AUDI A1 SPORTBACK UNVEILED

While it was as inevitable as an A1 Cabriolet, we didn’t really know when exactly Audi would unveil the A1 Sportback 5-door. Until now. The first different body style of the A1 compact premium car has come out and adds practicality to the successful little Audi.

At 6mm wider and taller than the hatch (3.95 metres and 1.4m), the A1 Sportback 5-door is obviously more spacious, although the smallest-engined model weighs only 1 065kg. Audi will offer it in 12 exterior colours, some of which should be combos like the hatch. An S Line package like the one in these pictures, is also part of the deal.

For engines look no further than the hatch, meaning 1.2-litre TFSI, 1.4-litre TFSI, 1.6-litre TDI and 2.0-litre TDI. In future we might even see 2.0-litre TFSI petrols for the S1 and RS 1. The 1.2 gives out 63kW, while the 1.4 does 90kW and 136kW in the high output.

The Audi A1 Sportback is a competitor to the slightly bigger MINI Countryman. Europe gets its first stocks in early 2012, while Mzansi will follow before June 2012.