Audi A1 Quattro: The S1's super-rare predecessor - XCAR
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- čas přidán 26. 05. 2013
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The idea of stuffing a giant engine into the most inappropriate of spaces has been floating around for ages, with the Audi A1 Quattro this idea has been taken to something of an extreme.
The Audi A1 is a lovely little car. It's small, unassuming, popular, well made and really good to drive. Its build quality is up there with Audi standards, as are its engines. Like the cars it shares its platform with (the SEAT Ibiza, Skoda Fabia & VW Polo, in case you didn't know) it's perfect for the hustle and bustle of the city.
However, unlike its VW Group stablemates, it doesn't have a properly 'hot' variant. Yes, the 1.4TSI has the same engine as the SEAT Ibiza Cupra, VW Polo GTI and Skoda Fabia vRS, but it's just another car in the line up. There's no S1 lurking in the wings.
This is where the A1 Quattro comes in to play. Its tiny engine bay has been stuffed with the 2.0-litre turbo motor from the last generation Audi S3. Its 252bhp makes it, unsurprisingly, rather sprightly. It'll see off the 0-62mph dash in 5.7seconds and hit 152mph. But that's not all there is to the A1, oh no.
It's the only A1 with Audi's Quattro four wheel drive system, which means it's incredibly grippy... to a point. Its short wheelbase and immense power make it a touch twitchy and its limit, once met, can become a distant, spinny memory.
There's plenty of trick and rally-inspired engineering in there too. Carbon fibre this, rally-bred that litter its tiny cabin and make people interested in engineering go all weak at the wrists.
For me, the A1 Quattro's strength lies in its look -- big air dams, massive spoiler, 'Quattro' badges dotted around the place, white wheels, giant exhausts and red details in the right places. It just looks... right. Like a little homolgated rally car for real people. Sort of.
I say sort of because only 333 will ever be made. They're all left hand drive and they've all been sold. Oh, and if you could get your mitts on one it'd set you back over £40,000.
What Audi has created is a little chunk of fun; a little piece of loveliness that only ever happens once in a blue moon. For that we should be eternally grateful, not least because it proves that someone at Audi has a sense of humour.
Audi A1 Quattro
Engine: 2.0-litre four cyl turbo petrol
Power: 252bhp
Torque: 258lb ft
0-60mph: 5.7seconds
Top speed: 152mph
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I want this car SOOO bad!
IKR AND AM ONLY 14 LOL
I want the 500hp one tho. it is 2.5 liters. but it is reallllllllyyyyyyy rare
@@Mizzy154 only 333 produced
Audi should get into rallying again.
Well your words came true.
Saw this car advertised on Romans website. Thought I'd check out a road test. Turns out the one they're selling is the one you're driving. But it's now been remapped to 350bhp. Absolutely insane.
What the hell man they need to bring this to the U.S.
I would very much to shake you by the hand and say "you're a Englishman with a sense of humour". This is the best video I've seen on car reviews. Period. Keep it up.
+Andrew Li Well you should watch Top Gear man
Absolutely love the wheels.
"£41,035" no one can say the A45 is expensive anymore
It hurts my balls not to have this car
The sega rally joke tho.. @4:26 fucking gold
This car sounds amazing! I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
Thanks again for the enjoyment! Please keep them coming :)
That 3, 2, 1, Go!
Ah that had me in stitches lol.
Beautiful car and video
Fun review! Putting your head in the air dam and the video game countdown were excellent touches, well done!
This car really isn't that crazy, everything else has been dulled down over the years.
This is pure Hothatch at its finest and I love it.
Don't know what it is exactly but I just love this car! Well done Audi
Those are the coolest production car wheels I have seen in a while
Loving the Sega Rally homage.
gotta love xcar!! cheers
XCAR, never fails to impress
This guy Rocks !!!
Im so sad i was young at the time this car came out, it was literally one of the first hot hatchbacks that cought my eye... So sad ill never have a chance to drive it, let alone see it appear on a road.
the intro music reminds me of something naughty haha
OMMMGGGGG bring it to the US!
I've seen a second hand r8 for that kind of money, but dayum that is cool!
Super cool......
The Audi A1 "1.4 TFSI 185 S Tronic Ambition Sportback" cost £41.000 here in Norway.
this is one of the most beautiful cars ever made
Facts
this and the BMW 1M are my favourite litle mad cars.
this blokes mentality for cars is of the 90s era
I wish they actually went thru with the quattro concept. They could just stick new body panels on the TTRS if they wana cut corners and that would be awesome
The first car makes me wanna sale my evo. Then I realised that even if I sold my evo I still won’t be able to afford this car.
Such a winning formula. Why not make it more affordable, especially with BMW and AMG in the market?
needs the 5.2L V10 mid mounted
That engine would be bigger than the car itself hehe.
+tavi921 the 4.0 TT engine would fit in the front
awh the craic that would be had!!
Wow, 10 days, impressing. By the way, where exactly have you been?
Are you Chris Harris' cousin? xD
Great review, as usual!
maybe they're planning to use this car in the super 2000 rally series (you know the way they have to sell so many road going versions before they can use it in the rallies)
Epic Vampire hair:-)
My perfect 3 car garage would be a Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI, Renault Clio 182 Trophy and this Audi A1 Quattro. The only problem would be trying to decide which one to drive. I'd have three of the most epic hot hatches and I'd never get anywhere.
easy... if it rain A1 quattro... if the sun is out 205... if you have a special day or go track Clio...
There was 1 for sale on auto-trader other day
Make a Rallycross version and Challenge the Fiestas, Audi, Pleeeeease :)
(I'm a Fiesta fan but I need to see more competition)
He's gonna be on top gear one day...
i despiratly want this car in my life
its a rally car for the street! and better then any wrx or evo (dont kill me)
Anyone know the outro song?
It's not about brits and stereotypes about germans and german humour, mate. I just thought it was plain wrong to say that german car-makers only build boring cars and rarely allow something like this A1 Quattro to hit production. Think of all the amazing, highly-powered cars coming from my country...AMGs, RSs, M-cars....We basically own this market, don't we ?
The JCW GP 2 spanks the A1 on the track!!!
hmm a45 black? it would be awesome to se a ting like that maybe with rear wheel drive? i think that would be awesome but it's maybe a bit to insane to sell...
If I had to pick a small hatch car, this would be my pick. For me this would be more of a head turner than a A45 AMG and especially the BMW 135i. The 135i would be my last choice or of the 3.
Wait till he tries the A1 Clubsport.
Well you never know. AMG once wanted to end the horsepower war and look where they are now. They already use 1,8 bars of boost for that car, but maybe they are mad enough to make the first 400hp hot hatch. I think if one company can do it, it's AMG ;)
Car manufacturers need to do something crazy occasionally else they'll just be forgotten as just another car.
I am German bro! Lmao just used to the english language that's all. And you are right, too, I just found it funny :) Grüße aus Bayern ;)
A positive investment I reckon.
name of the song 2:35?
Possibly a future classic audi?
If only audi had more fun with their other models
doesnt have permanent four wheel drive its on demand
Imagine it with a simple remap will be around 330bhp
Makes me wonder: is this the future Audi rally car?
I wonder how close you could get by tuning the S1
Beyond close. It's essentially the same unit that pumps out 300 bhp in the S3 and golf R, so you can happily run it at that level and not have any problems. Saw a video of one being run at 305 and it seemed quite serene actually.
No you haven't. Read the comments that I shared with the guys from xcar. In the end they agreed with me and said that I have a point ;)
Droooooll!!
I'll wait until Audi comes out with an A1 clubsport quattrol
What I think is that Volkswagen wanted Audi to make that silly A1... in return, Audi asked to let their hear down a bit just for a few models and they made this car!
bring the A1 to the states please
WANT..... SOOOOOOOOO.... BAAAAAAAAADDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's a nice car, and is a limited release, hence the high price tag. Good video, but to be honest a powerful 2L in a hatch isn't a 'giant' engine. Insane maybe, but not giant. The W12 VW Golf, now that is a giant, insane engine in a car it has no business being in:P
A45 AMG!
the engine is really nice... and unique for the type of car but it was a little over exaggerated in this he wouldnt stop talking about how big it is...
Now only if they would cram the Turbo5 into the Mk7 Golf R
Well, I can not judge how people are in Frankfurt, have never really been there. If you were in Munich, it is hard to believe that you saw nobody with any joy of his life, this is not how I experience germans, at least not in Munich or Berlin. Except this was during winter time, nobody in Germany likes winter ;)
They should have put the 2.5 l5 engine from the RS3
fuckin ill!
AMG SLS Electric. 740hp through 4 Electric motors for each wheel. In striking colours like Metalic Blue or Lime. That is not a sense of humour, that is mad hatter insane. Performance art by recently released patients.
I love... "the S1 will have a lot less power and definitely no quattro" Alex... not! Heh, heh.
On 360
They needed to make 5 cylinder option.
Do you own 135?
Is this really just the S1 Sportback with an A1 badge?
Well... it has 30hp more, looks way better, was introduced before the S1 and it's limited to 333 cars...
that's what makes it special...
Isn't it ironic that you didn't take it with humor? :D
Well, I'm not a fan of Audi. But this little thing at least seems like fun. Still, I'd rather have something else for that price tag.
Boy, how I wish Ford made the Focus RS500 AWD.
That's one nice Fiat
It is a car for Audi enthusiasts, you cant compare 135i to this, compare it to RS3 or TTS
It may be a small car, but it weighs round about 1400 kg or 3086 lbs.
Now I feel stupid with my A1 1.4 TFSI 180 :(
I’d only buy this car over the s1 for the looks
Hmm permanent 4wd, 2 reasons then
So, giant engine under the bonnet of an inappropriately-small car?
XCAR, please pay a visit to the fine people at Flyin' Miata in the United States. I don't believe you'd regret it, and I haven't seen a proper video review of any of their Corvette-powered MX-5's.
,,, A45 amg black edition must be AWD and crazy people wants RWD with lots of power...
The Audi A1 Quattro has 5 seats right?
fuck... i recently bought a golf mkv 6 gti and this maybe would have change my mind!
Is 0-62 MPH of 5.7 correct? Sounds like it should be quicker.
Its weight lets it down.
Shaun Walton it’s within 20 kgs of the GR Yaris, which is widely considered to be the greatest hot hatch & was built almost a decade later. You don’t have a clue what you’re even talking about. Obviously you’ve never driven one.
why does america not have A1 !!!!
Weeeee1000hp 500mph
clearly someone at audi came to a sense of seriousness when clearly 501 hp was too much and 2.5 engine was too big. Why did they do that? I wouldn't mind paying the same as an RS6 for a clubsport quattro.
Shame about LHD only.
Aaaaaaaand bought
I just want a chopped up RS5 with 700hp. sod this I could just get a corrado R.
the fact that your saying this shows you dont as as its a well known joke.. wait are you being sarcastic? if so very clever:)