Rumours of an Audi S1 and S3 Plus surface ahead of Geneva Motor Show.
Audi will unveil a sporty version of its A1 city car at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2014, according to an Auto Express inside source. Adding credibility to the claim are photos said to be of the facelifted A1 and S1 captured while the new model was undergoing cold weather testing in Sweden.
Auto Express says the S1, which Audi is yet to confirm or deny the existence of, will use a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine borrowed from the Audi S3 tuned to 230bhp. Four-wheel drive is said to come as standard.
Upgrades to differentiate the S1 from the A1 could include a sporty bodykit, quad exhausts, larger air intakes and, of course, an S1 badge or three. We would also hazard a guess at an S steering wheel, the latest version of Audi Connect and a few other sporty extras to make the interior more special.
A choice of a 3- or 5-door body styles will be available, as will the option of either a manual or dual-clutch S tronic gearbox.
The source said to expect a ‘price similar to the VW Golf GTI’ when sales start in May 2014. That price and those specs would put it in the company of the Seat Leon Cupra 280 and VW Golf GTI Performance Pack. The sportiest version of the A1 is currently the S line Style Edition (pictured), which starts at £20,605.
How likely is an S1, you ask? Well, considering Audi built a 500bhp A1 Quattro back in 2011 we would say it has probably entertained the idea on at least one occasion.
On the subject of fast Audis, AutoBlog reports the possibility of an S3 Plus. Power will come from the existing 2.0-litre VW turbo engine, but with a bit of fettling to up the output to 375hp and 369lb/ft of torque. The new model would sit between the existing S3 and the next RS3.
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