Justin Timberlake gets out of sync in Geneva

Pop star Justin Timberlake has plenty of smooth moves but his German hosts weren't as slick at a special invitation-only preview event on the eve of the Geneva motor show.

At the gala Volkswagen Group launch, where eight new models were revealed on a catwalk ahead of the Geneva motor show's official media day tomorrow, Timberlake drove a new Audi A1 hatchback onto the centre stage with the boss of Audi, Rupert Stadler, in the car.

Once the car was in position Timberlake got out and, acting as a chauffeur, opened the door for Stadler.

The pair then attempted to high-five each other. But one of them raised a flat hand, while the other raised a friendly small fist that was supposed to tap the other's knuckles.

Realising they were out of sync, Timberlake and Stadler mirrored what the other had just done -- only to trip each other up again (see our exclusive pic).

In the end, after attempting but failing a Hollywood handshake (where the hands grip almost vertically and the forearms almost interlock), they eventually gave up and just patted each other on the shoulder before the female MC, model turned motoring journalist Nazan Eckes, intervened.

But Timberlake and Stadler weren't out of the embarrassment spotlight just yet. In a major blunder, Eckes forgot the name of the boss of Audi and had to ask him on stage.

She apologised three times during the rehearsed five minute interview.

When Eckes asked Timberlake how he liked his change of profession as a chauffeur, he said: "I like my new job, he pays very well."

Then Eckes responded: "Oh great and I've forgotten his name".

In between apologies, it was revealed that Timberlake is an Audi customer (he drives a S5 sports coupe) and is about to be the face of the A1 in an advertising campaign due to be launched tomorrow.

The Audi A1 is the German maker's answer to the Mini Cooper and Fiat 500 and is yet another example of luxury cars downsizing.

"People want to drive a smaller car because of economy or congestion or parking but they don't want to sacrifice luxury," said Stadler.

He said Audi was considering a car smaller than the A1 and possibly another to squeeze between the A1 and the A3 hatches.

"We've left a gap there but we have a lot of ideas about what we could do," he said. "But we want to get the A1 right first."

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