RE: Audi S1: UK Review

[zeduffman]

Mr GrimNasty said:

Needs more power, you'd have to thrash it to death to get anywhere near the claimed performance.

The EA888 lump seems to be pretty tuneable. If you aren't opposed to third party mods, the S1 can be pretty rapid.

[Mr GrimNasty]

zeduffman said:

Mr GrimNasty said:

Needs more power, you'd have to thrash it to death to get anywhere near the claimed performance.

The EA888 lump seems to be pretty tuneable. If you aren't opposed to third party mods, the S1 can be pretty rapid.

Yes, I'm sure they will get tweaked.

[JackReacher]

The moaning about price of these gets tedious, along with all the "£30k for a Golf!" comments. It's 2014 and things cost more, or do they....

20 years ago you could buy a Celica ST205 for the same money, 4 wheel drive, 4 pot turbo, similar performance. Makes the A1 look good value in comparison when you think we are 20 years on, it's probably quicker, along with premium badge and more upmarket interior.

[s m]

zeduffman said:

Mr GrimNasty said:

Needs more power, you'd have to thrash it to death to get anywhere near the claimed performance.

The EA888 lump seems to be pretty tuneable. If you aren't opposed to third party mods, the S1 can be pretty rapid.

5.9 to 60 for the Autocar test car and 14.4 seconds to 100.

I think the 2 gear changes to 60 hamper the 60 time but it seems ok from then on for 228 bhp and 4wd

[P4ROT]

"many Audis are merely premium priced spin-offs of VW group platforms sold at considerable profit to the status obsessed is an easy one to make"

The nail has been hitteth on the head

[bayons]

How long before the VW Polo version appears ?.

[RSgeoff]

Love them in 5 door with the exterior styling pack - don't like the 3 door.

Can't understand why there's been no cars in Sepang blue shown as yet?

[RSgeoff]

rear

[RSgeoff]

Another good pic

[Zad]

11bhp more than an (equal sized engine) Sapphire RS from 1990. Admittedly, refinement and efficiency has come on leaps and bounds, but that seems pretty feeble.

Then again, I'm not a 50-something female in London with fake blonde hair and aspirations to match. No doubt it'll be the next MINI Cooper among that set.

[s m]

RSgeoff said:

Love them in 5 door with the exterior styling pack - don't like the 3 door.

Can't understand why there's been no cars in Sepang blue shown as yet?

I guess they use yellow for a lot of press ones as it grabs the eye.

I like the blue though

[iloveboost]

When this was launched I agreed with others and thought that it's a little heavy and a little expensive for what it is. I think I also said it's main competition is hot hatches from the class above that are better value and/or higher performance. I still think that.
I also realise why they used 'Quattro' or 'Haldex' because they felt it gives it more appeal and 'S' model Audis have it. It also means the acceleration figures are better but once rolling it will be slower and heavier than it could have been with the active 'VAQ' diff I think. Especially in the dry.
It's a nice performance car though and I'm glad they bothered. I honestly thought it would be too limited a market to be worth doing so this car proves I know nothing!

[lamboman100]

I saw a silver S1 in a Waitrose carpark a few days ago. It looks rather silly with 4 tailpipes. The car is too small and too slow to justify quad-pipes. It basically looks like an overpriced Mini that has been crashed into the Halfords afterkit section.

[Chicane-UK]

Really doesn't do it for me at all I've really tuned out on Audi these days. The only things that vaguely interest me are the big RS's but they're so far out of my reach financially, it's only torture reading and watching videos about them.

[DP33]

George29 said:

Going to test one of these this weekend. Won't be ordering until the S-Tronic gearbox is available on it though. Utterly stupid move to make this manual only.

Surely Audi should be applauded for not going down the flappy-paddle route?

[Mr GrimNasty]

s m said:

zeduffman said:

Mr GrimNasty said:

Needs more power, you'd have to thrash it to death to get anywhere near the claimed performance.

The EA888 lump seems to be pretty tuneable. If you aren't opposed to third party mods, the S1 can be pretty rapid.

5.9 to 60 for the Autocar test car and 14.4 seconds to 100.

I think the 2 gear changes to 60 hamper the 60 time but it seems ok from then on for 228 bhp and 4wd

Woooosh, yes, like I said, you have to thrash the nuts off it to get the figures.

[n4aat]

Saw one of these on the motorway a few weeks ago.

It looked ridiculous with the four exhausts. And just too small for a performance car.

[f328nvl]

I am nearing 50.

I want a small, comfortable, fast car with occasional back seats that doesn't have a footballer's wives exhaust valve, doesn't require me to wear a medallion or make me look like I am having (another) mid life crisis.

This might fit the bill mightn't it?

Maybe this is targeted at the older hot hatch driver for whom a modern Golf is a pale imitation of the original (although I had Renault 5 GT Turbo in the 80s, which was cooler metaphorically, but a lot hotter literally)?

[s m]

Mr GrimNasty said:

s m said:

zeduffman said:

Mr GrimNasty said:

Needs more power, you'd have to thrash it to death to get anywhere near the claimed performance.

The EA888 lump seems to be pretty tuneable. If you aren't opposed to third party mods, the S1 can be pretty rapid.

5.9 to 60 for the Autocar test car and 14.4 seconds to 100.

I think the 2 gear changes to 60 hamper the 60 time but it seems ok from then on for 228 bhp and 4wd

Woooosh, yes, like I said, you have to thrash the nuts off it to get the figures.

Whoosh, I think in any instrumented road test they "thrash the nuts off them to get the figures".

They obviously didn't thrash the similar weight (30kg more) and power (8bhp less) Audi Quattro 20v as hard back some 25 years ago. Two and a half seconds slower to 100
Ultimately, that sort of power and weight will only be so quick when geared to do 150mph

[tyrrell]

I am liking this a lot good work Audi for a change