Audi Produces 100,000 A1s in First Year

So far, the only really successful minicar in the United States has been MINI. BMW brought the original back and it was met with smashing success. New models like the Clubman and Countryman are helping to expand that appeal.

The Fiat 500 is the only direct MINI competitor. Globally the MINI figures even more importantly though, and as such it was a must for Audi to compete against rival BMW with a model of its own. Enter the A1, a car we don't get here in the U.S.

Audi has just announced that production for the car has reached 100,000 in its first year. The A1 is produced at Audi's plant in the Forest district of Brussels, Belgium. With an important milestone reached, Audi invited Albert II, the King of Belgium to the plant.

100,000 is a large number, and it doesn't include the U.S-market. So far, the business case doesn't work to bring the car to our shores.

Audi will likely be keeping an eye on the success of Fiat's 500 when evaluating whether to bring it over in the future. For now, the A3 will be the smallest car sold by Audi in the U.S. Available only as a hatchback currently (another decidedly non-American thing), the next-generation A3 will be put an emphasis on being more successful here thanks to addition of a four-door iteration.