Some new on the moto side: Audi AG has just purchased motorcycle maker, Ducati – adding the maker to its line-up that includes Lamborghini and others. From the press release: “Alongside the traditional Italian brands Lamborghini and Italdesign, Ducati is now a third pillar for AUDI AG in Northern Italy. Another building block in the Company’s growth strategy thus falls into place. Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, declared: ‘Ducati is known worldwide as a premium brand among motorcycle manufacturers and has a long tradition of building sporty motorcycles.’”

Photography: flickr

A bit of Ducati eye candy on the following page.

01. Detroit: Bentley Continental GT V8 brings the motor to Motor City

“Bentley has at last debuted its latest beast at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The Continental GT V8 arrived in the Motor City boasting a new compact 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 under its hood. With 500 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque on tap, the ultra-luxury coupe offers buyers heaps of performance in an efficient package. Well, efficient by Bentley standards, anyway. The company says the Continental GT V8 has an effective range of 500 miles, which translates to roughly 21 mpg. That’s not a Prius-besting figure by any stretch, but it’s far from embarrassing given the globe-spinning amount of power on tap.” (autoblog)

02. Audi Q3 Vail

“This week Audi reveals the new Q3 Vail SUV at the Detroit Auto Show. The new theme for the smallest SUV in the Audi line-up comes with a powerful 314 hp engine, special Energy Red colorway, a new interior material and all sorts of other features on the interior and exterior, that make it a sporty car for the mountains. Made for the ski and snowboard enthusiasts, the sporty appeal mixed with outdoor functionality, make the Audi Q3 Vail an interesting contender in the category.” (highsnobiety)

03. 2013 Ford Fusion

“Let’s get it out of the way. There’s an undeniably Aston Martin aura about the all-new 2013 Ford Fusion. And rights (or rites) of design or not, we reckon it’s been a while since anyone’s spoken that highly about a mid-size Ford sedan. At least not here in the U.S. and perhaps going all the way back to the long gone, but much beloved, and potent Ford Taurus SHO.” (gearpatrol)

04. Geekhouse Bikes New 25,000 sf Co-Working Space and headquarters in Boston

“Makers, manufacturers, artists, photographers, graphic designers, programers, if you are the kind of person who is making something we are looking for you. HQ Boston is the premiere location in Boston for small to medium scale manufacturing. We have tens of thousands of square feet of space ready to be turned into your next workshop, studio, or work space.” (vimeo)

Autoblog gives us a full run down on the special edition, 252-hp, Audi A1 Quattro. The sub-compact ultra-performance hatch back from Audi is a great addition to the world of super-charged vehicles: “As its name would imply, the A1 Quattro comes equipped with the automaker’s legendary all-wheel-drive system, with power provided by the same 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder used in theS3. The reworked mill puts out 252 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 258 pound-feet of torque from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm – a boost of more than 70 hp and 74 lb-ft over the standard 1.4-liter A1.” #power.

More look after the click.

01. Official: Jeep shows Wrangler Nautic concepts in Paris

“For those with a love of the ocean and a heady wind at the sails, there’s the White Jeep Wrangler by Style & Design. Said to be inspired by sailboats, the White is highlighted in chrome, which covers the 20-inch chrome wheels, seven-slat grille, door handles and trunk hinges. The interior is swathed in Navy White leather with wooden-deck-style coverings for the floors, dash, console, doors and gearlever.” (autoblog)

02. Nissan Leaf to get inductive charging, lose its stem in 2013

“Nissan has big plans for the still-budding Leaf. The Japanese automaker lit up its impressive Leaf-powered Smart House at the Tokyo Motor Show last week, but also demoed its wireless charging solution for a much smaller crowd at the company’s Oppama factory. The device uses electromagnetic induction to transfer power between a charging pad and a receiver on the bottom of the car, with an efficiency level between 80 and 90 percent — simply park your EV directly above the system to begin charging, and monitor progress on the ground transmission unit’s control panel.” (engadget)

03. Audi Social Media Spokesman Criticized for Tweeting Behind the Wheel

“An image of a spokesperson affiliated with the auto industry resting an iPad on his steering wheel while driving has created a stir online as automakers ramp up efforts to bring greater awareness to the dangers of using technology on the road.” (mashable)

04. Volkswagen Unveils Its Plug-in Hybrid AWD Cross Coupe Concept at the Tokyo Auto Show

“Volkswagen has just revealed its new plug-in hybrid AWD Cross Coupe Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, and it displays the direction the company will be heading in its design for future vehicles. We love the raked angles that flow back to the unique taillights, but the really impressive design is under the hood, where VW has packed two electric motors paired with a direct-injected, turbocharged engine and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.” (inhabitant)

What does it take to drive 24 Hours of LeMans? Take a look from the Audi perspective. Impressive.

Audi celebrates their 100th anniversary in proper fashion with a limited edition timepiece. Teaming with Chronoswiss, Audio is issuing 100 units of the Tachoscope Watch. “The Tachoscope features an Audi Design case with the Chronoswiss caliber C. 125, modofied with a unique configuration that leaves only the minute hand attached to the center of the dial…The dial is enamel and the numerals are inspired by the instruments of the Auto Union race cares of the 1930s.” Choose between 18kt gold (65 units) and platinum (35 units) . (timezone)

More views of the Chronoswiss for Audi Design Tachoscope Watch after the jump.