With their eyes set firmly on 2012, Audi is introducing a whole new dimension to the premium compact class with the new A1, a car the company says condenses all of the virtues of the brand down to less than four metres – “a design full of character, uncompromising quality and pioneering efficiency technologies”. And from the looks of things, the A1 is big news for the segment.

With an agile chassis and powerful engines, the A1 is claimed to be the sportiest car in its class, as is evident from its exterior. Styling cues placing the A1 in the Audi family include the side line with the distinctive roof arch, the coupe-like C-pillars, the large wheel wells and, of course, the front end with the typical single-frame grille.

The interior is also sporty and of high quality, and customers can customize numerous details to tailor the car to their personal tastes. The available infotainment and multimedia systems available come directly from the luxury class. The top of the line is MMI navigation plus, a media centre that sets new standards in the compact segment. From the monitor that rises up out of the instrument panel to the control unit that follows the MMI logic, it is oriented on the systems found in Audi models in the higher segments.

The new A1 also sets new efficiency standards. Audi is sending the new model line into the fray with four four-cylinder engines, two TDI and two TFSI petrol engines producing between 63 kW and 90 kW. All the engines follow the downsising principle – they substitute turbocharging for displacement and draw their fuel through direct injection units. Fuel economy should be good, with standard cycle values between 3.8- and 5.4-litres/ 100 km. All of engines are equipped with a recuperation system that allows them to recover energy during braking and are coupled with an automatic start-stop system.

The exact engine and transmission range for the South African market is being investigated, with the car due in South Africa in the first quarter of 2011.

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