Audi S1 - details emerge

Audi is launching a high-performance S1 variant of its A1 mini car around 2011. Based on the Metroproject concept of 2007, the A1 will compete with the MINI and Alfa Romeo MiTo at the bottom end of the luxury car market. For Audi, this pocket rocket S1 competes against the 211hp Cooper S JCW and Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA, powerful little cars with chassis built especially for handling.

Exterior kit is as important as engine performance in this segment and so Audi will spare very little cost with things like 19-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, deep air intakes, a roof-mounted spoiler and some chrome finishing.

To assist the quattro 4WD system in sticking those big tyres onto the ground, a 1.4-litre TSI engine should do the trick quite nicely. That's the same engine found in the SEAT Ibiza Cupra and upcoming VW Polo GTI as well. For those two it makes 178hp/ 133kW but the S1 will benefit from upgrades and an ECU tweak to give it over 200hp.

Mated to this powerplant is the new S Tronic twin-clutch gearbox which should push the car from 0 - 60 mph in about 6 seconds while returning a fuel economy index of 35 mpg.

The 2011 Audi S1 is expected to come in at £25,000 while the cheapest model in the A1 range may cost from around £13,000 when the base cars are launched in 2010.