- The baby A1 has grown in both size and features over the outgoing car but it retained its compact styling.
- Available with three TFSI engine with no diesel option.
Audi is on a model offensive this year. The German carmaker already unveiled the A8 flagship, A6 executive sedan, A7 Sportback, RS5 Coupe and the all-new Q8 this year. Now, fresh out of the Ingolstadt is the baby Audi, the A1. Entering its second generation, the A1 is Audi’s take on the European supermini segment. It grows in size and comes loaded with all the latest gizmos while retaining its unmistakable Audi styling.
The A1 takes its design cues from the Ur-quattro and Sport quattro, claims the carmaker. It has the same compact proportions as the outgoing car, but the styling is scrounged from the new crop of Audis. So the headlamps get multiple LED lighting signature, the imposing cascading grille has aggressively large air vents on its side, the C-pillar has a floating roof and nicely sculpted tailgate gets LED tail lights and a small spoiler. Below the edge of the hood, there are three flat slits built in as an homage to the Sport quattro, the brand’s rally icon from 1984. The wheels are similar to the expensive Audis of yesteryears and can be had in size option of 15-, 16-, or 17-inches. Audi is offering the A1 in whopping 11 colour options.
On the inside, the cabin is sporty, connected and laden with latest features. The all-digital instrument cluster is flanked by Fighter Jet style air-con vents. The centre console is tilted towards the driver and gets 8.8-inch (10.1 in top-spec) infotainment system with the newest edition of Audi’s MMI system with voice control. There are modern connectivity features as well along with a 560W 11-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. Apart from that, there is a host of driver’s aids inside the A1. Boot capacity is increased by 65 litres over the outgoing car to 335 litres, which can be extended to 1,090 litres with the rear seats folded down.
Under the hood, there are three variants of Audi’s turbo-petrol TFSI engines with no option of a diesel. The entry level is a 1.0-litre three-pot unit with 94bhp. The four-cylinder 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre offer up to 197bhp of power output. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, but the top-spec 40TFSI variant gets a six-speed S-tronic automatic. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is also available as optional.
The A1 Sportback rivals the likes of Mini Cooper, Seat Ibiza, VW Polo, Skoda Fabia and Renault Clio. No word on the pricing yet.
