A book released last summer indicates that car fanatic King Juan Carlos I of Spain has employees tending to his vehicles. Make that vehicles.

Photographs obtained by Diariomotor show the King's latest acquisition, the Audi RS6. The car joins a fleet that includes a Rolls Royce Phantom IV, a Maybach, and his first car ever, a classic Mini. The King previously owned a Porsche that he crashed on an icy road in the Pyrenees at the end of

The Royal's Audi RS6 was likely given to the monarch by the German car manufacturer. It is painted in black, with a blacked-out Audi logo, and dark graphite five-spoke wheels. Under the hood, it has a 5.0-liter TFSI engine producing horsepower and up to ft-lb of torque. The engine of the RS6 is mated to a six-speed Tiptronic transmission, with power going to four wheels. Audi's saloon is capable of a 0-100 km/h sprint of 4.5 seconds, and has an electronically-limited top speed of either 250 km/h or 280 km/h.

Monarchical upgrades to the car include front-mounted emergency lights, a special license plate only availble to royalty, and flag-holders above the front wheels.

AUDI S8

The S8 disappeared from Audi’s lineup for the 2010 model year, but the sports sedan looks primed for a 2012 model year revival. Our spy photographers recently spotted the high-performance 2012 S8 undergoing some shakedown testing.
At first glance, this may just look like a blacked-out, 2011 Audi A8. However, all it takes is a quick look at the details of this car to know we've just captured the first up-close photos of Audi S8 test vehicle.
This S8 test car is an early development vehicle, so it is not wearing any of the sportier "S" bodywork just yet. What it does have are large brake rotors and calipers along with a quad tip exhaust setup -- obvious signs this is no ordinary A8.
The S8 will get the usual upgraded suspension, brakes and powertrain that all "S" models get. Exactly which powertrain the S8 will receive seems to be a mystery so far, with the strongest rumors suggesting that a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 will be under the hood of the 2012 S8.
Watch for the official debut of the S8 sometime in late 2010 or early 2011.

Audi’s A1 e-tron, introduced at the Geneva Motor Show (earlier post), is a range-extended electric city concept vehicle featuring a 75 kW (102 hp) peak power electric traction motor and a single-rotor single-rotor Wankel engine coupled with an electrical generator with a charge rating of up to 15 kW.

The four-passenger, two-door mega city vehicle (MCV) car can drive 50 kilometers (31 miles) emission-free in city traffic on its 12 kWh battery pack before the range extender kicks in. The Audi A1 e-tron was designed specifically for use in the metropolitan areas of Europe and North America and in the rapidly growing megacities of Asia and South America.

Motor and power electronics. The synchronous electric motor of the Audi A1 e-tron is mounted transversely at the front of the car. Its low mounting position has a positive effect on the vehicle’s center of gravity. Continuous output is rated at 45 kW (61 hp), with peak power of 75 kW (102 hp) available in short bursts. 150 N·m (111 lb-ft) of torque is continuously available, and peak torque is 240 N·m (177 lb-ft).

The electric motor sends its power to the front wheels via a single-speed transmission. The retractable selector lever on the console of the center tunnel used to choose between “Drive,” “Reverse,” and “Neutral” was taken from the first Audi e-tron.

The power electronics are mounted in the engine compartment above the electric motor. The most important components are the pulse-controlled inverter, which serves as the controller between the electric motor and the battery; the DC converter, which connects the high-voltage network with the 14 volt electrical system; a breaker unit to protect the high-voltage components; and the charging module.

Audi has developed a proprietary thermal management system to keep the battery, the electric motor, and the power electronics within their respective ideal temperature windows.

The socket for the standard charging plug is located behind the rings in the single-frame grille of the Audi A1 e-tron. A fully depleted battery can be recharged in approximately three hours from the 380 volt grid. A display immediately adjacent to the plug-in connection shows the current charge status and the charging time remaining.

The concept of the innovative Mega City Vehicle requires the electrification of key auxiliaries. The refrigerant compressor of the climate control system, for example, is electrically powered by a high-voltage electric motor that supplies only the amount of power needed at the time.

This increases system efficiency substantially compared to conventional concepts. Via a special circuit, the climate control loop also functions as a heat pump that regulates the temperature of the cabin and the battery.

The power steering of the Audi A1 e-tron is electro-mechanical. An electronic brake system makes it possible to tap into the recuperation potential of the electric motors. A hydraulic fixed-caliper brake is mounted on the front axle, with two novel electrically-actuated floating-caliper brakes mounted on the rear axle. These floating calipers are actuated not by any mechanical or hydraulic transfer elements, but rather by wire (“brake by wire”). This eliminates frictional losses due to residual slip when the brakes are not being applied. In addition, the servo unit received a new, demand-controlled electric vacuum pump.

The Audi Nero is part of a design challenge sponsored by the LA auto show.

The challenge invited designers from 10 of the top design studios to come up with future transport concepts for 10, 20 and 30 years into the future.
Audi’s Nero concept is meant as the ultimate vehicle to go nightclubbing in.
The Nero’s sinister lines and elongated dimensions make for a batmobile-esq appearance, no doubt impressive in the flesh.

The Audi Nero’s covered wheel arches are similar to the ones used on the Audi RSQ concept featured in the movie ‘I, robot’

This concept is an homage to the legendary streamlined record-breaking racers Auto Union developed in the 1930’s. An image of motion: clean, sleek, and powerful.The aerodynamic surfaces, covered wheels, and low ground clearance create a stealthy modern interpretation of its inspirational ancestors.

The sinister carbon black color was chosen to reflect the mood of L.A. at night. Its strong silhouette is punctuated with compelling technical details.

The aggressive front end is followed by a translucent hood that showcases an engine which is a work of art in its own right. This super coupe is an expression of pure power, speed, and style that is sure to turn any night on the town into an adventure.