Since the first gen of Audi A1 was accepted so good and in a very short period of time became this much popular, the German engineers started working on the development and testing of the new generation of this subcompact hatchback. Proof that the company is really working on one of these are the spy shots you can see here. As you probably know, the first gen debuted in 2010 and sadly it never reached the US markets. Due to the plans of Audi not to offer anything less than A3 in those parts of the world (the reason why the Q2 SUV never came too), we believe that the redesigned version will not reach these shores as well.
But let’s get back to the topic at hand. It seems, at least from the spy shots, that the new A1 is ditching the bubble-like shape for a more conventional hatchback design which is probably more appealing. Since the first gen was “too compact,” it seems that the wheelbase has somewhat grown on this one in order to make additional room inside the cabin. This new model of the A1 will have its twin, at least under all the metal, and it will be a redesigned Volkswagen Polo which was also caught testing as a prototype.
Both of these vehicles will be riding on the smallest version of the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform (which is found under the A3, VW Golf, and some other German vehicles). On these pictures, you can see that the prototype is hosting a five-door version, but so far it is unclear if the automaker will offer the three-door variant as well. On the inside, it is a sure bet to expect everything top notch, as far as tech is concerned, and as addition to all of this, in the option form, will be Audi’s 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
As far as engine options are concerned, the new A1 will bring three and four cylinder units, while the most powerful version will be an S1 possibly offering more than 231 HP which the current S1 has to offer. What is even better news is the wish of Audi Sport division to expand their offering, which might very easy result in even stronger and more powerful RS A1 version.
The transmission options that will be offered with the 2018 Audi A1 are the already proven six-speed manual and seven-speed dual clutch units. Since it is very common today, you can with some certainty expect an hybridized model or even a pure electric one that will rival the BMW i3 and Smart ForTwo Electric Drive. This is backed up by the fact that VW Group is planning to launch 30 electric cars by 2025 and many of these are surely expected to come from Audi.
