2015 Audi TT drops its top – TT & TTS Roadster for Paris debut

The Audi TTS Roadster (pictured) debuts at Paris 2014 It’s only six months since the new Audi TT arrived at the Geneva Motor Show, but now Audi is ready to show its drop-top version with a debut of the Audi TT Roadster scheduled for the Paris Motor Show next week. As you’d expect, to all intents and purposes, the TT (and TT S) Roadster are pretty much the same as the TT Coupe, with the top chopped off and replaced by a retractable fabric roof – a roof that opens and closes in just 10 seconds – and a bump in price of around £2,000. That means the Audi TT Roadster with the 2.0 litre TFSI engine with 182bhp, manual ‘box and Sport trim will come in at a bit under £32,000 and the 306bhp TTS Roadster at a bit under £38,000.

Michelin design contest inspires young minds

The College for Creative Studies in Detroit held its 24th Michelin Design challenge, in which Michelin sponsors a design and development project for one of CCS' transportation design classes. The competition works like this: CCS and Michelin get together to develop a theme, then CCS picks which transportation design class will work on the project. The idea, Michelin says, is to celebrate and promote the kind of vehicle design that highlights original thinking and innovation.

Alfa Romeo Mito Twinair (2012) first official pictures

Alfa Romeo has plumbed Fiat's brilliant and novel two-cylinder engine - the Twinair - into its Mito supermini. The result is the most economical premium supermini on sale, returning in excess of 67mpg. The Mito Twinair will cost £14,510 when it goes on sale on 30 September 2012.