Thursday 1st March 2012

Chris Harris video: Audi A1 Quattro

Harris still none the wiser about the A1 Quattro, but attempts to find out via the power of video

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Still not quite sure what to make of this car, or the event at which we drove it.

A proper Stig, helmetless and everything

It goes without saying that any car launch which offers attendees the chance to sit next to Stig Blomqvist in a factory Sport Quattro rally car cannot ever be described as bad, but this current fad of launching cars in a specification and on surfaces that bear no resemblance to real conditions does seem odd. Perhaps Audi is trying to hide something? It did the same with the RS3 - which seems to have taken chassis flak from many people.

More pertinent in the case of this car is how we respond to these trinket machines – and we need to think about this because they are going to become more and more commonplace. That’s right, in the oxymoronic world of the motorcar, super rare, super pricey limited editions will soon be commonplace.

A proper Quattro for him to drive

Audi says that it is only making 333 A1 Quattros to keep them exclusive and because it ‘likes the number’ (R8 GT volumes were the same, but one suspects all the A1s will actually find homes) but there must surely be other reasons. The most obvious of which is, you’d suppose, a real RS1 sometime soon; the sneaker is type approval.

I don’t know how the German TuV works this stuff, but clearly there is some margin for mechanical madness if you produce small volumes. BMW wouldn’t publically admit the M3 GTS fitted into this category, but I can’t see how that exhaust could be legal any other way. It would trip the Brussels noise-meter doing a static 4,500rpm test over in Garching.

Manufacturers using small volume type-approval rules to indulge their passions has to be good news.

Harris eye view of the A1 Quattro

The A1 quattro doesn’t quite fit into this category. Yes, it’s a fast car, but not so brisk that we’ll be talking about it altering our perception of small-hatches a decade from now. The more I think about the car, the more confused I am. It seems like a deliberate act on the part of Audi to undermine its performance arm Quattro GmbH. Dynamically, I couldn’t tell you an awful lot, but despite the fact that we got the car to some extreme angles, a brief drive in the revised RS5 showed just how front-biased the Haldex 4WD system in the A1 really is. Actually, on studs, on a frozen lake, the revised RS5 was a thing of joy.

Anyway, here’s the vid, my first of 2012 without the faithful Neil Carey shooting and editing because there wasn’t space on the plane to get him there. I don’t intend to have many closing titles that read: Written, presented, drifted and edited by Chris Harris. Final Cut Pro is way more difficult than oversteer.

Regardless, enjoy the vid!

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[Moley RUFC]

Now that's a proper Audi!

edit: The old one not the £40k new one.

Edited by Moley RUFC on Wednesday 29th February 20:01

[iva cosworth]

In before the title FTW

[mollymoo]

Pretty good effort for a home movie Chris. I can't work out if you were trying for some artsy focus pulls or if the autofocus was just a bit pants.

[simon mcleavy]

For that kind of money, I'd want so much more attention to detail. Carbon roof, all-alloy suspension, those 18in Ronals in magnesium (monostud), carbon backed lightweight seats, full leather das, doors & tunnel, alcantara headlining.

Oh, and 300BHP.

[y2blade]

Good Work Chris A love the look of the A1 Quattro

[Dave Hedgehog]

i want one sooooo much

[bofranklin]

If this is 40k, it will be interesting to see how much the 'real' RS1 costs if it ever arrives. Doesn't make alot of sense to price themselves above the 1M...

[dtrump]

simon mcleavy said:

For that kind of money, I'd want so much more attention to detail. Carbon roof, all-alloy suspension, those 18in Ronals in magnesium (monostud), carbon backed lightweight seats, full leather das, doors & tunnel, alcantara headlining.

Oh, and 300BHP.

maybe a good sounding noise you can actually hear also

[Renn Sport]

Don't like the car at all!

Don't like the price!

Don't like the red dial!

Don't like the idea of front wheel bias on the 4WD!


Really liked the honest video! Much fun and good skills behind the wheel.

[st33ly]

So an RS3 is £40k with 345bhp (Sorry if am wrong!) 5 cylinder engine and apart from the wheels, lack of manual option it looks and sounds fantastic. Then a 245bhp A1 is £40k!!!! That must be a mistake!

[Presuming Ed]

Don't get it, 40k is the same price as an RS3 and you get way more Audi for your money

Sorry chris, Also don't get the video, it was rather dull and pointless. An Audo A1 slides on ice is nothing informative. Can you go back to spanking Porsches now please, less of the drifting as well, we know your a hand, no need to keep reminding us by doing the same thing week in week out. Your face mid drift looks like you've had an accident downstairs as well.

Peace and Love

[cheddar]

That

Was

Rubbish

[PascalBuyens]

So, let me get this straight...

ONLY 333 cars will ever be made, and Audi is using them to let journalist have a go in them, before delivery...

Just how many delivery miles will be on every car then?

[Gorbyrev]

Man - tough audience tonight. Nice insight into hack frustrations. A1 seemed a bit of a pointless style led exercise - this one has some substance but at £40k? That is series money!

[wst]

Germans don't do silly, but when they do, it makes absolutely no sense.

I mean, it was a complete waste of time, but it does seem kinda fun. I don't really get what Audi is trying to do. By going so expensive with an A1 Quattro, and then making very few... I'm not sure how the S1 or RS1 would be allowed to happen really. Can they really make a better more daft car... that would cost less than the A1 Quattro? Can they really make a hatchback so good that people would want to pay more than £40k for one?

I just think that maybe the A1 Quattro has killed any chance of an S or RS version... no-one in their right mind would get this if there's going to be a better car... that'll be cheaper... that'll be easier to get your hands on... would they?

The car is so... meh, really, that it is absolutely insane. Give it some crazy stuff if it's going to cost that much. 400+bhp! Carbon goodies!

Now would be a great time I think for Volvo to go "We were just kidding about that one-off Polestar C30, here it is, £5k cheaper than the A1 Quattro and with all the gear the prototype had!" and suddenly the A1 Quattro fades into obscurity...

[cheddar]

st33ly said:

So an RS3 is £40k with 345bhp (Sorry if am wrong!) 5 cylinder engine and apart from the wheels, lack of manual option it looks and sounds fantastic. Then a 245bhp A1 is £40k!!!! That must be a mistake!

It's a bit more - 41,020 pounds.

Call it 42k otr.

More than:

BMW 1m
New 335i
Most 5 series
Porsche Cayman
Porsche Boxster
Audi RS3
All Audi A4's

Based on a Polo.

[GFWilliams]

Drifting

[mattbvw]

Love the videos each week but I hope the next launch you go on they'll let you take Neil.

And preferably don't do it on ice. What is it with ice at the moment? Ferraris on ice, Corvettes on ice, Audis on ice, Silverstone in ice... Next thing you know people will be putting ice in their cider

Oh, and the steering wheel "1 of 333" badge is naff. (See also: 1M dash plaque, Aston "Made in England" door sills)

[epom]

not so sure that looks special enough for £40k?? spent most of the video wondering what had happend to chris's eye ??

[moskvich427]

Great video, as ever Chris!!!

As for the car, yeeeees it's pointless compared to an RS3 as everyone keeps pointing out. But Audi aren't stupid - they'll know this, particularly as the 'rival' is made by them too....

The A1 Quattro will sell because it's exclusive - a future classic. All this makes bhp/weight/price irrelevant. It could have had 150bhp less than an RS3 and cost 10k more, and all 333 examples would still have sold. Fact.

Edited by moskvich427 on Wednesday 29th February 23:23