A1/S1 Audi A1 Sportback concept: pics & info

[Yperion]

But Mercedes did a superb job with the Smart, it's a modern icon of small premium urban cars.

I agree with everything you said apart from this , Mercedes did a good job only in terms of marketing , from a technological aspect they did a pretty bad job with poor quality and reliabily , below average handling and stability ect.

 

[Centurion]

I agree with everything you said apart from this , Mercedes did a good job only in terms of marketing , from a technological aspect they did a pretty bad job with poor quality and reliabily , below average handling and stability ect.

Yeah, interior quality of the Smart doesn't deserve any applause.

 

[EnI]

Who said that we need another F500 or a new Mini?

Who said that funky and cool needs to be vintage and supported by a 40-60 years old history?

But it will certainly blend the best of both world: Mini/F500 coolness but with the practicality of a MiTo.

Who said we need another MiTo?

And what's so cool on the A1? The customizable roof arch? Mind the car will NOT look like the Metroproject Concept but rather more like A1 SB concept - yet with 3 instead of 5 doors.

Sure the car will be cute- like all fancy small cars are. Incl. MiTo. But cool & funky? What makes car cool & funky anyway? IMO it's the iconic status - either as a part of heritage, or due to being a pioneer (smart, Prius etc). Is MiTo cool? To the degree that it's a small typical Alfa. Same case with A1: it's a cool little Audi.

Regarding A1 interior ... quite some details indicating many parts will come directly from VAG bag - shared with Polo, Ibiza. Yet i'm sure some features will be available not seen on Polo & Ibiza though. And some magic Audi touch will be added - great materials + fit&finish.

Will the car sell? Sure it will. It's more premium & exclusive than top-end Polo, ibiza, 207, corsa, fiesta etc. And sporty in nature like MINI & MiTo - looking typical Audi & modern (just like miTo is looking modern & typical Alfa), while eg. MINI is retro & typical MINI (toyish).

IMO it's a more serious alternative to F500 & MINI -much less toyish looking. Something on par with MiTo - but with more brand image.

Will it be bought to express & communicate coolness? I don't think so. It will be bought just like any other Audi: to show status in the segment. If that's cool, than be it so.

But Mercedes did a superb job with the Smart, it's a modern icon of small premium urban cars.

And as we can see it works for micro car only. all the other projects (Roadster, Coupe, ForFour were failures).

I'm also going to argue the premium status of smart.

Why ForTwo was successful? Because it has no rivals - therefore premium price. Due monopoly. Now when cheaper rival are available (eg. Toyota IQ), smart is not doing so well. Sales in 2009 are down - despite the state subsidies for buyers when buying a new car (in eg. Germany & France) - while eg. IQ sales exploded, especially due to the subsidies. And that indicates smart is overpriced for what it offers. Interior? Nothing premium at all. Exterior? Even less. So, the premium smart offered was only the monopoly in the segment.

If smart / MB wants to charge such a ridiculous price for smart they better offer something premium rivals don't offer. IMO with more rivals available, smart will either have to offer some premium stuff, or lower the prices.

I can't imagine smart doing well (if nothing changes) when eg. BMW Isetta or Fiat Topolino are offered. Also with cute design, various customizable features, and - heritage + iconic status. IMO MB will have to outsmart the smart a lot in the next generation to stay competitive.

 

[Centurion]

IMO it's a more serious alternative to F500 & MINI -much less toyish looking. Something on par with MiTo - but with more brand image.

You forgot one critical component that leave the MiTo on the side bench -- individuality. The exterior of the MiTo has no degree of customisation but the A1 will be personalised to a small extent, and that will essentially make it more special, unlike the A3 which is just another Audi. Individuality is cool. Secondary association with the R8 will play to the advantage of the A1 thanks to eye catchy LED lights.

 

[Mr Robert]

If the customer is given a lot of ways to make the car idividual, those alternatives must be in line with what is expected from the brand and I guess that is why Audi is trying to say that the car is funky and cool. Problem is, if the car is not regarded as cool and funky in itself, the cars will all be silver and black.

 

[EnI]

You forgot one critical component that leave the MiTo on the side bench -- individuality. The exterior of the MiTo has no degree of customisation but the A1 will be personalised to a small extent, and that will essentially make it more special, unlike the A3 which is just another Audi. Individuality is cool. Secondary association with the R8 will play to the advantage of the A1 thanks to eye catchy LED lights.

Sure, there will be some who will buy A1 just for the LED daytime running lights alone. It's a catchy detail, definitely. Is it going to be standard, or optional - coming with xenon headlights only?

Regarding MiTo - there are exterior customizations available. Apart from several packages. Like eg. the black chrome exterior details instead of regular light chrome used (rings around light clusters, door handles, rims, greenhouse lining etc), and the stickers - for the hood, roof, character line, & the rear side. So a customer can funky-up the car if wanting so.

But it still isn't an individually colored roof arch, huh ...

 

[Centurion]

Those stickers are laughbly lame and are the absolute cheapest way of "customizing" a car. Not nearly on the same level as larger exterior and interior panels in different colours.

 

[Mr Robert]

Those stickers are laughbly lame and are the absolute cheapest way of "customizing" a car. Not nearly on the same level as larger exterior and interior panels in different colours.

What will the customer be able to do on the A1?

 

[EnI]

What will the customer be able to do on the A1?

To choose an individually colored roof arch - as seen on Metroproject Concept.

It remains unknown will there be only tasteful combinations available, or only buyer's imagination will be the limit (eg. pink arch on yellow car, or zebra or tiger themed arch on red car etc.).

@Cent: stickers ... available on MINI & F500 as well. Yet such things do look rather good on such cartoonish cars while MiTo isn't such material. As said: cars with modern design - although small & cute (eg Twingo) look a bit stupid with such sticker though. But I guess when the car is aimed at young people this is one way of customization possible. The other one is painting different body parts (roof, pillars, arch, mirror housings, hood etc) in different colors.

It looks like Audi went more for a conventional car than for a funky one (Metroproject). So, the exterior customization will only be limited to individually colored roof arch - apart from other equipment / feature options & packages. A hardly see sticker option for A1, or anything else. And even non-body-colord roof arch is a feature already seen on Citroen Pluriel (white, silver, or black).

Citroen DS3 eg. offers individual roof color / theme choice - various colors & themes available. And side mirror caps can be changed in to silver or color in-line with prevailing color on the roof.

So, I guess A1 won't be a highly customizable car in any way. Sure there will be some options, but ... I still believe not many will go for the differently colored roof arch - and if, than with some neutral color only (silver, black or white - like in Pluriel case).

But we shall see ...

Cent, I guess your perceptions about A1 are a bit too funky. Just like I hardly see many putting stickers on MiTo, I can't see many changing roof arch color on A1.

C'mon. The car looks classy (with clean design & fancy LEDs) - Audi's putting emphasis on prestige & quality & class - and to funky-up such a car with some funny looking roof arch (or even stickers) is like painting USD signs on a RR Phantom.

 

[Centurion]

^^
The arch will undoubtedly look best in silver, but let's wait and see what they have planned for the interior. That matters too.

 

[VroomVroom]

Audi A1: Interior Teaser

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0:52-0:56..

Wow he is really putting some effort into that

 

[///K]

0:52-0:56..

Wow he is really putting some effort into that

my thoughts exactly lol

 

[DaSilva]

0:52-0:56..

Wow he is really putting some effort into that

Germans

 

[DaSilva]

^^
The arch will undoubtedly look best in silver, but let's wait and see what they have planned for the interior. That matters too.

Or black I can't wait for this car...
I've left the plans for the A5 SB aka Poor mans A7
and will now aim for the much cheaper but funky A1....
Also I have talked to my boss about my 100% own company car...
.... excatly... the Audi A1

 

[EnI]

r, but let's wait and see what they have planned for the interior. That matters too.

Yeah, let's wait & see.

Yet the latest video about interior talks more about premium feeling than about funkiness & individuality.

But we shall see whether interior customization will go beyond trim choices, dash & panel colors, and upholstery color / theme - or different packages (ala Sport, Premium, Eco etc).

I highly doubt there will be anything more.

The arch will undoubtedly look best in silver

Sure. Or white or black. Anything beyond that would look very ridiculous on that car. Eg. yellow arch on black car.

 

[Mr Robert]

Sure. Or white or black. Anything beyond that would look very ridiculous on that car. Eg. yellow arch on black car.

It could work - provided the image of the car can pull it off. Everything depends on that. Remember the Color Concept on the Polo? Remember the VW Harlequins? Disaster. This could work, as long as there is no traditional Audi image at work.

 

[braaf]

0:52-0:56..

Wow he is really putting some effort into that

That is super funny, I rolled on the floor laughing. But on a more serious note, Wat teaser, all I saw was a old guy fondling a hand brake lever. Although I do think this car will do well for Audi if it's priced right.

 

[EnI]

This could work, as long as there is no traditional Audi image at work.

But unfortunately it is. The car looks like a typical Audi with known headlights, grille frame, rear lights etc. And it communicates the typical Audi values: high quality, class & premium.

I can't see it working well.

IMO not many people will go for customized roof arch, and those who will go will pick silver, black or white mostly. All the other combination will be extremely rare - and more damaging the car image than boosting it.

If the design were different from other Audi cars ... then perhaps it would work. But now the car is too Audi.

But we shall see ...
I'm not sure Justin Timberlake is funky enough to convince the people the car is funky ... IMO someone more hip & funky should have been chosen for the promotion.

Eg. BMW tried to funky-up the 1er hatch @ thew introduction: using Kermit the Frog in the promotion. Of course it didn't work.

It's not easy to push the funky image: cars like MINI & F500 & Beetle & 2CV & Isetta with funky image in the history & all the heritage are much more convincing than contemporary "funky" cars like Citroen Pluriel or DS3, smart, Nissan Cube etc. Or even the ones who are not funky at all and want to be (eg. 1er).

If anything Audi could go with different funky naming: eg 4U, or Prinz (the iconic NSU model) - and making the design more special & funky: a bit out of typical Audi line. Like the original TT was the "black sheep" in the Audi line-up at that time.

A1 name & typical Audi design hardly add to the funkiness. And IMO individually colored roof arch do not either. It will rather be a cute little entry typical Audi - for those who think A3 price is too high. And as such it will work extremely well. Without all the pushed funkiness. As Cent said: who need another MINI or F500 (another funky car in this segment). I'm what segment needs is exactly what A1 offers: a serious & premium alternative to funky & toyish quasi-premium cars. Play the typical Audi cards, not the funkiness which has nothing to do with the audi image.

 

[DaSilva]

Although I do think this car will do well for Audi if it's priced right.

It is! Price's start just above Polo... not sure what engine that will be but it's affordable for all of us!


Still be ready for expensive optionalexstras and stuff...
I have a feeling the "poor" line will look very cheap compared to the premium - line.

 

[Centurion]

Yeah, let's wait & see.

Yet the latest video about interior talks more about premium feeling than about funkiness & individuality.

But we shall see whether interior customization will go beyond trim choices, dash & panel colors, and upholstery color / theme - or different packages (ala Sport, Premium, Eco etc).

I highly doubt there will be anything more.

I do not think they will go to wild but either but I do applaude the interior of the Fiat 500. It's individual but yet has a more mature appearence than the Mini. So we can expect the Audi to be slighty regemental in its character but I'm hoping that interior won't be too character-less a'la mini Audi TT interior.