Created by German designer Tilmann Schlootz, the Audi Snook Concept is an original and agile personal mobility vehicle that rides on a sphere. The project has won the Michelin Challenge Design Award 2008 at the Detroit Auto show 2008.

The multidirectional engine consists of a sphere-wheel and enables the driver to intuitively navigate and steer the autostabilized cabin in every direction, including on the side and backwards, as well as to turn on a point. Beside a completely new driving experience, this creates a variety of new maneuvers, that offer driving fun as well as satisfying the needs of future urban mobility.Tilmann Schlootz describes his project: "The Magic Egg of Columbus, or better, two billard balls standing on each other: this icon is my origin on the way of reducing the hardware demands of physical mobility to the minimum.

The Audi Snook technological research project was started under the supervision of Wolfgang Mueller-Pietralla, Vice President of VW Group Research Future Affairs and Dr. Martin Weiser, Vice President of VW Group Research Electronics.The concept was developed in the context of Schlootz's diploma thesis “Future Research and Product Design” that deals with methodical similarities and potential synergies of the two branches. The work is supervised by Prof. Dieter Mankau, Head of the ITD Offenbach and Prof. Dr. Martina Hessler, from the HFG Offenbach.  The Audi Snook has also received the Treasured VDA Design Award 2007 at the last Frankfurt Motor Show.A model of the Audi Snook has been on display at the Michelin Challenge Design Finalists Exposition during the 2008 Detroit Motor Show.The concept model and designer Tilmann Schlootz will be present at the "DesignParcours Munich" (29 February - 5 March 2008) and at the "Hannover Fair"

About the Audi Snook Designer

Tilmann Schlootz was born in Frankfurt, Germany and studied industrial design at the Academy of Art and Design Offenbach after basic studies in machine engineering at the TU Darmstadt.

He was in the student team that in partnership with Honda created the OFX motorcycle design, which won two Intermot Design Awards 2004.

In 2006 he won the Michelin Challenge Design Awards with the two mono-rubbertrack-vehicles Baal and Hyanide, supported by Edag. He currently works at  Audi Design.