New 3-cylinder addition to A1 & A1 Sportback takes entry price of Audi ownership to £14,315

New three-cylinder petrol engine joins updated A1 range polished by styling revisions, equipment upgrades and efficiency gains

• New three-cylinder addition to acclaimed A1 and A1 Sportback ranges takes entry price of Audi ownership to £14,315 OTR
• Available to order now in conjunction with SE or Sport specification – first UK deliveries in summer 2015
• A1 1.0 TFSI five-speed manual – 0-62mph in 10.9 seconds, top speed 116mph, combined MPG 67.3, CO₂ 97g/km
• A1 and A1 Sportback ranges recently enhanced by styling revisions inside and out, new or improved engines, more equipment and improved option packs

Weighing up the pros and cons of petrol and diesel power becomes a little harder for Audi A1 customers from today as a new super-frugal, 97g/km TFSI version of the three or five-door subcompact becomes available in the UK. 

Equipped with a characterful new three-cylinder engine – the first petrol unit with this configuration ever to be installed in an Audi model – the latest A1 variant promises to bring 67mpg-plus economy, peppy performance and the premium hallmarks that distinguish every Audi within even easier reach with an OTR price starting from £14,315.

The 95PS turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine effectively replaces the 89PS 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine available in the A1 since launch. It can call on a healthy 160Nm of torque to propel the A1 1.0 TFSI with standard five-speed manual gearbox to 62mph from rest in 10.9 seconds, regardless of whether it is powering the three-door or five-door Sportback body style.

A seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission is also available, and with this installed the acceleration time is also unchanged in both versions. Top speed is 116mph in every case.

Equally importantly, the new engine can return up to 67.3mpg in the A1 when linked to the standard manual gearbox, or 64.2mpg in conjunction with the S tronic transmission, equating to CO₂ figures of 97g/km and 102g/km respectively. Again, these figures apply regardless of the body style chosen.

For comparison, the 1.6-litre TDI which retains its position as the most frugal option in the updated range now benefits from an economy boost from 74.3mpg to 80.7mpg according to the combined cycle test, and a CO₂ reduction from 99g/km to 92g/km in both body styles.

SE or Sport specification options

The new three-cylinder petrol engine is available in conjunction with either SE or Sport specification, both options including alloy wheels, remote central locking, air conditioning, electric front windows and mirrors and a six-speaker single CD audio system with auxiliary iPod connection linked to a 6.5-inch retractable display. 

A secondary collision brake assist system, which can initiate automatic braking to reduce the risks of skidding and additional collisions during an accident, also now forms part of the standard equipment list.

Key upgrades which are new to the latest 2015 Sport specification include the Audi Music Interface and preparation for SD card-based navigation. They join existing features such as larger 16-inch wheels, sports suspension, sports seats, Bluetooth mobile phone preparation and a Driver’s Information System

The firmer sports suspension configuration which is a standard feature of Sport models has been revised to increase its absorbency, but customers can now choose to replace it at no extra cost with the more supple set-up of the SE versions.  

As always with the A1 and A1 Sportback, prospective owners of the new 1.0 TFSI version will be able to choose from a wealth of options to personalise their car and enhance it with features more commonly associated with models from the classes above.

The roof line in three-door models and the entire roof section in Sportback versions can be painted in a range of contrasting colours, creating an imposing and individual look that can be accentuated further by features such as privacy glass and a high gloss black styling package taking in the grille and side air inlets.

 Distinctive accents can also be added in the high quality cabin, where elements such as the rear view mirror surround, air vent sleeves, door pulls and the edges of the centre console can be finished in vibrant colours including Misano red, Macao yellow and Glacier white.

Owners looking to maximise the A1’s big car condensed appeal also have a wide selection of cost effective bundled option packages to choose from which add everything from an open sky panoramic sunroof, acoustic parking control and LED interior lighting to satellite navigation, Audi Phone Box mobile connectivity and in-car internet services via Audi connect.

Three into Audi A1 does go –   A new three-cylinder TFSI engine joins the recently updated Audi A1 range today combining lively performance and 67mpg potential with an accessible starting price of £14,315 OTR.

The new Audi A1 1.0 TFSI – UK OTR pricing

1.0 TFSI three-door five-speed manual

SE	£14,315
Sport	£16,290

1.0 TFSI Sportback five-speed manual

SE	£14,935
Sport	£16,910

Premium for S tronic transmission - £1,540

DAY TWELVE - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day 12 – The Audi S3 Saloon

DAY ELEVEN - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day 11 – The Audi RS 4 Avant

DAY TEN - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day 10 – The Audi RS Q3

DAY NINE - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day nine – The Audi RS 7 Sportback

Happy New Year from the Audi UK Press team!

DAY EIGHT - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day eight – The Audi A8 L

Happy New Year from the Audi UK Press team!

DAY SEVEN - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day seven – The Audi RS 4 Avant

AUDI to invest more than 24 billion Euro's over the next four years

Audi expands its investment program: €24 billion from 2015 through 2019 

• Audi CEO Rupert Stadler: “We are strengthening our innovative areas and expanding the global production network”
• Axel Strotbek, CFO: “70 percent of all investments flow into new models and innovative technologies”
• Audi Chief Technical Officer Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg: “Focus on digitalization and alternative drive systems”

Audi is further expanding the biggest investment program in its history. From 2015 through 2019, the Ingolstadt-based company plans to invest €24 billion, which is €2 billion more than in the previous planning period. 70 percent of the investment will flow into the development of new models and technologies. Audi aims to meet stringent CO2 limits worldwide with a new generation of extremely economical combustion engines and alternative efficiency technologies. Furthermore, new features in the areas of connectivity and driver assistance are designed to extend the “Vorsprung durch Technik” of the brand with the four rings. At the same time, the company is expanding its worldwide production network. More than half of the planned investment will take place at the German sites in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm.

Audi plans to develop new cutting-edge technologies and to create additional production capacities worldwide in the next five years through large-scale investment. “We place top priority on sustainable growth. That’s why we are making large investments in the innovative areas of electric mobility, connectivity and lightweight construction,” stated Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO) of AUDI AG. The company is also pushing ahead with the expansion of its global production network.

The total investment volume of €24 billion comprises approximately

€17 billion of investment in property, plant and equipment and €7 billion of capitalized development costs. “70 percent of all our investment in the next five years will flow into new models and innovative technologies,” explained Board of Management Member for Finance (CFO) Axel Strotbek.

“Despite the growth in total investment, we will keep a watchful eye on the upcoming challenges and exercise the required cost discipline,” stated the CFO. Top priority is being placed on progressing as efficiently as possible. The expansion of international manufacturing structure and higher advance expenditure for new models and technologies, in particular to meet stricter CO2 limits worldwide, require enormous efforts from the entire workforce.

In order to fulfill the ambitious CO2 limits, the company is working not only on the next generation of fuel-efficient gasoline and diesel engines, but also on plug‑in hybrids such as the Audi A3 Sportback e‑tron*, which became available in the first markets at the end the year. “We are constantly further developing alternative drive systems and focusing above all on connecting the car with its digital environment,” explained Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi’s Board of Management Member for Technical Development. “The car will communicate with the driver, the Internet, the infrastructure and other vehicles, while moving in an environmentally friendly manner.” The new Audi TT* is a pacemaker in terms of seamless connectivity. Its integrated Audi virtual cockpit, which merges a combination of instruments and an MMI screen into a central digital unit, sets new standards.

A few weeks ago, Audi presented the A7 Sportback h‑tron quattro concept car at the Los Angeles Motor Show, demonstrating that the premium manufacturer has also mastered fuel‑cell technology. “We can move into the series-production stage as soon as justified by the market and infrastructure,” stated Hackenberg. By the end of the year 2020, the Ingolstadt-based company intends to expand its model portfolio from 50 to 60 models. A main focus will be on new models in the C and D segments. Audi also intends to expand the successful Q family*. As of 2016, for example, the new Audi Q1 will be produced in Ingolstadt.

Another important element of the biggest investment program in the company’s history is the expansion of manufacturing structures in Germany and abroad: “The sites in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm are the basis for our international success. We therefore plan to make more than half of the total investment in Germany,” emphasized Strotbek. The production plant in Ingolstadt is already being prepared for new models. Extensive rebuilding work will start also in Neckarsulm in 2015, in order to prepare the plant for the next generation of the Audi A8 luxury sedan.

The workforce will also grow in the context of the investment in the main plants in Germany. In the past twelve months, Audi has recruited approximately 3,000 new employees in Germany alone. “We will continue to recruit in 2015, thus underpinning our course of sustainable growth,” said Audi’s Board of Management Member for Human Resources, Thomas Sigi. In addition, Audi will promote its own young talent and will once again provide specialist training to 700 young people. “We want to strengthen our core competencies, especially in key technologies, with a strong team in the domestic plants,” continued Sigi.

Worldwide, the Audi Group’s workforce has now grown to the record size of 80,000 employees. In Mexico and Brazil, the company is investing in new plants so that it can fully utilize the growth potential of the American continent. In this way, the premium producer from Ingolstadt will make sure it is even more independent of exchange‑rate fluctuations in the future.

Audi opened a training center to provide qualifications to new employees in San José Chiapa in October. As well as the 1,200 people who have already been recruited, the company plans to take on board another 850 employees in Mexico alone next year. As of 2016, the Audi Q5* will drive off the assembly lines there.

The ongoing high investment in the development of new models and technologies will become tangible for customers already next year in the form of numerous products. In addition to the new generation of the A6 family * in the large‑car segment, deliveries of which started in the fall of 2014, the new Audi Q3* and Audi RS Q3* will go into production with many innovative technologies in the New Year. And the new Audi A1* and A1 Sportback* will be launched in 2015, also with innovative three‑cylinder engines.

Audi will reach the mark of 1.7 million cars delivered in 2014. By 2020, the company aims to be the premium brand number one on a sustainable basis.

*Fuel consumption of the models named above:

Audi A1:

Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 7,2 – 3,4;

Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 166 – 89

Audi A1 Sportback:

Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 7,3 – 3,4; 

Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 168 – 91

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron: 

Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 1,7 – 1,5;

Combined electric power consumption in Wh/km: 124 – 114; 

Combined CO2 emission in g/km: 39 – 35

Audi A6 family:

Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 9,6 – 4,2;

Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 224 – 109

Audi Q3:

Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 8,6 – 4,4;

Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 203 – 114

Audi RS Q3:

Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 8,6 – 4,4;

Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 203 – 198

Audi Q5:

Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 8,5 – 4,9; 

Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 199 – 129

Audi Q7: 

Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 8,3 – 5,7; 

Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 193 – 149

Audi TT:

Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 7,5 – 4,2; 

Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 174 – 110 

DAY SIX - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day six – The Audi A3 Cabriolet

DAY FIVE - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day five – The Audi SQ5 TDI

DAY FOUR - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day four – The Audi S3 Saloon

DAY THREE - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day three – The Audi S1z

DAY TWO - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day two – The Audi RS 6 Avant

DAY ONE - AUDI celebrates the Twelve days of Christmas.

Audi reveals a series of stunning light-painted images of its range – one for each of the twelve days of Christmas

Audi is marking the 12 days of Christmas with a collection of images which show its range in an entirely different light.

Day one – The Audi RS 7 Sportback