Thursday 17th August 2023

Audi A1 TFSI quattro | Spotted

Few cars can make a GR Yaris look ordinary. This is one of them

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One of the sticking points of the Toyota GR Yaris taking home the silverware from our best hot hatch of the last 25 years poll was that, according to some, a ‘proper’ hot hatch must be front-wheel drive. Granted, the GR edging out the Renaultsport Clio 182 Trophy certainly came as a bit of a shock, but when you live in a country where the roads are greasy 75 per cent of the year, all-wheel drive allows you to get a lick on without constantly lighting up the front wheels. Which, we can all agree, is rather convenient. 

So I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m rather fond of hot hatches that send power across both axles, especially when they come with some sort of rallying pedigree. We all know that the GR Yaris started life as a homologation special before a regulation change in the WRC meant road-going versions of the rally machines were no longer needed. Still, Toyota has managed to shift all 25,000, meaning that everyone and their dog now owns one. That’s no bad thing, of course; it’s popular for many very good reasons. But if you want an all-wheel drive hot hatch that stands out from the crowd, with an (admittedly very light) dash of WRC heritage, then this Audi A1 TFSI quattro may be of interest.

While it wasn’t conceived with a rally programme in mind, the A1 quattro does boast a fascinating origin story. It was an after-hours project, built to prove that Audi’s 2.5-litre turbo five and quattro system could be shoehorned into the firm’s humble hatch. The result was the one-off Clubsport quattro, which proved so popular at the 2011 Wörtherseetour car fest that a production car was given the greenlight, albeit with some significant alterations.

The big difference was that the inline-five was dropped in favour of VAG’s EA113 (which powers PH Project Car), albeit with an output hike to 256hp and 258lb ft of torque, and relocated back to its rightful home under the bonnet having been moved to the middle for the clubsport. This meant the rear seats could be reinstated, though the carbon trim and bucket seats were sacrificed to likely prevent costs from spiralling ever higher. Remember, this was a £40,000 when new in 2012, which is roughly £55,000 in today’s money – or about the same as a fully-loaded VW Golf R.

Of course, the quattro’s upgrades go far beyond an off-the-shelf all-wheel-drive system and chunkier engine. Not only were extensive modifications needed to accommodate the all-wheel drive system - including a new multi-link rear suspension - it also threw in a carbon prop shaft for good measure. Then there’s the radical body kit, with new bumpers, skirts and a taller rear wing. But you’ll be too busy staring at the bespoke fan wheels to notice, which offer a modern twist on the designs used by the old Quattro rally cars.

Audi produced 333 examples, only 19 of which were destined for the UK. It was never offered in right-hand drive, which just shows that it was intended as a skunkworks project from the beginning. True, it did lay the groundwork for the S1 hot hatch, but that was produced in far greater numbers and didn’t come with those wheels or quite as much power. As you'd expect for something so rare, the A1 has enjoyed a healthy dose of appreciation, with this example listed at £59,920. That’s a lot, even by today’s hot hatch standards. But this is clearly a very special pocket rocket, to the point where it makes a GR Yaris look positively unassuming. For a diehard Audi fan, it’ll be well worth it.

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SPECIFICATION | AUDI A1 TFSI QUATTRO

Engine: 1,998cc four-cylinder, turbocharged
Transmission: six-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 256@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 258@2,500rpm
MPG: 33.2
CO2: N/A
Year registered: 2012
Recorded mileage: 40,000
Price new: £40,000
Yours for: £59,920

 See the full advert here

[Augustus Windsock]

Love this but wow, how much?
Surprised Neymar Jr hasn’t asked for one as part of his ‘demands’ from his new club in Saudi…

And always remind me of one of those clowns-shoe type white trainers that 'RunDMC' wore in 'Walk This Way'...

Edited by Augustus Windsock on Thursday 17th August 15:28

[Mike1990]

I’d rather have an S1 for 15k!

[wistec1]

If I recall each of the 333 cars had a unique numbered plaque and by chance as I was picking up my wife's new A1 from Coventry Audi I spotted one of these still in its wrap protection.(The plaque stated car number 1 of 333) I had to get special permission to photograph it. I enquired on it and was told the dealer principal was inviting bids and it would be sold to the highest which at the time was at 49k. The opportunity was there and I declined it. Glad I did I subsequently bought a 1M which I still have.

[AL5026]

I’d swear that we’ve had this before in Spotted? Secondly, I thought that all the plaques showed ‘1 of 333’ and that they weren’t numbered individually?

[howardhughes]

Limited edition or not, 55k not a chance. As a previous poster commented, I'd take an S1 for far less money.

[Bill]

"Radical body kit"?? Hmmmm.... I can't see why you'd want one at all, never mind at this price.

[Abacus21]

Not for this money.

You can get into a McLaren 12c for that money ! No comparison.

[Kipsrs]

WoW. . . 2012, 40 thousand miles, originally 40 thousand pounds new. Now, yours for a snip under 60 thousand pounds.
Yes, it’s a nice car but what makes it a 59 thousand pounds second hand petit hot hatch, with the steering wheel on the wrong side for the U.K.?
I know it’s what someone will eventually pay for it but. . .

[cerb4.5lee]

I liked the idea of these when they first came out, but they seemed expensive to me back then, and even moreso now. Like others I'd grab an S1 instead.

[coded2112]

Looks wise i think it makes the Yaris look special and very good value!!

£59k no thanks... Now an original quattro and i might be interested!

[jmcc500]

I shortlisted these, the BMW 1M and the 987 Boxster Spyder when I was looking for something interesting in 2016. All were about £40k then. I went for the Spyder in the end as, to my eyes, it was the most interesting and least compromised. I don't regret that decision - though all of them are great cars.

[Maccmike8]

I dont think its pretty enough for 55k.
I do like S1s though, especially in purple.

[T1berious]

coded2112 said:

Looks wise i think it makes the Yaris look special and very good value!!

£59k no thanks... Now an original quattro and i might be interested!

^This^

1 of 19 uniqueness aside I'm struggling to see why you'd part the folding for this when a GR Yaris is available for 27K less?

60K can get you a lot of interesting car elsewhere.

I'm sure it will sell but crumbs! FOMO be damned!

[dinkel]

I was surprised how dull this car drives

Also it looks so bad

And inside it's pretty cramped

I'd pick an AMG A35

[snorkel sucker]

Nah.

What I'm reading is that Audi started off with the awesome 5-cylinder engine but decided to swap it out for the effective yet boring 4-cylinder lump. They then decided to move the engine from the middle to the front, as per pretty much every other hot hatch out there. So effectively, they went from actually having the means to release a bona fide classic yet instead overcharged for what is effectively an S1 with a couple of trinkets.

Compare this to Renault who, between 2003 and 2005 (a mere 6 years earlier) took their Clio and stuck a whopping big V6 engine in the middle of the car, made it rear wheel drive and subsequently created one of the most interesting and iconic hot hatches ever produced.

If we're comparing skunkworks projects then I'm sorry but the A1 quattro doesn't even come close.

And to suggest it makes the GR Yaris look ordinary? Really?!

[Scoobysaurus]

£60k

[J4CKO]

Something about that says Fiat 500 more than Audi A1 at a quick glance, think its the wheels or the angles the photos were taken at.

I get its a limited model run, but could get two GR Yaris's for 60 grand which is the same kind of idea, just done better by the sound of it.

Guess its one for the enthusiasts, even so, sounds rather enthusiastic pricing.

[lukelovescars]

Silly silly asking price. Especially for the mileage.

[C5_Steve]

Nope, not at that price although I didn't realise they had more power than the S1?

I'll take an S1 and a set of OZ wheels please.

[Firebobby]

You could buy an S1 for a quarter of the money, stick some wheels and badges on for a grand and yer average punter wouldn't know the difference. In point of fact, yer average punter wouldn't know what an original was, or looked like anyway! Not for me at any price. I considered an S1 after my M135i as a complete change of direction. Unfortunately the size of the car, only 2 rear seats and a tiny boot put paid to that. I plumped for another beemer, an M140i.