Audi reveals Urban Concept

Behold the Audi Urban Concept, a miniscule electric two-seater that'll go on display at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show in September. Or rather some very pretty sketches of it.

Ingolstadt's strangely butch lightweight UC gets two electric E-Tron motors, which are funded by enough lithium-ion batteries to propel it for, as Audi says, "extended city tours".

See more pics of the Urban Concept here

You embark on said tours by entering a slightly ridiculous LMP1-style cockpit. But you don't get doors - the entire roof section slithers back to reveal staggered 1+1 seating. The passenger's chair is a few inches astern - your knees are alongside the driver's hip if you're shotgun.

Once installed, you'll notice that it's all a bit minimalist and scaffoldy. There's a display screen above the Flight of the Navigator-spec steering wheel, some boisterously red air vents but not a great deal else.

Unsurprisingly, it's not based on any models in the firm's current lineup - it's been built as an exemplar of the manufacturer's ultra-lightweight philosophy, which sees every ounce of unnecessary mass removed. Which explains why the entire monocoquepit's made from carbon fibre-reinforced polymer.

We rather like its non-femme approach to urban eco-cardom, but what do you think?