2011 Audi A1 Spied Testing In Europe

WITH ITS WORLD debut at next month's Geneva Motor Show mere weeks away, the 2010 Audi A1 has been spied in what can only be the final stages of shakedown testing.

While recent official teasers have given us a glimpse at some of the A1's finer details, this camouflaged test car remains the best overall look at Audi's new entry-level premium car.

Borrowing from the Volkswagen catalogue, the A1 is expected to arrive with a range of TSI petrol and TDI diesel power plants, ranging in size from 1.4 to 2.0 litres.

Drive will likely be channelled to the front wheels via a seven-speed DSG transmission, with quattro all-wheel-drive high-performance variants are expected to join the range after the initial launch.

Full scale production for Europe is scheduled to begin in October. Launching the A1 range in the US, where it was previously deemed too small, is also under consideration.

The 2011 Audi A1 will reportedly arrive in three and five-door (or Sportback) forms with conventional internal combustion motivation.

Also rumoured to be under development are hybrid and electric versions of the car, although the timing for these is still unknown.

While the A1 is a strong contender to reach Australia, the hungry European market will most likely be catered to first, before a launch schedule is locked in here.