HERNDON, Virginia — Inspired by the iconic chase scenes from such Hollywood movies as Bullitt, Gone in 60 Seconds and Smokey and the Bandit, Audi said it has created a 2009 Super Bowl ad called "Chase." The ad features action-movie star Jason Statham and a supercharged Audi A6.

Audi has not released the ad yet, but issued a teaser press release about it on Wednesday.

"Statham, known for his action-packed roles in the Transporter series, ****** and The Bank Job, rushes from decade to decade to avoid capture, trying to find a vehicle to aid his getaway," said Audi. "He finds that several other luxury vehicles fail to get the job done. That is, until he finds the supercharged Audi A6."

Audi does not spell out which luxury vehicles "fail to get the job done," but those choices clearly will be noted by viewers and the competition.

While it isn't clear just what other automakers have in mind for this year's Super Bowl, AdWeek reports that the "Chase" ad is part of a larger marketing onslaught on the part of the German automaker. "While many car companies are planning to hit the brakes on their TV spend, Audi is looking to build on the gains it made in market share a year ago," AdWeek said. It noted that Audi plans 15-20-percent increases in its "U.S. promotional spend" in 2009.

Last year, automakers cut back on their Super Bowl advertising, according to media reports. This year's game will air on Sunday, February 1.

Inside Line says: Audi's "Chase" is shaping up as one of the must-see Super Bowl commercials. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent