A1 NUMBER 2
Underpinned by the Volkswagen Group’s celebrated MQB platform, Audi has unveiled its boldly styled second-generation A1
PART QUATTRO HOMAGE
Far more aggressively sculpted than its predecessor, the new A1 sports a wide track and short overhangs along with three flat slits below the edge of the hood that are a clear nod to the brand’s 1980s rally icon, the Sport Quattro. It’s a resemblance further emphasised by a wide, angled C-pillar and a sloping roof available in two dark colours.
LONGER and BIGGER
The A1 has grown by 56 mm and now measures 4 030 mm (the width remains at 1 740 mm). These proportions, Audi says, make for a more spacious car and, despite the lower roofline, rear passengers should enjoy sufficient head- and legroom. Luggage capacity has been boosted, too, by a claimed 65 litres.
POWERPLANTS
In our market, there will be a choice of turbo-petrols (from a 1,0-litre threecylinder to 1,5- and 2,0-litre four-pots) with outputs ranging from 70 to 147 kw. A manual gearbox or a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission will be offered on most models, while the flagship A1 Sportback 40T FSI will employ a sixspeed dual-clutch as standard.
SPORTY SUSPENSION
The basic suspension sees a MacPherson configuration up front, with a compact, lightweight torsion beam at the rear. There are also packages which provide a sportier setup and these include the Basis package for the entry-level engine with sport suspension, red brake callipers and larger brake discs; and a Performance dynamic package for the other engine derivatives. This also adds red brake callipers and larger discs, as well as a suspension with adjustable dampers, a sound actuator and Audi Drive Select modes.
COMBINE THE LINES
There will be three trim levels, or “equipment lines” as Ingolstadt likes to call them – basic, Advanced and S line – and, for the first time, customers can combine exterior and interior lines in whichever way they like. The S line equipment will emphasise the A1’s sportier disposition thanks to larger air inlets, additional sill trims, an elongated slit centrally below the hood and a larger rear spoiler.
SAFETY STANDARD
Multiple sensors, from a windscreen-mounted camera and a rear-view camera in the boot lid, to long-range radar and ultrasonic sensors embedded in the front grille and rear bumper, as well as ultrasonic sensors in all four wheelarches, are the eyes for an array of safety features. Among these are lanedeparture warning, emergency braking, park assist for manoeuvring parallel and horizontally into parking spaces, as well as adaptive cruise control.
A1 will be offered only As A sportback, with the three-door falling Away