Next year will see the introduction of one of the most hotly-awaited models in Audi’s performance car range, the RS 1.
Due to be the fastest and most powerful version of the A1 hatchback, the RS 1 will feature Audi’s famous Quattro four-wheel drive and will rival the likes of the Volkswagen GTi, the Ford Focus ST and Honda’s Civic Type R.
It’s similar in effect to the limited-edition A1 Quattro pictured in this article, but will be available as a full production model and in right-hand drive for UK buyers. Find out more about the upcoming RS 1, including information on how powerful it will be and how much it’ll cost below.
There’s 36 years of sports car development behind it
Directly or indirectly, the RS 1 will be able to trace its lineage all the way back to the original Audi Quattro, which was released in 1980 and transformed the way that the entire world looks at performance cars.
Audi’s modern RS cars date back to the early 1990s and served as the marque’s halo models until the arrival of the R8, pioneering new technology and being comparable in terms of performance and desirability to cars like the Porsche 911.
All of that aside, the fact that the RS initials stand for RennSport, the German word for “racing sport”, should tell you all you need to know about the RS 1’s pedigree.
It’s going to look mean as hell
All of Audi’s previous RS cars come adorned with all sorts of puffed-up cosmetic enhancements and the RS 1 is likely to be no different, with low profile tyres stretched over large alloy wheels.
Said wheels will likely have much bigger arches to fill, while the whole car will sit much closer to the ground thanks to lowered sports suspension and bigger side skirts. The RS 1 is also likely to get the same honeycombed front grille as other RS models, and potentially a bigger rear spoiler too.
Inside, you can expect the same hip-hugging buckets as its RS stablemates, along with a flat-bottomed steering wheel and all manner of leather and brushed metally goodness.
Up to 310bhp, but probably auto only
It’s expected that the RS 1 will use the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that already features in the S1, and which also appears in other Volkswagen Group cars like the current Golf GTi.
Volkswagen’s engines have a reputation for being extremely tuneable, and so it’s likely that the RS 1 will be able to make a lot more power than the 231bhp S1 with a few simple component tweaks and a large turbocharger.
Exactly how much power is offered has yet to be confirmed, but various reports place the power output at anywhere between 280bhp and 310bhp. Needless to say, it’ll be a fast one.
Expect sub-five second 0-62mph times courtesy of all that power and Quattro four-wheel drive, but as with every other RS-badged Audi it’s likely that the RS 1 will come exclusively with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox to get the best launch times possible.
It’ll be the cheapest Audi RS model yet
There’s no official word on how much the RS 1 will cost just yet, but it’s expected to cost around £30,000, putting it on par with four-wheel drive performance hatch rivals like the Golf R and the Focus RS.
It’ll likely go on sale around the middle of 2017 to bring an end to the current A1’s production before an all-new model is introduced in 2018, and is expected to be available as either a three-door or a five-door Sportback variant.
