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Audi A1 1.4 TFSI S-Line: Hinting at better things to come

Audi A1 1.4 TFSI S-Line: Hinting at better things to come

Audi’s S-cars are famous. Based on normal production models, they get tweaked and fettled to deliver sports-car performance and handling, while retaining all the virtues and benefits of the standard versions. Oh yes, and all S-cars are kitted out with Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive. That explains why there’s no S1 – yet. For now, the 136kW A1 1.4 TFSI S-line will have to do. By DEON SCHOEMAN.

It’s no secret Audi is planning an S-version of its smallest car, the A1. We even know that, provisionally, the S1 will get its urge from a two-litre turbo engine with somewhere between 155kW and 160kW on tap. And yes, it will have quattro all-wheel drive.

The problem is that such a car is still some way off – and will need to do battle with a similarly-endowed Polo R. It’s also likely to be very expensive, because the A1 is positioned as a premium subcompact, and premium comes at a price.

It’s the reason why the A1 will always be an aspirational niche model, while the Polo is already a mass-market success. Pragmatists won’t be prepared to pay extra for the sheen of the Audi badge, and the luxury of its superior cabin – especially if the mechanicals are similar.

But that’s a discussion for another day. While we wait for the arrival of the S1, hopefully sometime late next year (and don’t be surprised if it’s offered in five-door A1 Sportback guise either), Audi has released a car that’s best described as an appetiser for the real thing.

The rather unimaginatively titled Audi A1 1.4 TFSI S-line S-tronic is not just a bread-and-butter A1 with a body kit and fancy wheels. Instead, it’s a junior S1, endowed with a 136kW version of the 1,4-litre dual-charge engine, but with drive to the front wheels only.

The result is a pocket rocket with the potential to tackle it’s most obvious and established rival: the Mini Cooper S. But there are other protagonists too: The cheaper but no less spunky Alfa Mito Quadrifoglio Verde comes to mind, as does the A1’s close relative – VW’s Polo GTI.

On paper, the Audi should give the Mini, the Alfa and the Polo a good run for their money. But is there more to this car than just that class-leading muscle?

Let’s start with the styling. This most powerful member of the A1 clan looks – well, just like any other A1 fitted with the optional S-line exterior package.

There are deeper front and rear bumpers, extended sills, a larger rear roof spoiler and 17-inch wheels. The result is sporty and purposeful, but not as exclusive or bespoke as a real S-car.

Look more closely, and you’ll notice several other distinguishing details, like the front bumper’s larger cooling apertures, which are also home to a pair of fog lamps. The single frame grille is blacked out, but accentuated with a chromed surround, while there are subtle cooling vents near the front wheel arches.

At the rear, the twin exhausts jut out from a more pronounced apron finished in charcoal, while the roof spoiler adds an unmistakable air of aggression. Those twin-spike alloys fill the wheel arches to the brim, and emphasise this compact Audi’s sporty, low-slung stance.

Like all A1s, the proportions can look a little awkward from some angles, while the way the tail lights stand proud of the tailgate metal won’t be everyone’s aesthetic cup of tea either. But it does remain unmistakably Audi, and Audi A1, at that.

There are no surprises inside either. Cabin design remains one of the brand’s most powerful attributes and the A1 is no exception. The S-line package manages to add a dash of sporty zing to the cockpit, and while it’s certainly more conventional than the Mini’s zany layout, this is a cabin that oozes class and quality.

The boldly shaped S-line seats, finished in a mix of fine-grain hide and textured cloth, are well bolstered in the interests of lateral support, and while manually adjusted, they provide excellent and accurate adjustment scope.

Add a steering wheel that’s tilt and reach adjustable, and dialling in a comfortable driving position is simple enough. The wheel’s multifunction controls provide fingertip control of aspects such as the sound system and the trip computer.

There’s no shortage of standard equipment, which matches that of the upmarket Ambition package. It includes the likes of CD sound, climate control, remote central locking, that multifunction steering wheel and auto-activating headlights and windscreen wipers.

While front accommodation is comfortable and spacious, the rear is a lot more cramped. Taller folk will not only struggle with legroom, but are likely to run out of headroom because of the sloping roofline. The boot is tinier than the 270-litres on the spec suggests, and anything more than soft overnight bags will need the rear bench seat to be folded down.

But by far the most important distinguishing factor of this car is the engine. While regular 1.4 TFSI A1 models make do with 90kW and 200Nm, this flagship version has 136kW and 250Nm on tap, thanks to the combined efforts of both a supercharger and a turbocharger.

A seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch gearbox is the only choice, while drive is to the front wheels. The obligatory shift paddles allow manual gear shifts, but you can also opt to drive in full auto mode.

However, compared to other performance Audis, this A1’s S-tronic transmission feels oddly lethargic and out of sorts. The gear changes lack the expected, almost percussive snap , and there’s no auto-blipping of the throttle on downshifts. Yes, it swaps those six cogs smoothly and efficiently enough, but the overall effect is too ordinary.

In fact, that goes for the driving experience as a whole. This A1 feels a lot more muscular, but also less involving and more contrived than its cheaper, Plain Jane A1 siblings. The throttle action, in particular, lacks precision, and getting off the mark without spinning the wheels takes some doing. A little bit of initial lag doesn’t help matters, either.

Still, as expected, the A1 1.4 TFSI S-line is a rapid little car – and so it should be. With around 113kW a ton to play with, performance is in the tar-burning league.

Audi claims a zero-to-100km/h sprint time of 6.9 seconds, and a 227km/h top speed, figures which seem to be borne out by the on-the-road driving experience.

It’s also impressively fuel efficient  with a claimed combined-cycle consumption figure of just  5.9-litres/100km in the combined cycle. The CO2 emissions come to 139grams/km.

Even better news is that this  A1 flagship retains the fluid and composed ride of the standard A1 1.4. The suspension is taut, but there’s enough give to iron our irregularities and the steering has just the right heft, especially when attacking the twists and curves of a mountain pass.

The real question, however, is if good is good enough in this segment? Does it trounce the Alfa Mito? Can it outshine the Mini Cooper S? And will it show up the VW Polo GTI?

While the Italian, in performance-orientated Quadrifoglio Verde guise, is shy a full 11kW of the Audi’s maximum output, it always feels sharper and friskier. It facilitates a livelier dialogue between car and driver, and there’s a greater sense of involvement.

The Polo GTI’s family ties would suggest an even closer match, since the VW uses a very similar drivetrain. But the Audi trounces the Polo on almost every count, and is definitely superior as far as chassis refinement, tautness and character are concerned.

Which leaves the Mini Cooper S – perhaps this sporty A1’s most direct rival. In auto form, the Mini is no match for the Audi, because it’s let down by a conventional auto gearbox. But for sheer zest and cheek, the Mini will seduce more buyers than the A1 can muster.

So, as small cars with big attitude go, there is no doubt the Audi A1 1.4 TFSI S-line 136kW means business. It has the go, the show and the handling to be the class of the field, albeit at a steep price.

But money isn’t my main criticism. You see, it’s the inability of the A1 to make the most of its considerable potential that is the biggest frustration. Its lack of cohesion, and its unruliness when pulling off, leaves one feeling disappointed – especially as the rest of the car is so good.

Could it be Audi has left these rough edges unattended, simply to make sure this A1 on steroids doesn’t steal the real S1’s thunder? I’m sure the S1 will provide that answer when it finally arrives here, hopefully in the not too distant future … DM


VITAL STATISTICS
Audi A1 1.4 TFSI S-line 136kW S-tronic

Engine
In-line four-cylinder, 1,390cc turbocharged

Gearbox
Six-speed manual

Power
136kW @ 6,200rpm

Torque
250Nm @ 2,000 – 4,500rpm

0-100 km/h
6.9 sec

Top speed
227km/h

Fuel consumption
7,8 l/100 km (tested)

CO2 emissions
139g/km

Retail price
R312, 000

Gallery

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