Am I the only one that hates these cars? They look awful and the price tag is horrendous!!

I really think the A1 is ugly, and I generally really like Audis. It just doesn't work.

Big heavy engine over the front wheels.

Wow that's going to steer like an AUDI.

Corrected that for you cheezemonkhai

Simple.

Yeti 170 4x4 and a trip to Shark!!

Corrected that for you cheezemonkhai

Old news.... you actually driven a modern sporting Audi, B7 RS4 onwards? They're damn good!

Just cause Clarkson says it, doesn't make it so...

Comparing the weight of a 1.4 twin charge A1 and a 1.4T A1 then that engine in the A3 against the 2.0T says to me that it wouldnt be that much heavier then the twin charge version, less than 100kg. I am a little ****ed though so dont trust my workings out too much but you get me.

think the S1 is actually going to use the same 1.6 TFSi engine that it supposed to be going into the Polo R (plus AWD).

Not sure but I think VW HAVE to make a Polo R in order to go rallying, they put it back in the regs for the new WRC cars (not sure, maybe someone who knows more can confirm?). And if there is going to be a Polo R, then you can bet there will be an S1, and a AWD Ibiza Cupra R and then a Fabia (vRS+ or vRS-R maybe???).

There is a quattro 1.4TFSi A1 already around. The A1 in the pics looks like its the Clubspoort Concept (500bhp TT-RS engine and AWD) so its a bit bonkers!

EDIT - found it! Polo R So add £3-4K for having the four rings and that would leave the S1 as being around £28K

Edited 24 December, 201114 yr by Ross Chapman

As long as the GTi is big enough, they won't need the Polo R for homogalisation purposes. There was no 4WD Mk1 Fabia, remember.

Audi may convince a few people to buy an S1, seriously doubt a Polo R will sell as well. Also seriously doubt there would be a SEAT/Skoda version. Infact if I were a betting man, I'd put money on there not being a SEAT/Skoda version, there just isn't the market for it. £22,000 Fabia? Are you mental?!

Also, the Fabia runs on an older version of the platform, which means it may not take the modifications needed to enable 4WD.

hum, thats a bummer for the Skoda version, quite like the idea of an AWD estate Furby. Be surprised if there isnt a Seat version - there was a Cupra R last geenration and there isnt in this one. That and I would be surprised if VAG spent all the money creating an AWD version of the PQ25 chassis for only to be used on the S1.

I thought the requirement for a homologated version was removed from the WRC regs at the same time as Group B was killed off and its been brought back with the new WRC regs?

Be surprised if there isnt a Seat version - there was a Cupra R last geenration and there isnt in this one

No there wasn't. Just cupra.

Babs I can honestly say I've not driven a newer audi. Never realy been able to square away the amount of money they expect for a new one.

The A1 and Polo will get 4 wheel drive versions however Seat and skoda won't, your thinking of the leon cupra R which had more power the the cupra but was still only front wheel drive.

At the end of the day its all going to come down to price at the end of the day. Also this is the 333 limited edtion left hand drive only though audi have started to show of a 5 door A1 sportback.

I'm sure they will be able to sell the ones they build.

You can pay over 25k for a tarted up Mini, so it makes this look a bargain

I love it. S3 engine in a smaller car with Haldex. Yes please

I'd be hoping they can squeeze more economy out of it due to weight and size reduction.

Residuals will be crazily good as really, its the only 4WD performance small car out there. And only 333 produced helps :yes:

People talk about the Audi steering being 'dull' and saying the S3 is 'clinical'. Complete rubbish. It does the job and if it's 'clinical' its because the person driving it isnt pushing it hard enough! It's got crazy amounts of grip which is why it can seem dull. The S3 isn't exactly a big car to start with.

People talk about the Audi steering being 'dull' and saying the S3 is 'clinical'. Complete rubbish. It does the job and if it's 'clinical' i

ive driven an s3 and also one of the old ones too and theres no question about the fact they are both awesome cars, but if you compare it to something like an evo they both feel quite agricultural in comparison, however i'd much rather have the audi than buying a recycled japanese sushi can

Nice........but as with the top end MINI's and Fiat 500's....HOW MUCKING FUTCH?????????

For that price I could build a 2WD Fabia MKI WRC road car to my spec.......or a 4WD Octavia vRS hatch WRC road car to my spec.......just...... .....at least they have a more real heritage in rallying so can justify the "big" look!!!!

Just proves the "badge" engineering/marketing dept at VAG will never let Skoda do a proper top end car....Look at the vRS Octavia MKI...they even did fancy ani' stickers but never did a 4x4 version!!!...and the engine was limited to 180bhp!!!..... :'(

Yes nice fast motor but more to the point and just a theory but you could say Audi used the mark 1 Skoda vrs as a benchmark for the A1 even to the point of putting a hefty diesel lump in it. Meanwhile, the new vrs has been given a tiny high bhp but thirsty engine and a thin high shape. How things change. Audi (all German car makers?) has been lack lustre with small calls for years (hence me buying French for years) before coming up with the A1. Surely Audi’s nose was not put out of shape by Skoda’s success with the diesel vrs. Even so it must have annoyed Audi enough to give the A1 a 2L diesel lump and not the new vrs, They just want us to spend more money buying into the Audi brand.

Edited 5 January, 201214 yr by Newera

I bet even specced up, this'll be cheaper than a BMW 1M.

I bet even specced up, this'll be cheaper than a BMW 1M.

Audi A1 quattro £34K to £48K

BMW M1 starts at £40K and has 90bhp more for a start!

BMW M1 way better, different league way above the Audi A1.......

If you want a "small" fast 4wd high powered car get a old MKIV Golf 4motion or R32 and tune the #### out of it!!!....way cheaper...even if you get a full leather retrim, full proper respray, KW suspension, Haldex upgrades, big brakes, etc, etc,!!!!!!!

Yes nice fast motor but more to the point and just a theory but you could say Audi used the mark 1 Skoda vrs as a benchmark for the A1 even to the point of putting a hefty diesel lump in it. Meanwhile, the new vrs has been given a tiny high bhp but thirsty engine and a thin high shape. How things change. Audi (all German car makers?) has been lack lustre with small calls for years (hence me buying French for years) before coming up with the A1. Surely Audi’s nose was not put out of shape by Skoda’s success with the diesel vrs. Even so it must have annoyed Audi enough to give the A1 a 2L diesel lump and not the new vrs, They just want us to spend more money buying into the Audi brand.

you could get the same generation/platform Polo with the same PD130 engine as the mk1 Fabia vRS?

you could get the same generation/platform Polo with the same PD130 engine as the mk1 Fabia vRS?

...and hardly anyone bought one!

There's actually a very smart 3-door red one near me - has a panoramic roof - don't know if it's remapped, but great sleeper if it is.

Yes nice fast motor but more to the point and just a theory but you could say Audi used the mark 1 Skoda vrs as a benchmark for the A1 even to the point of putting a hefty diesel lump in it. Meanwhile, the new vrs has been given a tiny high bhp but thirsty engine and a thin high shape. How things change. Audi (all German car makers?) has been lack lustre with small calls for years (hence me buying French for years) before coming up with the A1. Surely Audi’s nose was not put out of shape by Skoda’s success with the diesel vrs. Even so it must have annoyed Audi enough to give the A1 a 2L diesel lump and not the new vrs, They just want us to spend more money buying into the Audi brand.

I'd need to disagree with thirsty - lowest mpg I've had on a tank is 39 - and that was during a cold-weather snap (had the car running for 20 minutes while trying to get it out of the large ice cube it was in).