By: Denis Droppa
Johannesburg - A Polo-sized car with more power than a Golf GTI, and quattro drive. The term “dynamite comes in small packages” could have been coined for the new Audi S1 which was unleashed in South Africa this week.
The new high-performance flagship of Audi’s sub-compact A1 range is an explosive little package that’s available in three-door guise as well as a five-door Sportback.
Under the bonnet is a detuned version of the two-litre turbo petrol engine that powers the Audi S3, paired with a six-speed manual gearbox (no auto is available in the S1). Though it doesn’t quite muster the S3’s outputs of 206kW and 380Nm, the S1’s 170kW and 370Nm is plenty of wallop for such a small car.
Audi says the S1 is good for a governed top speed of 250km/h and a 0-100km/h sprint in just 5.8 seconds, and the car I drove at the media launch felt so feisty it left little doubt that it should match the factory claims. With traction fired to all four wheels there’s no wheelspin as this mighty mouse hooks up and scurries off the line in a big hurry, while lusty low-rev torque keeps this car on the boil even in the higher gears. The one thing the engine lacks is a gritty voice, and the sound emanating from those four tailpipes is very meek.
TRACK ATTACK
Audi staged part of the media launch at the Kyalami circuit where the S1 proved itself to be a very competent track-attack car, the best part being that there was none of the frustrating understeer that characterised earlier all-wheel drive cars.
A multi-plate clutch predominantly powers the front wheels, but up to 50% is fed to the rears when the driving situation heats up and more grip is called for. An electronic differential lock with wheel selective torque control ensures the S1 nips into corners with rodent-like agility, and the playful rear end can be induced into entertaining drifts. The stability control system can be partially or fully deactivated to match the skill and bravery of the driver.
The S1 acquires larger brakes to deal with the extra power. These felt powerful enough to cope with any high-performance road situation although they predictably started to fade after being thrashed around a racetrack for a few laps.
The suspension’s firmer than other A1 models but it’s sporty without being overly jarring, and the S1 still displayed good bump-absorption capabilities when I took it for a spin on regular roads. Audi drive select is a standard feature on the car, offering three different modes that adjust the responses of the steering, throttle and adaptive damping.
VISUAL BLING
Visually, the S1’s tarted-up with xenon plus headlights, horizontally structured graphics on the LED tail lights, and more striking front and rear bumpers. The car previews what the facelifted A1 range will look like next year.
The interior decor is sportified with a bottom-flattened steering wheel, stainless-steel pedals and footrest, sports seats, and grey-faced dials. Various custom options are available including 18” mags (17s are standard) and a R23 000 quattro styling package which adds fine nappa leather and plastic seatbacks.
Audi’s ‘lil terror will be available in limited numbers with around 100 units headed for SA, and the asking price ain’t cheap: the S1 three-door goes for R442 000 and the five-door Sportback is R449 500.
Star Motoring