20 March 2014

Audi S1 and S1 Sportback now on sale

The Audi S1 back in the 1980s was the car that would see the brand dominate the World Rally Championship in its day, writes Trish Whelan. Now the abbreviation is back, but this time as road-going versions.

Audi have launched their new S1 and S1 Sportback, new flagship models in the compact A1 model line, adding an entry-level version to the Audi S model portfolio.

Audi claims the cars 'offer all the virtues of a sports car with great performance, direct handling and permanent quattro drive'.

The 2.0 TFSI petrol engine develops 231hp and produces 370 Nm of torque. It accelerates both from 0-100km/h in 5.8 and 5.9 seconds respectively. The top speed is 250km/h. On average, the TFSI consumes around 7.0 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres. C02 is 162 and 166 g/km respectively. Both also come with quattro permanent all-wheel drive.

The S1 is priced at €36,970, and the Sportback version at €37,570.