The car is the star: After Life on Mars' Cortina, Gene Hunt's Audi is the hot new car

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Life on Mars spin-off Ashes to Ashes will feature much of the original cast including Philip Glenister.

But it will also show off for the first time a new pair of wheels.

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Phil Glenister and Keeley Hawes with the Audi Quattro while filming Ashes to Ashes

In the new series, set in the 80s, detective Gene Hunt (Glenister) swaps his 1974-registered golden Ford Cortina for a red Audi Quattro when he is lured from Manchester by the London Met to take on the "southern nancy criminal scum."

The new car was pictured for the first time in paparazzi shots taken on set in London at the weekend.

The drama series has received the critical plaudits and has been nominated for three Bafta TV awards. Glenister will appear along Life On Mars co-stars Dean Andrews, who played DS Ray Carling, and Marshall Lancaster, who played Dc Chris Skelton.

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The original Life on Mars star car: Detective Gene Hunt (Glenister) right, and John Simm, left, with the 1974-registered golden Ford Cortina used in the hit show's first series

In another time-travel twist, a female detective chief inspector, Alex Drake, is mysteriously transported from 2008 to 1981.

Millions tuned in for the final episode of Life On Mars, to see Sam Tyler (played by John Simm) wake from his coma in 2006 - but choose to "return" to 1973 by throwing himself off a building.

The golden Mk III 2000E Cortina was used in the filming of the first and second series of the popular BBC1 show. Gas man Paul Sheddon, 33, bought the car on eBay last month for £10,000.

The car, known as "Tina," had holes in the vinyl roof where cameras were attached and dents in the bonnet where DCI Tyler, played by John Simm, landed after a particularly lively stunt.

Paul, of Darlaston, West Midlands, even found torn-up bits of scripts from the last ever episode in the glovebox.

The car was auctioned online to raise money for Comic Relief when the show ended, and Paul snapped it up when he saw it back on eBay. He said: "It's an honour to own it."

Ashes to Ashes will be shown next year.