Tiny cars have huge market share in Japan. Here, a car like the Audi A1 isn't even all that tiny. Audi already sells the three-door A1 hatchback here, so no reason not to export the five-door version, the A1 Sportback, to Japan in early 2012, which is the same time it will launch in Europe.
In the metal, the A1 could easily be mistaken for an A3 with more up-to-date styling, but then, we come from a big-car country so we're not the most sensitive to subtleties of scale. But never mind that, there are good reasons why the A1 Sportback will never get the green light for the U.S., and they go by names like Volkswagen GTI and Jetta Sportwagen. For the same price as an A1, you could get more car so isn't that the better value? Ah, there's the big-car attitude again.
Audi will sell the A1 Sportback to Japanese and European customers in a standard, four-passenger configuration, but you can have that fifth, center seat as a no-cost option. Engines are numerous, but the smart money is on VW's nifty super-turbo 1.4-liter TFSI four-cylinder. Audi sells this engine in two levels of heat (a 122-hp version and a 185-horse version), and the hotter of the two gets you 60 mph in 7 seconds flat.
You'll also notice a bright blue/white A1 three-door with red-accented wheels. This is a new, limited-run Samurai Blue model that Audi will sell only in Japan; it commemorates Japan's women's soccer team's World Cup victory.
Semi-pathetic story about the "behind the scenes of the press conference" video that follows. Audi's stand was ridiculously crowded and failing to secure a decent spot for photos, your author-blogger sought refuge in Audi's auto show cafe but was quickly evicted and marched down to the "green room" for the press conference. There I encountered a soccer-themed dance troupe psyching themselves up for their performance.
It's a silly video, yes, and predictably, the YouTubers hate it, but it epitomizes the German automakers' fascination with dance troupes -- they do this all the time at auto shows. The players gave out mini soccer balls that said Audi on them after the press conference, but I was busy playing reporter and forgot to lighten up and take one as a souvenir.
juan_mx says:
06:56 AM, 11/30/11
".... For the same price as an A1, you could get more car so isn't that the better value? Ah, there's the big-car attitude again"
I don't agree, once it is "americanized", like in the case of the GTI, it can be sold in the US at a considerable lower price than in Europe.
The base price in Mexico for the 2012 MY 3-door 122hp version is less than $17K .
transpower says:
08:52 AM, 11/30/11
Compared with other "baby" cars, this one looks quite good. Most Audi's are styled well, but I always worry about German car reliability and service expense. Plus, German cars typically cost considerably more than those from other countries because of the German social welfare state.