Audi A1 Gets 185bhp 1.4TFSI, US Gets Nothing

What's wrong with you, Audi?  Why do you hate us? While the US is getting a full-on bombardment of subcompact, modern cars (finally!) like the Mini Cooper, Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta, Mazda 2, and so on and so forth, you've put out a seriously neat little micro-car, and we can't have a slice of the pie.  Even though you know we want it - see how many Mini Coopers get sold here, even though they're campy and overpriced?  To add more salt to the wound, Audi will be introducing a new variant of the A1 at the Paris show that actually has some power.  Cue weeping and crying.

Previously, the most powerful engine in the A1 was the 1.4L TSI engine, a four-valve DI aluminum-block motor with a single small turbocharger integrated into the wastegate, and an air-to-water intercooler integrated in the intake manifold.  With only 122 horsepower on tap, it was pretty good for a 1.4L engine but wasn't exactly setting the road on fire.  For the new top-of-the-line A1 TFSI, Audi has adapted the VW corporate "TwinCharger" system to the 1.4.  For those not well-versed in 80's Lancia rally history (or early 90's Nissan kei-car history), twin-charging includes both a belt-driven supercharger and an exhaust-driven supercharger.  The supercharger is a Eaton positive-displacement unit with a magnetic clutch on the drive pulley, which allows it to begin operating just off idle, and the clutch releases around 2,400 rpm, letting the turbocharger take over.  Since the blower takes care of the low end, the turbocharger can be larger and spool later, creating more power.  The KKK turbocharger is larger than on the regular 1.4 TSI motor, and with all this equipment you get the combination of more power and remarkable fuel economy.  The 1.4 TFSI also uses high-pressure direct injection, with the cam-driven high pressure pump creating up to 150 bar (2,180psi) of fuel pressure which it feeds through six-hole injectors for each cylinder.  The 1.4TSI makes 185bhp and 184lb-ft of torque in the A1, it's highest output yet, but it still attains 39.9mpg on the US scale.  At 139g/km of CO2, emissions are remarkably low as well.

This unbelievably complicated engine is mated to an equally complex transmission, in this case a 7-speed automated twin-clutch gearbox.  Sadly, power is just sent to the front wheels - still no Quattro for the A1 - and I think the lack of 4WD is probably why Audi refuses to call this an S1.  Either that, or they've got something else up their sleeve...

Suspension isn't as exciting as you'd believe, with MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam at the rear, although the 1.4 TFSI does get larger 288mm brakes up front to keep the extra power under control.  With it's newfound horsepower, the A1 1.4TFSI will do 0-100km/h in 6.9 seconds, and tops out at 227km/h (141mph), about 2 seconds faster than the 122 horsepower TSI model.  There's no traditional mechanical limited-slip differential, but it uses Audi's brake-lock differential which uses ABS sensors to apply brake pressure to the wheel that's spinning, sending power to the wheel with traction.

Inside, the A1 is kitted out like a full-on luxury car, even though it's smaller than a Golf.  There's a 465-watt 14 speaker Bose stereo, LED interior lighting, heated seats, a black headliner, sat-nav, a panoramic sunroof, keyless start/stop, and automatic climate control.  You also get adaptive HID lights with automatic high-beam detection(!), LED tail lights and running lights, automatic headlights and wipers, and probably a pointless parking sensor.  The A1 1.4 TFSI is priced starting from €24,250 when it goes on sale towards the end of the year.  Audi, this market is exploding in the US, which is still one of the biggest auto markets in the world - the ball's in your court!