Audi’s new City carver is like an A1 on stilts designed to take on the urban jungle.
Citycarver is essentially an A1 on stilts designed for the urban jungle.
They’re jacking up everything these days…
One of the most relevant benefits of
SUV st he se days is not their off-road ability but the commanding driving position they have to offer to users
And because developin bespoke SUV bodies is not always cost-effective, particularly with small packages, some makers simply jack up existing hatchbacks with more ride height.
That apparently is the case for Audi’s new A1 Citycarver, whose body has been raised by nearly
40mm over theregular five-door hatch and sports a distinctive black grille up front.
In the usual fashion of faux SUVs, the A1 Citycarver has decorative mouldings on the wheel arches for that off-road look. Bigger 18-inch wheels also feature in this pumped-up A1 in its sportiest trim.
So everything else is A1 fanfare?
Yes, since we’re talking about Audi’s most price-affordable car with thin margins for the brand. Unlike the previous generation, in which a three door hatch was available, the currentone is only a five-door called A1 Sportback in full. Audihasn’t mentioned the petrol engines avail able for the A1 Citycarver, which is a front-driver for the urban jung .
Those coupled with a dual-clutch automatic transmission in theA1 Sportback include the 116hp 1.0-litre triple (30 TFSI) and the 1 p 1.5-litre (35TFSI) and 200hp 2.0-litre (45TFSI) four-potters. Can it sell in Thailand?
Pumped-up hatchbacks in the premium B-segment market are rare. The closest thing to the A1 Citycarver is probablythe Mini Countryman, which is more of a rival t he Q2.
MG was the only mass-market brand in Thailand to experim nt with a raised hatchback in the guise of the MG 3 Xross. But due to its price premium relative to the regular hatch, it hasn’t been asuccess — explainingwhy the facelifted model doesn’t feature this high-rider anymore Still, since 2- lion-b luxurycars aren’t as price-sensitive to buyers and are more about emotions, theA1Citycarver could stand a chance of selling in Thailand. The A1 Sportback itself hasn’t been introduced in Thailand yet. Despite its wafer-thin profits, it could attract some attentionfrom Mini punters.