Audi A1 set to star at Wörthersee Tour

This year's Wörthersee Tour -- the largest annual gathering of Volkswagen/Audi enthusiasts in the world -- is almost upon us, and Audi is using the 2010 event to massively showcase its upcoming A1 baby car.

Named after the picturesque Austrian lake on whose shores it's held, the Wörthersee event will this year be graced by no less than seven A1 'motto cars', each of which embraces a particular theme via lairy graphics and various other mods.

"The Audi A1 fits in with the GTI meet because customisation has always been a central topic for the Audi fans here at the Wörthersee and will also play a special role for A1 customers," says Audi design boss Stefan Sielaff.

As such, the customised Audi A1s are meant to show the design possibilities offered by add-on parts, special paint finishes and adhesive films.

Our personal favourite has to be the A1 "Hot Rod", which oozes menace with its flame decals, matte black paint, dumped air suspension and whitewall tyres wrapped around retro-esque steel rims.

Meanwhile, rabid fans of German soccer club FC Bayern are catered to by an A1 that's festooned with the colours and playing number (10) of the club's Dutch star Arjen Robben. Naturally, it also has little stuffed soccer balls dangling from the rear-view mirror.

Poseurs will no doubt warm to the A1 "Fashion", which is resplendent in its gloss and matte Aubergine paint. However, its real party trick is a navigation system that shows "an animated barrage of camera flashes and a red carpet" when turned on.

Of course, there had to a be tribute to Audi's past rallying glory, and anyone who's seen youtube footage of the great Walter Röhrl  tap-dancing on the pedals of the fearsome 1980s Group B quattro is bound to love the A1 "competition kit" car.

Apart from its iconic Begonia Red, Stone Grey and Grey Brown highlights, the rally weapon scores a tasty set of rims, along with a new front lip and rear diffuser, a roof spoiler and a "1" sticker on the door. The interior has also been tarted up to reflect the colour scheme of the exterior.

Other themed cars include the "Follow Me", bedecked in citrus-yellow paint with black checker stripes and an airport emblem -- just the thing for leading Airbus A380s to their parking bays.

Meanwhile, the A1 "Wasserwacht" has the same livery as the local water rescue team, while the "Pickerljäger" car mirrors the colour scheme of Austrian police vehicles.

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