Autoblog UK

The centenary celebrations for the Audi marque are set to end with quite a climax. On 30th November, the new Audi A8 makes its debut in the unusual location of Miami. The latest flagship model will be displayed in innovative fashion in the Audi Pavilion, which is functioning as a temporary art gallery. The premiere is to be combined with an art opening themed as 'The Art of Progress'. The Florida metropolis of Miami long ago established a reputation as a centre of art and design. Early December is traditionally the high point of the season for all connoisseurs, with the staging of two high-calibre art fairs, Design Miami and Art Basel Miami Beach. And in this rarefied setting, the Audi A8 is due to be unveiled on the eve of the Design Miami show.

It looks as though open-top specialist Karmann has been thrown a lifeline. Volkswagen have offered the insolvent company a rescue package in the form of a takeover. Apparently, talks are well advanced between the Wolfsburg giant and the north German niche manufacturer. The sticking point appears to be the price, with Karmann claiming to be worth 65 million euros. It is also not quite clear which parts of the company VW intend to swallow up. Karmann currently has a 1,600-strong workforce, 800 of whom are facing immediate redundancy.

The Osnabrück-based carmaker boasts a long tradition stretching back to the year 1901. The most famous model ever produced was the Karmann Ghia in the 1950s, a coupé version of the VW Beetle. Production of this vehicle, which achieved cult status around the globe, came to an end in the 1970s. Since 1949, Karmann have been manufacturing complete cars in small production runs, totalling 3.3 million units over the six decades.

BMW intends manufacturing two new Mini models at its factory near Oxford. Chief Executive Norbert Reithofer said in an interview with the Financial Times, that a coupe version of the Mini and another new model are to roll off the production line in the British factory. New jobs would be created and money invested. Reithofer didn't reveal any definite figures or any time frame. Around 3,500 staff are currently employed at the factory, which, according to the newspaper, is working almost at full capacity with a yearly output of 200,000 – 220,000 vehicles. We might expect the second model to be the roadster, which will also be launched at the IAA in Frankfurt.

Audi celebrated their centenary on 16th July in Ingolstadt by staging two world premieres. On the opening day of the fortnight's festivities, not only was the latest A5 Sportback unveiled but Chinese star pianist Lang Lang also gave the first ever performance on the new grand piano from Audi Design. The big speech was delivered by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel to a VIP audience of 1,800. The programme of special events continues until 30th July. The four photo galleries below provide a review of the company history as well as a glimpse into the future under the headings Motorsport, Classic, Concept and of course Quattro.

The Nürburgring now boasts yet another attraction: last weekend, the first Ferrari Store in Germany was duly opened by the team's star drivers Felipe Masse and Kimi Räikkönen in the run-up to the Formula One GP. Visitors to the shop are obviously in for a red-carpet reception. This retail outlet for Ferrari fans is the tenth of its kind around the world. The first three shops were located in the prestige marque's mother country of Italy (Milan, Rome and Venice). Other prime sites in Europe are London and Barcelona, with a couple more branches in the States (Miami and San Francisco). The Nürburgring is the third in a tranche of new stores that has also included Macao and Abu Dhabi. You can see pictures of the ceremony in the gallery below.