyCITROËN, a show-car presented at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, Citroën becomes the first vehicle manufacturer to cross over to the virtual worlds: An original take on a road car, GTbyCITROËN is a style replica of a vehicle from the digital world. The car is the result of a partnership between Citroën and Polyphony, designer of the driving simulation game Gran Turismo 5 on Playstation 3.

In the game, GTbyCITROËN features an electric drive train powered by a fuel cell with no pollutant emissions. It is a car designed to square up to the strongest competition.

The cabin of GTbyCITROËN, designed to seat two adults, expresses the grand touring vision behind this show-car. The on-board ambience allies premium, extensively worked materials with a more high-tech effect for the driving position.

GTbyCITROËN also expresses strength and power through generous volumes, (length: 4.960m, 2.080m and height: 1.090m) underlined by strongly marked wheel arches. The diamond-effect 21-inch aluminium wheels enhance the car’s sporty personality.

Don’t hold your breath for a production version though. This concept is just a gimmick to promote a video game. Basically, if you’ve already bought GT5 Prologue, you just spent money buying a demo. The full version of GT5 isn’t even out yet.

Audi A1 hybrid concept at Paris Auto Show

Just when you thought Audi couldn’t do any worse, the VW-owned German manufacturer is now planning to release a subcompact hatchback called the Audi A1 Sportback. Currently only shown in concept form at the 2008 Paris Auto Show, the A1 wants to take aim at the Mini, but will most likely become known as an overpriced Yaris competitor.

Geeky styling aside, the prototype drivetrain is more interesting. Under the bonnet is a turbocharged 1.4-litre TFSI engine developing 150 hp and 240 Nm of torque, mated to a front-wheel-drive platform and an S tronic dual-clutch transmission. A 20 kW electric motor delivers an additional 27 hp and an extra 150 Nm of torque when the vehicle is accelerating. Acceleration is highest during the boosting phase, which is when the TFSI engine and electric motor operate simultaneously, giving a total of 390 Nm.

Concept features include an ESP-controlled active front differential lock to reduce torque steer due to the front-driven setup, as well as magnetic adjustable shocks, 18-inch wheels, Audi’s useless MMI multimedia system, navigation and a futuristic interior that won’t make it to production.

The electric motor is apparently capable of powering the vehicle alone using lithium-ion batteries, giving the A1 a range of up to 100 km in pure electric mode. The motor can be recharged from any power socket. The automatic start/stop facility, energy regeneration and phases of purely electrical operation reduce the fuel consumption and emissions by almost 30 percent compared to when it is running on the combustion engine alone. Audi says 0-100 kph acceleration happens in 7.9 seconds and a top speed of 200 kph, with a fanciful fuel-consumption claim of only 3.9 litres per 100 km. We’ll believe it when we see it.

9ff plans 2009 Porsche Panamera tuning

So far, Porsche has only released teaser photos of what is to become the German company’s ugliest vehicle yet. But exceptional Porsche tuners 9ff has already put up a sketch of what their version of the 2009-2010 Panamera will look like, once they get their hands on it.

The Panamera’s 911-meets-hatchback styling has pretty much been finalised, and its only saving grace will be luxury and performance. As much criticism as this four-door car is getting, people should put things in perspective and remember the abomination that is the Cayenne, Porsche’s best-selling model in Dubai and the GCC.

Lamborghini Estoque concept sedan revealed

While the brainless general media is still chasing stupid teaser images of the upcoming Lamborghini concept sedan, we can always depend on the web to leak information early. The car has been fully revealed on the internet, and it is called the Lamborghini Estoque.

The Lamborghini Estoque will be shown at the upcoming 2008 Paris Auto Show.

Since it is in concept form, there are no specific mechanical details yet, although speculation suggests the engine from the Gallardo LP560 resides under the bonnet.

Incidentally, this is Lamborghini’s first modern four-door front-engined design since the early 1980s, when they dabbled in off-roaders.

Considering many sports-car makers are in the process of developing their own four-door sedans, the Estoque looks like a sure bet for production.