2012 Audi A1 Sportback First Drive: Two More Doors and a Trick New Four-Cylinder

Audi has added two doors to its A1 hatchback, a car that competes head-on with BMW’s Mini, yet does without any retro touches or excessive cuteness. This five-door derivative is called the A1 Sportback and is significant not only for its styling and added practicality, but also for a new engine that’s available on this car first.

Cylinders: Deactivate!

That unit is a new 1.4-liter TFSI making 140 hp. It features cylinder-deactivation technology, a first in a nonhybrid four-cylinder. Only when needed, all four cylinders work together to move the car forward in a hurry or to provide engine braking; at partial loads, two cylinders are deactivated by pushing zero-lift cam profiles over the valves of cylinders two and three.

Cylinder deactivation is standard on Audi’s and Bentley’s 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V-8. Those cars get some high technology to go along with it: active engine mounts, which counteract vibration using out-of-phase counter-oscillations, along with a speaker-based noise-cancellation system. When changing between the two modes, extra fuel is injected to smooth out the transition.

With the 1.4 TFSI, Audi does without those active systems because they would be far too expensive for this class. Nevertheless, the engine works great. It is not only powerful and responsive with very little turbo lag, but also fuel-efficient. Cylinder deactivation helps reduce consumption by roughly ten percent, according to Audi. The transition from four- to two-cylinder mode is announced in the instrumentation, which is helpful, as it is virtually undetectable to the driver. We saw indicated fuel consumption in the low-40-mpg range, all the while appreciating the sonorous quality of this utterly enjoyable powerplant. The 1.4-liter will surface in Volkswagen models soon. Continued...

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2012-audi-a1-sportback-first-drive-review

2012 Audi A1 Quattro

There are some special small cars that enthusiasts would kill for, including the mid-engined Renault 5 Turbo, the rear-drive Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, and just about any Group B World Rally Championship homologation car, such as the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16. Here's a potential new classic: the Audi A1 Quattro, priced at the equivalent of more than $55,000 and powered by a 256-hp turbo four. Production is limited to just 333 units. It will be by far the most powerful car in its class, the 208-hp Mini John Cooper Works being a distant second.

One Serious A1

In late 2010, an eight-person team came together to transform the VW Polo–based, front-wheel-drive Audi A1 into an all-wheel-drive high-performance monster. Previously, the A1 lineup was topped by a front-wheel-drive, 185-hp, 1.4-liter version, with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic as the only available transmission. For the new top-dog A1, the engineers dug deep into the corporate parts bin and came up with the Audi TTS’s EA113 2.0-liter TFSI, MQ350 six-speed manual transmission, Quattro all-wheel-drive system, and rear suspension setup. This A1 offers no dual-clutch option, and it’s perfectly fine that way.

This car, after all, is serious business. We estimate the sprint from 0 to 60 mph will take 5.0 seconds; top speed is a drag-limited 152 mph, the result of aerodynamics tuned for downforce. When you fire it up, the A1 Quattro emits a sonorous hum, which turns aggressive as soon as you hit the throttle. The not-too-light clutch bites aggressively, but the transmission is exceptionally smooth and easy to operate. Punch the throttle and the four tires grab hard.

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2012-audi-a1-quattro-first-drive-review

Audi A1 e-tron at Silvretta E-Auto 2011

Take a look at the triumphant A1 at Silvretta E-Auto 2011.

Milwaukee Audi Dealers

New Audi A1 Street View Advertisement

The campaign was created to further the 'Big idea condensed' campaign that ran last year for the Audi A1 in print and posters. But to take it into Cinema. After making the longest ad in it's history Audi have now made their shortest. Five condensed 10 second commercials. Created by BBH.