Quattro-powered hot hatch glory.
This past summer, Audi unveiled a new A1 Clubsport Quattro Concept car for the annual Wörtherseetour in Austria. It sported a powerful turbocharged inline-five, minimalistic interior, and athletic chassis upgrades. The sporty A1 proved to be extremely popular as Audi has just released the A1 Quattro as the top-variant for the model range.
Although the new Audi A1 Quattro shares many similarities as the Clubsport Concept, the 2.5-liter engine was unfortunately replaced with the stalwart 2.0-liter TFSI. Of course, Audi has beefed up the output on the turbo-four, optimizing it for high-performance and low consumption. In the A1 Quattro, the 2.0 TFSI produces 256 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 258.15 lb-ft. of torque from 2,500 RPM to 4,500 RPM all while achieving a respectable 27.67 US mpg.
All 256 ponies are sent to the wheels through the Quattro permanent all-wheel drive system and six-speed manual transmission. The brain behind the system is a hydraulically-actuated multi-plate clutch that sends most of the power to the front wheels. If the front wheels begin to lose traction, the system can instantaneously send torque to the rear wheels. A special electronic differential lock (EDL) activates the brakes should a single wheel on the front or rear axle slip.
The potent turbocharged engine mated to an advanced all-wheel drive system can propel the Audi A1 Quattro to 62 mph in just 5.7 seconds. Top speed for the three-door hatch is 152.24 mph.
The entire suspension and chassis was designed to be more precise than the standard A1 models. The front features a McPherson design while the rear sports a four-link axle. All four corners of the Audi A1 Quattro wear Glacier White, turbine design 8.0 J x 18 cast alloy wheels with 225/35 performance tires. Behind each wheel sits a 312 mm brake disc clenched by black calipers.
The new Audi A1 Quattro wears a similar design to that of the Clubsport Quattro Concept car. The car is only available in Glacier White metallic paint with a high-gloss black roof and tinted rear windows. The front fascia is aggressive and mean, with large air intakes, high-gloss black grille, and intimidating stare thanks to its red-colored curved LED bars in the headlights. The rear is equally as imposing, with tinted taillights, dual-colored roof spoiler, and dual polished 100 mm tailpipes.
The interior of the Audi A1 Quattro is sporty, to-the-point, and top-of-the-line. Black Silk Nappa leather covers the seats and door panels with contrasting red stitching. More supportive seats are used in the Quattro model to help counter the increased lateral forces the limited-edition model is capable of achieving. In terms of sport, Audi has fitted a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel, brushed stainless steel pedals, aluminum shift knob, and special gauges featuring a red tachometer, white needles, Quattro logo, and color display. The serial number of each car is placed at the bottom of the steering wheel.
While the Audi A1 Quattro may be about sport, it still features the latest in entertainment technology. A 14-speaker, 465-watt Bose sound system provides occupants with audio bliss and is controlled though Audi’s infotainment system. The system includes a CD player, digital radio tuner, MMI navigation, and Audi music interface.
The Audi A1 Quattro will be limited to a strict production of just 333 units, beginning in 2012. The hottest A1 model will be available in the second-half of 2012 and come standard with a full range of equipment. Pricing has not been released by Audi.
Audi A1 Quattro Specifications
Engine:
Displacement: 2.0 liters (1,984 cc)
Number of Cylinders: Inline-four
Aspiration: Turbocharged
Maximum Horsepower: 256 (184kW) at 6,000 RPM
Maximum Torque: 258.15 lb-ft (350 Nm) from 2,500 to 4,500 RPM
Transmission:
Type: Six-speed manual
Drive: Quattro all-wheel
Differential: Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)
Performance:
Acceleration 0-62 mph: 5.7 seconds
Top Speed: 152.24 mph (245 km/h)
Wheels, Tires, Brakes, and Suspension:
Wheels: Glacier White, turbine design, cast alloy
Wheel Size: 8.0 J x 18
Tires: 225/35 series
Brakes: 312 mm discs with black brake calipers
Front Suspension: McPherson construction
Rear Suspension: Four-link axle
Electronics: ESP stabilization program
Audi A1 Quattro Gallery
[Source: Audi]
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