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.

If you're looking for an unusual Christmas decoration, Porsche Gelderland in the small Dutch town of Heteren could provide you with some inspiration. The local dealership has had a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S completely coated in chocolate. Master chocolatier Jan Blancken melted 175 kilos of the stuff and used it to covert the bodywork of the Porsche. For good measure, he spread a few kilos of white chocolate onto the headlights. The photo gallery shows each stage of the creation of this masterpiece which is set to decorate the showroom in the run-up to Christmas. The Porsche has 385 horsepower tucked away under its sweet bonnet. The technical specification of the brown racer will now presumably have to be supplemented with its calorie count.

Advertising should attract attention but you can go too far. In a new advert on TV, Volkswagen shows a man who kills himself simply because he didn't get to own the new Scirocco.

The main character in the British Volkswagen commercial has lost everything. At the casino, he put his money on black and red came up. He moved into gold just as the clever money moved out, and now he's ruined both financially and mentally. He decides to end his miserable life.

That's a summary of the storyline of a new VW Scirocco commercial broadcast on the famous British motoring magazine show Top Gear. The message is clear: if only the man had waited for the launch of the new Scirocco, things would have gone better and he wouldn't have topped himself. To quote from their ad: "Life is not so bad!" The producers of the commercial think that their work is plain and straightforward. Tasteless and provocative, say many British viewers about the depiction of suicide on screen. Find out for yourself. Take a look at the new Scirocco TV clip. Should something like this be broadcast? Top Gear presenter and humorist Jeremy Clarkson seems to think so...

Despite sharing a name with a sister model in Europe, American versions of the same car obey different design rules. Instead of zippy dynamics, the stress on the far side of the Atlantic is on muscle and bulk. US vehicles are characterised by their massive chrome radiator grilles, colossal 'fenders' (bumpers) and what seems to us rather dated styling, referred to by design departments as 'Red, White and Bold'. The term is a play on words, alluding to the colours of the national flag – red, white and blue. 'Bold' is used in the deliberately ambiguous sense of both 'intrepid' and 'garish'.

But when sales are going downhill, it's time for a rethink. Suddenly, the Americans are looking to Europe for their inspiration and adopting the more successful sleeker styling. The design philosophy of Ford Europe has now become a role model for the US market. In future, all new vehicles produced by the parent company will be designed accordingly, thereby superseding the traditional, uniquely American style. The first models to display the new look are the Fiesta and C-Max, both of which were developed in Europe. The latest generation of the Focus will follow suit.

As the world's biggest automotive manufacturer, Toyota feels obliged to occupy every last niche, especially where there is a profit to be made. All the same, the concept of the new Urban Cruiser seems questionable, to say the least. On the one hand, despite the vehicle's mere four metres in length, it is claimed to offer quality of journey, even off-road. On the other hand, the 4WD diesel version retails from 23,000 euros upwards – a hefty price tag for a subcompact model. Admittedly, the actual target group consists of prospective purchasers who are content with a front-wheel drive, petrol-powered vehicle. The elevated view of the road, SUV characteristics and entry price of around 17,000 euros should certainly appeal to anyone who just needs it for driving around town. After all, its official name is Urban Cruiser. It will be interesting to see if this twin strategy pays off.

Audi have given their logo a makeover. The four rings have been given a new look – they are now more shiny and three-dimensional. Particularly striking is the change to the red Audi text which now appears below the trademark rings, lacking any hint of fussiness and shifted over to the left. Could it be that the Ingolstadt-based carmaker is leaving room for further names? After the decision was made to integrate Porsche into the VW group, of which Audi is also a member, VW supremo Martin Winterkorn mooted the possibility of using 'Auto Union' as an overarching name for this alliance of ten distinct brands. The new emblem will begin to appear in advertising, publishing and sponsorship as well as on the Audi website from September onwards.

So that you will want for nothing on your travels in your new Panamera, Porsche have brought out a unique collection of accessories that are bound to set owners' pulses racing. The first of these Porsche-designed luxury articles are depicted in the gallery below. Top-quality clothing, matching suitcases and exclusive wristwatches - all of which are now available in unmistakable Porsche Panamera styling.

When we see Danica Patrick with a thin creamy moustache endorsing the Got Milk? campaign, it would be easy to conclude that she has just enjoyed the usual tipple after an Indy victory. Traditionally, the winner of the Indianapolis 500 is presented with a bottle of milk in Victory Lane. Danica Patrick got a foretaste before the rerun of this legendary 500-mile race.

The best-known female on the race circuit has been recruited as the new ambassador for the long-running US publicity campaign. This makes her the second racing driver after NASCAR superstar Jeff Gordon to be honoured in this way. 'Got milk?' is one of the most successful advertising campaigns in the world. Miss Patrick is no stranger to photo shoots and was well pleased with the outcome. Now all we need is a victory portrait with the same moustache following a win in the Indianapolis 500. The iron lady of motorsport will get her chance on 24th May when the race is next staged.

Now that the Smart has achieved excellent sales in North America - particularly in these dodgy times - South America is now being targeted and Mercedes have already opened their first branch in the sprawling Brazilian metropolis of Sao Paulo. The city speedster is on offer there as a coupé and cabrio with prices starting at 57,900 Real, which corresponds to some 19,300 euros. The high import duty in Brazil does not do Smart any favours, given local conditions there. Brazil is now the 38th country where the Smart is on sale and market launches are also planned this year for China and Denmark.