6 Things You Need To Know About The New Audi A1

Following on from a substantial image leak, Audi's new supermini has been fully revealed. Here's what you need to know!
6 Things You Need To Know About The New Audi A1

Its styling is influenced by the Sport quattro

6 Things You Need To Know About The New Audi A1

The classic Quattro-style slats above the A1’s huge grille didn’t go unnoticed when the car was leaked earlier this week. Sure enough, the rally legend is name-checked in the official press release.

Also, Audi says that the A1 is supposed to have a “resemblance” to the Sport Quattro and the standard Ur-Quattro from the side. “The wide, flat sloping C-pillar seems to push the car forward even while standing still. All lines on the flanks, from the window edge to the sill, slope upward toward the rear in a wedge shape,” Audi says. Lovely.

You can get a Polo GTI-engined one with 197bhp

6 Things You Need To Know About The New Audi A1

The A1 shares its MQB A0 platform with the VW Polo (and the Seat Ibiza, for that matter) so it should come as no surprise that it shares engines with its Wolfsburg-branded stablemate. So, that means there’s a 94bhp inline-three, a 1.5-litre TSI ‘Evo’ inline-four, and the 197bhp 2.0-litre lump from the Polo GTI. There won’t be a diesel option from launch.

But there's an even more powerful one on the way

6 Things You Need To Know About The New Audi A1

If 197bhp doesn’t cut the mustard for you, don’t panic: a hotter ‘S1’ is expected, and it should arrive at some point in 2019. It’ll have a Haldex-style four-wheel drive system, and an ‘EA888’ 2.0-litre inline-four turbo, most likely outputting around 250bhp.

The tech game is strong

6 Things You Need To Know About The New Audi A1

The outgoing A1 uses a piddly little flip-up infotainment screen mounted atop the dashboard, but for the average tech-obsessed new car buyer, that simply won’t do. As such, Audi has slapped a massive 10.1-inch ‘MMI’ touchscreen into the centre console - the same unit you’d find in much larger and plusher cars from the range.

Entry-level models will have a “fully digital instrument cluster,” which is upgradable to the full Audi virtual cockpit experience if you fancy.

Like any modern supermini worth its salt, the A1 is stuffed full of assistance systems. We’re talking about lane departure warnings, forward collision warnings, autonomous emergency braking and a feature which will steer for you during parallel and horizontal parking manoeuvres . Handy.

It's bigger and roomier

6 Things You Need To Know About The New Audi A1

Just like the Polo, the A1 is a little bigger than before. It’s 56mm longer, although width has stayed about the same. There’s more room inside for all occupants, Audi says, and there’s now an extra 65 litres of boot space, bringing the total to 335 litres - 43 more than you get in a Fiesta. Fold the seats down, and you have 1090 litres of dog-friendly space to play with.

It'll arrive later this year

6 Things You Need To Know About The New Audi A1

Order books for the new A1 will open this summer. There’s no UK pricing available yet, but the starting price in Germany will be under €20,000. Deliveries will kick off towards the end of 2018.

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Comments

CT IS DEAD

MMI TOUCH VOLUME

06/20/2018 - 14:09 |
12 | 0
Anonymous

Hopefully, the s1 would have a manual mated to the 5 pot from the rs3 to go along with the quattro inspires looks.

06/20/2018 - 15:29 |
10 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

It would be too damn fast.

06/20/2018 - 16:42 |
0 | 0
Simon Wyatt (four arm squad)

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

That won’t happen 🙁

06/20/2018 - 17:01 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

It’s already done and called an rs3 hatch.

06/21/2018 - 22:29 |
0 | 0
Ben Anderson 1

It looks almost identical to the old i30.

What? It’s not a Hyundai? Oh…

06/20/2018 - 15:48 |
6 | 0
Tomás Ribeiro (Audi is life)

Let me just say that Audi made a very good job with this. The car was released 3 days ago and I am already kind of in love with it. But where is my MMI wheel??? Why Audi?? Why?

06/21/2018 - 00:24 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Just put in a five-cylinder turbo and I’ll be convinced of its “Quattro resemblance”…

06/21/2018 - 01:38 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

i dont think it would fit though

06/21/2018 - 09:42 |
0 | 0
Vedran 1

With cars getting bigger every time Audi will have to launch an A0.5 soon

06/21/2018 - 10:08 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

It already looks like an rs but they aren’t even making the s for a year. 😳😳The grill will probabaly take up both lanes. Someone gimme my stress teddy.

06/21/2018 - 22:27 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

No rs. F to pay respects.

06/21/2018 - 22:34 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

I’ll keep my 300 hp s1, thanks.

06/22/2018 - 08:57 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Its not available in the US /bye

06/24/2018 - 09:48 |
0 | 0