Re: Audi A1
What is it?
When it hits UK showrooms in November, the A1 will be the smallest car in Audi's current range. It's essentially a city car with the upmarket appeal of an Audi badge on the bonnet and a plush interior, so it's gunning for the likes of the MINI.
The company has been taking orders for the car since the beginning of May and it expects that demand will outstrip supply. The anticipation about the car, the usual strong appeal of an Audi and a publicity campaign featuring pop star Justin Timberlake have all helped to hype up the A1.
Is it any good?
There's no doubt that the A1 is a distinctive looking thing with its dinky dimensions and curvy lines, but it's also pure Audi. The slim, frowning headlamps are reminiscent of the R8 supercar and the massive grille is a company trademark.
Inside, the A1 is exceptionally well built, which is another familiar Audi trait. It's not a particularly thrilling interior, but it's easy to use and the quality is top notch. Rear legroom isn't bad, nor is the 270-litre boot, but neither is top of its class. Buyers will be able to customise the cabin of their A1 with a number of different colour schemes for the seat fabric, centre console and doors. On the outside, the pillars around the side windows can also be specified in different colours.
British buyers get a choice of three engines - a 1.2-litre 85bhp TFSI petrol, a 1.4-litre 120bhp TFSI petrol and a 1.6-litre 104bhp TDI diesel. The latter is expected to account for the majority of sales in the UK due to its low emissions of 105g/km (which means a £20 per year road tax bill) and excellent fuel economy of 70.6mpg. It's also smooth and has enough punch to whisk the A1 along at a reasonable rate, though the five-speed manual gearbox could do with an extra gear at motorway speeds.
The 1.4 TFSI is a lot of fun, as it has loads of grunt and will hit 62mph in 8.9 seconds. It's hardly thirsty either, as Audi claims that it will average 54.3mpg in Sport specification (go for the top-spec S Line model and it delivers a marginally lower 53.3mpg and road tax costs are higher). The 1.4-litre engine doesn't quite suit the A1 though, and the S tronic sequential gearbox is a little slow.
The entry-level 1.2-litre engine is the best option by far. It's the slowest of the lot with a 0-62mph time of 11.7 seconds and, with 55.4mpg, it isn't as efficient as the diesel, but it suits the A1 down to the ground. The low power and willing little engine make it great fun to drive hard all the time, which is what a small car should be about.
Should I call the bank manager?
The entry-level 1.2 in SE spec starts at £13,145 and the top-of-the-range 1.4 S Line version with the S tronic gearbox costs £18,280, so the A1 is not cheap as small cars go, but it's priced pretty competitively with rivals from MINI.
You get plenty of environmentally friendly kit for your cash too, including stop-start technology, regenerative braking and a gear shift indicator. According to Audi, the 1.2-litre A1 is also the lightest car in its class at 1,040kg.
Standard equipment on the basic SE model isn't bad. Alloy wheels, a 6.5-inch display screen, a six-speaker mp3 sound system, voice control, air conditioning, electric front windows and mirrors and numerous electronic driver safety aids are all included in the asking price. Costlier Sport and S Line models add more kit and the icing on the cake is Audi's MMI multimedia system, which includes satnav and is the same unit that can be found in the A8 luxury saloon.
Summary
Strong interest and full order books mean that the A1 is almost guaranteed to be successful. Like most Audi's, it does what it's designed to do very well, but it's not that exciting. The A1 isn't as much fun to drive as a MINI and it doesn't have the same retro or barmy appeal as many rival city cars. It makes a great job of being a functional, comfortable and economical small car and the Audi badge is sure to appeal to the masses.
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SAVS Dan
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