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Audi TT ultra quattro concept sheds 300kg & heads for Worthersee

The TT ultra quattro concept manages to tip the scales at 1111kg, 299kg less than the starting point – the TT S quattro – thanks to a new version of the TT’s aluminium space frame, carbon fibre reinforced plastic panels, carbon fibre for many body panels and some judicious use of magnesium. Other weight saving tricks include carbon ceramic brakes with aluminium calipers, titanium exhaust, cameras instead of heavy door mirror mechanisms, and carbon fibre and aluminium wheels. The weight saving extends to the interior of the TT ultra quattro concept too, with carbon fibre used for the door and centre console trims and glass-fibre reinforced plastic base for the seats which saves 22kh alone. But despite the weight savings Audi hasn’t made the TT ultra quattro concept a hair shirt outing with goodies like leather seats, AirCon and electric windows still on offer.

Video: Chris Bangle delivers “Empowerment: Design without Designers” talk at Creative Mornings/London

Chris Bangle – the undisputed front man of car design – needs little introduction, so the prospect of the former BMW Design Director and now founder of Chris Bangle Associates giving a talk in our home town of London was too good to pass up. His presentation (which you can watch in full in the video to the left) touched on his time at BMW, but was more focused on the idea of empowering others to create: "design without you in the middle", as Bangle says. From the story of the co-creation of the staircase in his Italian studio to the idea of encouraging people to think about their culture when designing, his philosophies transcend disciplines.

Fiat 500 Electric 2012 launch

The Fiat 500 Electric Concept was at the Detroit Motor Show this year At the 2010 Detroit Motor Show Fiat brought along an electric concept version of the Fiat 500, together with a Chrysler-badged Lancia as a clear indication that times are changing at Chrysler. And it would appear they’re changing even more quickly than we expected with the announcement that the Fiat 500 EV is going in to production, and will go on sale in the US in 2012. Obviously spurred on by the unexpected success in recent years of that other motoring retro icon the MINI, Fiat are pushing ahead with plans to introduce the regular Fiat 500 in to North America in 2010, although that will be preceded by the 500 Abarth and 500C Abarth, which will be the first versions of the 500 to reach American shores.