Audi A1: an excellent everyday runabout
A1. A letter and a number that when put together are used to describe something of truly excellent quality of the highest order. Both the letter A and the number 1 also suggest primacy, importance and sovereignty. I just wanted to say those words and make this article feel like an intelligently written review of the new Audi A1. Because I am so smitten by the A1 that to drive it is a revelation of the highest order, I feel mushy and giddy reliving those moments, fawning over the impressive overall package of the mini-Audi.
Cynics will argue that the MINI is much sharper, faster, more enjoyable and offers greater character and I will not argue with that. But the MINI is so common nowadays especially if you live in triple-A residential centers and central business districts, and spend a good amount of your evenings at popular watering holes, clubs and bars. The MINI is great, but its rarity has been dwindling, becoming common and prevalent, for me at least. Which is part of the Audi A1’s charm. It is rare. So rare that only three or so units are out on the road, including my own test unit. People gawk, stare, point and smile when they see the friendly A1 approaching them, and are genuinely astonished when I pull away, the S-Tronic 7-speed dual-clutch transmission making mincemeat of the tarmac as it utilizes the A1’s force-induced 185 hp and 250 Newton-Meters of torque seamlessly transmitted to the ground and transformed into forward motion.
The A1 starts with Volkswagen-Audi Group’s new generation 1.4 liter TFSI engine mated to the VW Group’s PQ25 chassis that the A1 shares with the SEAT Ibiza Mk4 and the VW Polo Mk5. The chassis might have humble Macpherson strut front suspension and a simple torsion beam rear-axle, but Audi has spent a good amount of time ensuring that the mini-Audi feels composed and comfortable at truly high speeds, if lacking the sharpness and accuracy of rival MINI. Comparing the two is inevitable as both cars are aimed squarely at each other in terms of price, packaging and performance.
The A1 looks less of a sportster, especially with its smallish wheels and tires, more of a comfortable urban run-about and surprisingly competent high-speed long-distance tourer. Where you might find its sharpness (or lack thereof) rather disappointing, it is more than made up with its excellent high-speed comfort, refinement and surprisingly airy cabin. The interior is roomy for a tiny fou-seat car, and the rear seats are decent enough for short to medium-length trips for anyone below 5’6” which, in the Philippines, includes a lot of fully grown adults. Impressive stuff, all the more so when you consider that the boot, though looking small, will surprisingly hold a couple of medium-sized bags and suitcases for an extended weekend out of town with a special someone.
I took it to a drive down south, relishing the A1’s silky smooth powerband and equally fluid S-Tronic transmission, and was impressed by both its speed and efficiency. Continuous long driving delivers an astonishing 19 kilometers per liter averaging between 110 and 125 km/h (for overtaking, and only for short bursts). Fully unwound, at 170 km/h the diminutive A1 felt like it still had ways to go before feeling fully wrung out. The stability and comfort, though, at those speeds belied a well-tuned suspension, the boffins at Ingolstadt probably spending a seriously long period of time fine-tuning the suspension. The A1’s slab sides are also surprisingly unaffected by cross-winds for a small, lightweight yet relatively tall car. Yes, I was unintentionally overspeeding in the A1, but that’s because when you floor the throttle to overtake, the power delivery is so smooth and linear, and the suspension so well-tuned for high speeds, you get sucked into the experience, red mist forming carefully in your eyes before realizing that you’re well over the speed limit and need to put a damper on things lest the cops clamp down on you permanently. This is where the A1 shines, and where the MINI’s sharp chassis and firm suspension become its waterloo as the Brit bucks and spatters all over the road when it is anything less than baby bottom smooth.
If you want a focused ride good for when the sun is out, the roads are smooth and twisty and inner child in you wants to be unleashed, the MINI might suit your tastes better. But the Audi A1 offers a greater range of emotions to be played out: slow and easy over the rough stuff or, seriously, stupidly fast and high-strung, plus everything else in between. My test unit was a bare variant, but the future A1’s coming in from Europe will have S-Line bodykit, sport suspension, gorgeous alloy wheels and other luxurious features such as leather/alcantara seats and trim.
