The Audi A1 quattro was revealed today, offering for the first time the carmaker's all-wheel-drive system on its smallest model. The Audi A1 quattro will be a limited production version, of just 333 units. It's price and availability have not been announced yet. Audi powers the AWD A1 quattro with the 2.0 TFSI engine (1,984 cc, four-cylinder, turbocharged with gasoline direct injection), which develops 188 kW (256 hp / 256 PS) at 6,000rpm and 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft) of torque between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm. The A1 quattro is probably the closest we will get to a real life Audi RS1, which will probably never see the light of day.
Here are the performance figures you've all been waiting for.
The Audi A1 quattro is rated with a top speed of 245 km/h (152.24 mph). Audi's official specs of the A1 quattro say it can accelerate from zero to 62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 5.7 seconds. This is pretty impressive for a car its size.
The A1 quattro is not all just about power and performance. Audi took special care in making it as efficient as possible. As a result, the A1 quattro comes with a common rail injection system, an optimized intercooler and a regulated oil pump.
The A1 quattro is rated with a 8.6 liters of fuel per 100 km (27.67 US mpg / 33.2
UK mpg) fuel consumption. Audi did not disclose its CO2 emissions level.
To send its power to all four wheels, the A1 quattro uses a 6-speed manual transmission and an electronically controlled, hydraulically actuated multi-plate clutch. During normal driving, the clutch, which has its plates placed in an oil bath, sends the power mostly to the front wheels. When more traction is needed, the power is shifted to the rear ones in just a few milliseconds. The A1 quattro also comes with an electronic differential lock (EDL). The A1 quattro is pretty much set for track use. You might argue that Audi's ESP is not really track day material. However, Audi assures us that in the A1 quattro it can be completely deactivated.
The Audi A1 quattro comes with a 14.8:1 direct steering ratio, a McPherson front suspension and a four-link axle rear suspension.
The Audi A1 quattro sits on 8.0 J x 18 white alloys, with a special design, which reminds us of the Audis of the old. The turbine-designed wheels are covered in 225/35 tires. The brakes feature 312 millimeters (12.28 in) discs and black calipers.
Audi's A1 quattro comes with a Glacier White metallic finish and a high-gloss black roof. It features a new aerodynamics kit, which includes a new front bumper with larger air intakes, a new apron with an integrated diffuser, a roof wing and new side skirts. The A1 quattro also features various exterior badges, red styling accents, and other bells and whistles. The car also comes with a bespoke exhaust system, featuring to tail pipes (left and right), measuring 100 millimeters (3.94 in) in diameter each.
The Audi A1 quattro is longer than the regular A1, measuring 3,987 millimeters (13.08 ft) in length. It has a 210 liters (7.42 cu ft) boot, which can be increased to 860 liters (30.37 cu ft) by folding the rear seats.
The most striking interior feature of the A1 quattro are front sport seats, which are covered in Silk Nappa leather. Other interior accents include a high-gloss black center console, stainless steel footrest and pedals, and the all-important doorsills. For the interior of the A1 quattro, Audi is also offering a bespoke sport steering wheel, a new tachometer, and an aluminum gear lever knob.
The Audi A1 quattro will go on sale in the second half of 2012, as a 2013MY version.
Audi A1 quattro Equipment list:
- Xenon plus headlights;
- High-beam assistant;
- Adaptive brake lights;
- LED interior lighting package;
- Light and rain sensors;
- Acoustic rear parking system;
- Automatic air conditioning;
- Automatically dimming interior mirror;
- Alarm system;
- Storage package;
- Convenience key;
- Cruise control will all feature;
- CD changer;
- DAB digital radio;
- Audi Music Interface;
- Hard disk-based MMI navigation plus;
- A 465-watt 14-speaker Bose sound system with illuminated woofers in the doors;
- Mobile Phone Preparation High with Online Services. This feature enables a Bluetooth-equipped online car phone to connect to the Internet and deliver special web services, including Google Earth;
- Integrated Wi-Fi hotspot.
