Audi S1 2.0 TFSI quattro (M) First Drive Review
13 Feb 2015|15,782 views
Chilli is something we never turn down. There's something about chilli that excites the taste buds and makes us yearn for more, even renowned celebrity chef Jamie Oliver once claimed to be addicted to it.
Just like chilli, there are some thrills or sensations that we find ourselves addicted to. We recently came across this very feeling again when we had the opportunity to hop into the Audi S1 for a quick spin in Munich.
First introduced in February last year, this car is the smallest S model from the Ingolstadt carmaker and it aims to deliver all the accessible performance of some of the larger S models in a compact all-wheel drive package.
Up close and Personal
As you'd expect, the Audi S1 has the usual understated fast Audi look. Visually, the car is differentiated from its more subdued A1 family by powerful bumpers and a slightly tweaked Singleframe grille with the S1 badge.
There're also Xenon plus headlights as well as innovative LED daytime running lights with new, horizontally structured graphics that give off what Audi calls a 'frozen look'.
At the same time, the customary aluminium-effect mirrors, extended side sills and smart 17-inch wheels help the car stand out while quad chrome tailpipes hint at its performance potential.
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The S1's cabin lives up to Audi's high standards, besting every other car of this size and many from the class above. This supermini gets its own personality, though, thanks to a stylish red-ringed start button, a nice flat-bottomed S steering wheel and red S-badged seats.
Not only to provide plenty of support in fast corners, the sport seats are genuinely comfortable on longer journeys as well.
The four-wheel drive system raises the boot floor, so there's only 210 litres of space here as compared to the standard A1's 270 litres. But this is probably less of a concern for the S1 demographic. After all, there is still plenty of room for a week's grocery shopping.
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The Drive
231bhp and 370Nm of torque from the S1's 2.0-litre TFSI powerplant is a huge amount of firepower for a small car weighing 1,315kg. The figures help it blast its way from zero to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds, which comprehensively out-paces most of its rivals.
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) lovers will find the sole six-speed manual gearbox fluent and fast. It's an awesome match to this car, which surges forward as soon as you floor the accelerator.
That said, there's just as much refinement about the S1 as there is speed. The engine sounds great when it's revved hard, but it settles down to a subtle burble at low speed. Peak pulling power arrives at just around 1,600rpm, so it offers a relaxing experience when you just want to potter around town or cruise calmly on the Autobahn.
More importantly, the car feels solidly planted on the road and initial impressions are that the reworked suspension provides a really pliant ride, even in the 'firmest' dynamic mode of the standard Audi drive select system.
Speaking of which, the whole vehicle tenses up around the driver's reactions in this said mode and there are also exciting engine and exhaust notes that further enhance the adrenaline rush.
Conclusion
The Audi S1 is a more balanced car than we had assumed it might be. Fast hatchbacks are frequently dominated by their engines, a situation that often robs them of fluidity and poise.
That is not the case with this Audi pocket rocket, which remains a civilised and rewarding car to drive under pretty much any weather condition, thanks to its quattro all-wheel drive system.
Unfortunately, there are no plans to bring this hot supermini into Singapore yet, so we guess it's back to that little saucer of chilli padi.
Chilli is something we never turn down. There's something about chilli that excites the taste buds and makes us yearn for more, even renowned celebrity chef Jamie Oliver once claimed to be addicted to it.
Just like chilli, there are some thrills or sensations that we find ourselves addicted to. We recently came across this very feeling again when we had the opportunity to hop into the Audi S1 for a quick spin in Munich.
First introduced in February last year, this car is the smallest S model from the Ingolstadt carmaker and it aims to deliver all the accessible performance of some of the larger S models in a compact all-wheel drive package.
Up close and Personal
As you'd expect, the Audi S1 has the usual understated fast Audi look. Visually, the car is differentiated from its more subdued A1 family by powerful bumpers and a slightly tweaked Singleframe grille with the S1 badge.
There're also Xenon plus headlights as well as innovative LED daytime running lights with new, horizontally structured graphics that give off what Audi calls a 'frozen look'.
At the same time, the customary aluminium-effect mirrors, extended side sills and smart 17-inch wheels help the car stand out while quad chrome tailpipes hint at its performance potential.
The S1's cabin lives up to Audi's high standards, besting every other car of this size and many from the class above. This supermini gets its own personality, though, thanks to a stylish red-ringed start button, a nice flat-bottomed S steering wheel and red S-badged seats.
Not only to provide plenty of support in fast corners, the sport seats are genuinely comfortable on longer journeys as well.
The four-wheel drive system raises the boot floor, so there's only 210 litres of space here as compared to the standard A1's 270 litres. But this is probably less of a concern for the S1 demographic. After all, there is still plenty of room for a week's grocery shopping.
The Drive
231bhp and 370Nm of torque from the S1's 2.0-litre TFSI powerplant is a huge amount of firepower for a small car weighing 1,315kg. The figures help it blast its way from zero to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds, which comprehensively out-paces most of its rivals.
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) lovers will find the sole six-speed manual gearbox fluent and fast. It's an awesome match to this car, which surges forward as soon as you floor the accelerator.
That said, there's just as much refinement about the S1 as there is speed. The engine sounds great when it's revved hard, but it settles down to a subtle burble at low speed. Peak pulling power arrives at just around 1,600rpm, so it offers a relaxing experience when you just want to potter around town or cruise calmly on the Autobahn.
More importantly, the car feels solidly planted on the road and initial impressions are that the reworked suspension provides a really pliant ride, even in the 'firmest' dynamic mode of the standard Audi drive select system.
231bhp and 370Nm of torque from the S1's 2.0-litre TFSI powerplant is a huge amount of firepower for a small car weighing 1,315kg. The figures help it blast its way from zero to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds, which comprehensively out-paces most of its rivals.
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) lovers will find the sole six-speed manual gearbox fluent and fast. It's an awesome match to this car, which surges forward as soon as you floor the accelerator.
That said, there's just as much refinement about the S1 as there is speed. The engine sounds great when it's revved hard, but it settles down to a subtle burble at low speed. Peak pulling power arrives at just around 1,600rpm, so it offers a relaxing experience when you just want to potter around town or cruise calmly on the Autobahn.
More importantly, the car feels solidly planted on the road and initial impressions are that the reworked suspension provides a really pliant ride, even in the 'firmest' dynamic mode of the standard Audi drive select system.
Speaking of which, the whole vehicle tenses up around the driver's reactions in this said mode and there are also exciting engine and exhaust notes that further enhance the adrenaline rush.
Conclusion
The Audi S1 is a more balanced car than we had assumed it might be. Fast hatchbacks are frequently dominated by their engines, a situation that often robs them of fluidity and poise.
That is not the case with this Audi pocket rocket, which remains a civilised and rewarding car to drive under pretty much any weather condition, thanks to its quattro all-wheel drive system.
Unfortunately, there are no plans to bring this hot supermini into Singapore yet, so we guess it's back to that little saucer of chilli padi.
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