Prices for the new Audi A1 begin at £18,450 with deliveries starting at the end of November
Audi has confirmed the new A1 Sportback will be priced from £18,450 for the base SE model, climbing to £23,180 for the range-topping S-Line. On sale now, first deliveries will begin at the end of November.
The only engine offered from launch is a 116bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo, badged 30 TFSI. It can be paired with a six-speed manual or seven speed S Tronic automatic, both are front-wheel drive as standard.
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Later own the line a less powerful 94bhp 1.0-litre turbo will arrive (badged 25 TFSI) alongside a 148bhp 1.5-litre turbo (35 TFSI) and flagship 197bhp 2.0-litre turbo (40 TFSI).
Only SE and S-Line trim levels are available but every model comes with a multifunction steering wheel and fully digital instrument cluster as standard. Optional kit includes wireless phone charging, a Bang & Olufsen stereo and Audi’s MMI navigation plus system, which bundles social media access, live traffic updates and Google Earth into the infotainment set-up.
The new A1 is only available as a five-door Sportback, and is based on the same platform as the VW Polo and SEAT Ibiza. It’s longer, wider and lower than the old model and will be produced by SEAT at the Spanish brand’s factory in Martorell. The second-generation A1 comes in at 4,030mm long, 1,740mm wide and 1,410mm tall; that’s 50mm lower than its Polo sister car.
Audi has looked at one of its most iconic models for design inspiration for the new supermini; the car’s single-frame grille and three air inlets below the bonnet are derived from the Audi Sport Quattro from the eighties. New full-LED headlamps have been added for the first time, available on all A1 models as standard, while alloy wheels up to 18 inches in diameter are also available.
Much has changed inside, too; the button-heavy dash and pop-up screen from the outgoing A1 have been ditched in favour of a slick MMI touchscreen infotainment system, adapted from the range-topping A8 luxury saloon.
Only flagship A1s get the largest 10.1-inch display; entry and mid-spec cars use an 8.8-inch screen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available on all A1 models as standard.
Elsewhere, Audi says practicality has been greatly improved. Boot space has increased by 65 litres to 335 litres, and folding the rear bench frees up a total of 1,090 litres. Because the A1 has grown in length and width, Audi says there’s now more space for those inside, too.
A raft of safety kit such as lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and a reversing camera makes its debut on the new A1. Standard features include lane departure warning, and Audi’s pre sense front, which uses radar technology to detect vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists in poor conditions, and can automatically initiate an emergency stop should it recognise a potential hazard.
Optional equipment includes park assist and radar-guided cruise control which, if specced with an automatic gearbox, can operate from a standstill.
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