As one of the premier car companies on the planet, Audi is ready to make its mark yet again in 2017.
Renown for its eye-catching S and RS lines, the RS line is about to get another racing juggernaut added to its lineup — the Audi RS1, the first RS variant of the famous A1 line.
The new Audi RS1 will bring with it a multitude of new features not present in previous models. While the already-existing A1 Quattro sports similar features, the new RS1 is tremendously different from the Quattro. While the Quattro was only outfitted with a left-handed set-up and extravagant price to boot, the RS1 will be sold as a premium production model. In other words, this will be a mass-marketed luxury auto, ready-to-drive off the lot. If you’re a fan of high-powered, high-speed hatchbacks, then the RS1 is right up your alley.
Aside from the new mass-oriented specifications, observers of the new Audi RS1 will notice it’s awfully similar to another competitor’s line of automobiles, namely Mini John Cooper Works. Experts and amateur enthusiasts alike speculate that this new RS1 model is primarily aimed at poaching some of JCW’s chief demographics. Although consumers will be able to get a lot of the same performance expectations from the RS1 in comparison to a high-level Mini Cooper, there is a distinct difference in terms of price.
In terms of American dollars, the Audi RS1 will cost about $40,000. In comparison, the Mini JCW will cost approximately $30,000. While it remains to be seen whether or not consumers will be willing to pay an extra $10,000 for a very similar vehicle, the RS1 is by no means overpriced.
Like previous renditions, the RS1 will feature the Quattro’s EA888 2-liter, 4-cylinder engine, but it will be bumped up and improved. Consumers will have the choice between a manual or cylinder transmission, and of course, automatic models can be outfitted with paddle shifters for adding performance and personalized driving.
Consumers can also purchase the RS1 in a three-door or five-door set-up, and should be easily able to go 0-100 kilometers in under 6 seconds, a markable improvement over the Quattro. Given its improved performance capabilities, it should be no shock that Audi intends to model its future renditions of the A1 after this upcoming RS1 model.
If you like speed, luxury, and high-performance, the RS1 should be right up your alley, whether you’re a Mini fan or not.