Audi's Mini-chaser will be built in Brussels
Production of Audi's Mini-rivalling A1 will begin at Audi's Brussels factory this October, with the car's hitting showrooms across Europe by early 2010.
The A1, which will be sold as both a three-door and a five-door 'Sportback', will be equipped with a range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, including Audi's latest 1.4-litre TFSI motors.
Given that Seat has just launched the Ibiza Cupra with a 180bhp version of the VW Group's turbocharged 1.4, it's a fair bet that plans are underway in Ingolstadt for a hot S1 with at least that much.
The A1's Mini-chasing brief should mean that Audi's supermini could have even more than that - enough to keep up with the 208bhp Mini JCW.
The Brussels factory currently makes 290 VW Polos and 130 Audi A3 Sportbacks per day, but will push the number of A3s up once production of the Polo ends, as well as building up to 500 A1s per day.