What's the news?
With Audi dragging its heels building a hot A1 (limited edition and left-hand drive only A1 quattro aside) the task has fallen to the tuning fraternity and ABT chose the five-door Sportback as its base.
Exterior
To ensure the AS1 Sportback stands out the Bavarian tuners have fitted a twin exhaust system and also offers a range of alloy wheels in 17- or 18-inch sizes. The car itself sports a front lip kit, side skirts, rear spoiler and inserts in brushed aluminium, grass green or lavender. Lavender?!
Equally as strange are the three available colour schemes: Aloha is said to have a Hawaiian look, Klecks is 'charming and funny' while High Voltage features martial skulls.
Interior
ABT has not released details about the interior other than it has some nice floor mats. Considering the exterior treatment they probably bear no relation of those found in your local motor factors.
Mechanicals
ABT does not go into details (further than saying 'with a little help') but under its watch the 185hp 1.4-litre TFSI that normally powers the hottest A1 now churns out 210hp in the AS1. Considering it has to make do without four-wheel drive the performance figures are impressive: 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 150mph.
If you do not fancy the full fat version ABT also offers a tuned 1.2-litre TFSI engine with 110hp, a 125hp 1.6-litre diesel and even manages to pump the 2.0-litre diesel up to 170hp.
Anything else?
If, for some reason, you do not fancy your AS1 with lavender flowers or High Voltage skulls ABT also offers a rather fetching white car that bears more than a passing resemblance to the A1 quattro.
Paul Healy - 20 Jul 2012