Audi A1 Gets New 136kW Engine, But It’s Not The Promised S1

Audi has today revealed details of the upcoming flagship engine in its light car range, the 2011 Audi A1 1.4 TFSI.

Powered by the same 1.4 litre petrol engine driving the Volkswagen Polo GTI, the latest A1 variant produces 136kW and 250Nm. Likewise, fuel consumption is listed as 5.9 l/100km.

The 1.4 TFSI's supercharger hits its stride at 1500rpm, disengaging at 2400rpm and handing boost duties over to the turbocharger.

As with the rest of the A1 range, the 1.4 TFSI model is front-wheel-drive only, with power sent to the wheels via Audi's S tronic seven-speed transmission.

News of the new model comes just one week after Audi confirmed it would reveal the range-topping S1 variant at this month's Paris Auto Show, which, according to British magazine Autocar, will be badged A1 1.4 TFSI.

Describing it as a "last-minute change," the report claims that the switch from S1 to A1 1.4 TFSI badges was the result of concerns that the S1 would be the only model in Audi's S line-up without the company's quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Audi says the A1 1.4 TFSI will cover the 0-100km/h run in 6.9 seconds, again mirroring the Polo GTI - hardly surprisingly then that Audi has elected to keep the Volkswagen R-equivalent S badge off this GTI-equivalent A1. 

Australia

Audi Australia has yet to reveal its plans for a local A1 release.