“The A1 is an interesting addition to the super-mini ranks, quite different from the horde in that it is created to be much more conscious of the cars above. It’s like an A4, only smaller, or as one engineer put it, the car is meant to be; all the richness of an Audi shrink-wrapped into a car just four metres long”.
The above is a quote from the first road test review of the Audi A1 by Autocar Magazine. It was in my eyes, a report made by somebody that understands the real purpose of the Audi A1. Here the reviewer, Steve Cropley identifies the new A1 as “a baby-A4, a super-mini in a business suit” and that really is what was intended with this car, simply put it is ‘Vorsprung durch Technik condensed’. The car is sporty, stylish and sophisticated, fulfilling all of Audi’s core values that apply to every model in their rapidly expanding 36 model line-up.
A lot of comparisons have been made against the Mini Cooper and while in size the cars are very similar, they could not be more different. The BMW Mini is all about being retro and cute, quality was not really a concern and needless to say it shows, particularly with the interior trim. The remake of a cult classic has proved to be very popular though and sales have been very good since the word go. The A1 is not designed to be retro, nor is it supposed to be cute; it is the gateway to the Audi range and is therefore built with all of the attention to detail that any Audi should be. Steve sums it up very well; “settled into a beautiful-looking two-tone cloth and leather seat, the driver looks forward, through a steering wheel that could have come from an A8, to a classic twin dial instrument layout with an electronic info-screen between them. It goes straight to the top of the class”.
Technology has also been taken straight from the new flag-ship Audi A8 making the A1, the most technologically advanced small car on the market. A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to spend some quality time with the new A1 and having recently launched the new A8, I too found myself making references to similarities with quality highlights. The interior design is remarkably driver orientated and even the standard interior trim-level has little touches that would be comfortable in a car twice its price. The Autocar road-test goes on to agree; “a true Audi unique selling point, is obviously from the interior. Ingolstadt bosses decided long ago that Audi would concentrate on interior craftsmanship, because it was something every buyer noticed. Believe it or not, the A1’s dash design is quite reminiscent of the Jaguar XJ’s with high-quality double-stitched material that looks just like leather everywhere and four circular air outlets with metallic bezels, reminiscent of jet engine intakes”.
“In all, there is no room to doubt that you’re in a grown-up car, for all its sub-Fiesta overall dimensions. When it comes to driving, the business-suit analogy continues. The car is very smooth and quiet, especially when you select the automatic gearbox function and it rolls along on surprisingly low revs, slurring so gently around its seven ratios that you only really notice it when you’re going for it”
Over the course of the next few weeks the press will be filled with road-tests, previews and reviews of this car as journalists are fighting to get hold of an A1 for testing. For the rest of us, there will be a chance to see the car up-close at Goodwood this weekend (1st - 4th July) and the first showroom cars are likely to arrive in late October.
Mr Cropley’s full, un-biased report can be read in Autocar Magazine (23rd June) and more information on the Audi A1 can be found by visiting www.pooleaudi.com or calling 01202 775050.
