Audi si about to muscle in on the posh small-car sector with the new A1 landing in 2009. Its one of the firrst projects overseen by the new board in charge of Audi, since chairman Martin Winterkorn, engineering boss Ulrich Hackenberg and design chief Walter de'silva moved north to Wolfsburg.

The new A1 is aimed squarley at the mini. It will be under four meteres short and slightly lower and wider than the Mini. There will be four body styles: 3 and 5 door hatchbacks, a two door copue and an open top model. The three door A1 will b elike the shooting brake, with a long roof, vertical tailgate, prominent C pillars and a wraparound rear window.

Underpinning the A1 will be Audis new MQB modular nase for small, transverse-engined models, including the new A3 out in 2010

Audi will offer five versions of the 1.4L petrol pumping out between 65bhp and 170bhp. The sportiest S1 is said to get angular wheel arches and 200 bhp, while diesel lovers are offered a new 1.6 TDI cranking out 130 bhp.

Thanks Audi69.

There is already another thread for the A1 if you want to check it out:

http://www.germancarzone.com/new-aud...ni-killer.html