Audi S1 due this spring

Audi premiered its high performance version of the A1 at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. The 231PS, all-wheel drive S1 is powered by a 2.0-litre TFSI petrol engine linked to a six-speed manual transmission. Sales start in mid-March with prices from £24,900.

Both three and five-door variants were shown, with the five-door Sportback model costing slightly more, at £25,630. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 5.8 seconds (5.9 seconds in the Sportback) and maximum speed is limited to 155mph. Despite the impressive performance, fuel economy is reasonable at 40.3mpg with emissions of 162g/km. That places it in VED band G.

This is the first A1 to use quattro all-wheel drive, which is designed to increase traction at high speeds. The suspension has been revised, as has the steering, to deliver more immediacy and precision to the handling. Damper settings can be adjusted depending on the conditions, along with other settings like the air conditioning, to deliver comfort, performance or economy depending on the situation.

With this being an S model there are various styling tweaks, including 17-inch alloy wheels, S badging, LED rear lights and xenon front lights. S models are typically fairly subtle in terms of styling, but for those who want to stand out there is the option of Vegas yellow or Sepang blue paint.

The cabin feature various gloss black trim elements, with half leather upholstery as standard, along with climate control, Bluetooth and a 6.5-inch retractable display. Optionally, buyers can specify sportier seats trimmed in full leather, plus familiar options from the rest of the A1 range like Google navigation.

Sales in the UK start in mid-March with prices from £24,900.

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