Audi A1.............
Author
Discussion

OMNIO

Original Poster:

1,256 posts

188 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
Saw one in the metal today and I can't say that I was impressed.

I can't see why someone would pay £13k+ for one other than to say 'I have an Audi'. The front end looks pretty smart but it looks like they just gave up when it came to designing the back end. Either that or they saw an A4 that had been in a rear end shunt with a lorry and thought ' Hmm zis is looking goot ja?'

Cant comment on how it drives or how it sounds but it would have to be pretty special to make me want one.



davepoth

29,395 posts

221 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
Most people don't care how a car drives. Audi looked at the massive success of the BMW 1 series and realised they wanted a piece of that action.

Zod

35,295 posts

280 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
davepoth said:
Most people don't care how a car drives. Audi looked at the massive success of the BMW 1 series and realised they wanted a piece of that action.
The A3 is the 1 Series competitor. This thing competes with the Mini.

sjg

7,639 posts

287 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
Most people don't need a big saloon - room for two adults, couple of seats in the back for occasional use, boot big enough for some shopping bags is plenty.

Small makes sense in cities where they're easier to park and can nip through smaller gaps. Equally there's a market for cars that are more upmarket, more refined, with more of a premium feel to them for people who want smaller cars but don't want a cheap and cheerful supermini.

Doubtless the A1 is attracting people purely for the brand who might never have been able to afford a new one, but apparently lots of orders are for cars specced up to the eyeballs with people spending £20k+ quite easily. They can afford an A3 or A4 but want that "audi feel" in a smaller package.

edo

16,699 posts

287 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
sjg said:
Most people don't need a big saloon - room for two adults, couple of seats in the back for occasional use, boot big enough for some shopping bags is plenty.

Small makes sense in cities where they're easier to park and can nip through smaller gaps. Equally there's a market for cars that are more upmarket, more refined, with more of a premium feel to them for people who want smaller cars but don't want a cheap and cheerful supermini.

Doubtless the A1 is attracting people purely for the brand who might never have been able to afford a new one, but apparently lots of orders are for cars specced up to the eyeballs with people spending £20k+ quite easily. They can afford an A3 or A4 but want that "audi feel" in a smaller package.
this

Hitch78

6,118 posts

216 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
People just want whatever is cool and new to fill their empty empty lives.

Cupramax

10,904 posts

274 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
Zod said:
The A3 is the 1 Series competitor.
More like round the other way, A3 has been about since 96ish

Edited by Cupramax on Wednesday 17th November 11:19

unpc

2,981 posts

235 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
Agreed, as a design it's a pretty lazy effort. Seen a few in Germany now and it's totally bland. They'll sell millions of 'em.

davepoth

29,395 posts

221 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
Zod said:
davepoth said:
Most people don't care how a car drives. Audi looked at the massive success of the BMW 1 series and realised they wanted a piece of that action.
The A3 is the 1 Series competitor. This thing competes with the Mini.
It's the cheapest way into an Audi, hence it comes onto the radar as a 1 series competitor even though it's a class below. Audi are betting that pitching the A1 as a premium car will take sales off BMW.

12gauge

1,274 posts

196 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
I cant see why people spend £££s on an ipod when a generic mp3 player will do the same thing for a fraction of the cost. I cant see why people do it with Iphones either.

Thats why i'll always be poor and not the inventor of a designer gadget.

The Audi A1 is the automotive equivalent of a designer gadget and the same people who buy ipods and iphones will probably buy an A1 purely because there isnt an Icar and the A1 will be marketed in a similarly forceful way.

Personally i think they are all tools, but then im not making money selling overpriced crud to them so maybe im the fool.

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

226 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
sjg said:
Most people don't need a big saloon - room for two adults, couple of seats in the back for occasional use, boot big enough for some shopping bags is plenty.

Small makes sense in cities where they're easier to park and can nip through smaller gaps. Equally there's a market for cars that are more upmarket, more refined, with more of a premium feel to them for people who want smaller cars but don't want a cheap and cheerful supermini.

Doubtless the A1 is attracting people purely for the brand who might never have been able to afford a new one, but apparently lots of orders are for cars specced up to the eyeballs with people spending £20k+ quite easily. They can afford an A3 or A4 but want that "audi feel" in a smaller package.
Agreed BUT

The A1 is way behind the A2 in concept. If they had updated the A2 it would be a clever car

Shmee

7,565 posts

235 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
doogz said:
OMNIO said:
Saw one in the metal today and I can't say that I was impressed.

I can't see why someone would pay £13k+ for one other than to say 'I have an Audi'. The front end looks pretty smart but it looks like they just gave up when it came to designing the back end. Either that or they saw an A4 that had been in a rear end shunt with a lorry and thought ' Hmm zis is looking goot ja?'

Cant comment on how it drives or how it sounds but it would have to be pretty special to make me want one.

Do you buy all your clothes in Primark?

You should, they'll do the job just as well as clothes from anywhere else, and if you spend any more money than you would in Primark, you're just paying for the name.
What he said...

Chr1sch

2,592 posts

215 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
I have a mate who went to the launch and having seen a top spec one up close and sat in it, its a bloody nice car.

Interior is typical Audi, I.e high quality, awesome MMI/screen etc

Outside, arse is a bit fat but the detail on things like lights etc are very very nice and build quality was brilliant.

Can't say anything about driving it but it appears to be a very nice little motor

LuS1fer

43,149 posts

267 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
I know someone who has just bought a DS3. It's feckin' huge. Does anyoneactually make a small car any more? For tha reason, the term "small car" seems to me to now be "something as big as an old Focus".

Zod

35,295 posts

280 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
davepoth said:
Zod said:
davepoth said:
Most people don't care how a car drives. Audi looked at the massive success of the BMW 1 series and realised they wanted a piece of that action.
The A3 is the 1 Series competitor. This thing competes with the Mini.
It's the cheapest way into an Audi, hence it comes onto the radar as a 1 series competitor even though it's a class below. Audi are betting that pitching the A1 as a premium car will take sales off BMW.
I don't think Mini is seen by the public as anything other than a premium brand these days. It just has a different (perhaps more feminine) image.

Mr Gear

9,416 posts

212 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
thinfourth2 said:
sjg said:
Most people don't need a big saloon - room for two adults, couple of seats in the back for occasional use, boot big enough for some shopping bags is plenty.

Small makes sense in cities where they're easier to park and can nip through smaller gaps. Equally there's a market for cars that are more upmarket, more refined, with more of a premium feel to them for people who want smaller cars but don't want a cheap and cheerful supermini.

Doubtless the A1 is attracting people purely for the brand who might never have been able to afford a new one, but apparently lots of orders are for cars specced up to the eyeballs with people spending £20k+ quite easily. They can afford an A3 or A4 but want that "audi feel" in a smaller package.
Agreed BUT

The A1 is way behind the A2 in concept. If they had updated the A2 it would be a clever car
Audi got burned with the A2. They produced the best car they could and no-one bought it. We didn't even get the best versions in the UK. They designed the car to crack 100mpg and you couldn't even buy it in that guise in this country!

LuS1fer

43,149 posts

267 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
Zod said:
davepoth said:
Zod said:
davepoth said:
Most people don't care how a car drives. Audi looked at the massive success of the BMW 1 series and realised they wanted a piece of that action.
The A3 is the 1 Series competitor. This thing competes with the Mini.
It's the cheapest way into an Audi, hence it comes onto the radar as a 1 series competitor even though it's a class below. Audi are betting that pitching the A1 as a premium car will take sales off BMW.
I don't think Mini is seen by the public as anything other than a premium brand these days. It just has a different (perhaps more feminine) image.
I'd say fashion brand not premium.

Whitean3

2,194 posts

220 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
unpc said:
Agreed, as a design it's a pretty lazy effort. Seen a few in Germany now and it's totally bland. They'll sell millions of 'em.
I don't really agree with this- the design is very clever in that they were able to keep a lot of Audi design cues, yet keep the size of the car down- the design at the back is cleverly done (whether you like it or not) and creates a bit more boot space. I had a good look round a few of them last weekend- I think it is quite colour sensitive; the silver roof sections improve things- black ones do look bland. Interior is nice and it would make a great commuter car. I agree that the design is not as radical as the A2 was (especially the super economical model with skinny wheels) but I think it looks good. That said, I also think the VW Polo and the Skoda Fabia are also good looking superminis, and cheaper to boot.

Zod

35,295 posts

280 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
Zod said:
davepoth said:
Zod said:
davepoth said:
Most people don't care how a car drives. Audi looked at the massive success of the BMW 1 series and realised they wanted a piece of that action.
The A3 is the 1 Series competitor. This thing competes with the Mini.
It's the cheapest way into an Audi, hence it comes onto the radar as a 1 series competitor even though it's a class below. Audi are betting that pitching the A1 as a premium car will take sales off BMW.
I don't think Mini is seen by the public as anything other than a premium brand these days. It just has a different (perhaps more feminine) image.
I'd say fashion brand not premium.
definitely a competitor for Audi then.....

chrisx666

808 posts

283 months

Wednesday 17th November 2010
quotequote all
Hitch78 said:
People just want whatever is cool and new to fill their empty empty lives.
Whereas said A1 owner may think that anyone driving a car over 3M long with a 2L+ engine must be trying to compensate for some physical/personality deficiency. Each to their own..