2011 Audi A1 Launching After two concepts and an insufferable amount of teasing, the 2011 Audi A1 has officially arrived with its sights set squarely on the Mini Cooper.
Inspired by the Metroproject Quattro from 2007, the all-new A1 is a faithful recreation of its conceptual predecessor, complete with a squat stance, short overhangs and four customizable colors for the roof arches. With a profile reminiscent of a stretched and squashed TT, the A1 spans 155.5 inches long, 68.5 inches wide and 56 inches tall, with a 97.2-inch wheelbase. Ten exterior colors are available, along with front and rear LEDs and Xenon headlamps.
The A1 is based in large part on the PQ25 platform, which also underpins the latest Volkswagen Polo, and will play in the hotly contested—in Europe, anyway—B-segment. It’s a segment Audi largely abandoned when it ended production of the ungainly A2 some five years ago, and it’s a decision the company has regretted since, especially given automakers’ pressing need to meet tightening efficiency standards in Europe and elsewhere.
Included in the top-spec S line model is a revised suspension set-up for improved agility, turn-in characteristics and mid-corner stability and grip. Also incorporated into the handling package is Audi’s latest ESP system with an electronic limited slip differential.
Last month, Audi confirmed the petrol-powered A1 would be joined by a diesel option in the second half of 2011. Powered by a 66kW/230Nm 1.6-litre engine, the A1 TDI promises to be one of the most eco-friendly vehicles in the country, with a combined cycle fuel economy of 3.8 litres/100km and CO2 emissions averaging 99g/km.
The A1 will go on sale in Europe this summer as a three-door hatchback; a five-door is scheduled to join the lineup in 2011. The base price, Audi says, will be around €16,000, or roughly $22,000. There’s no word yet as to whether the A1 will be coming stateside, but Audi has left the door open during previous conversations. Could this little Audi work in the U.S.? We’re not sure, but with the Mini Cooper’s success and the Fiat 500 on the way, now would be a great time to find out.
