Are you missing a Audi S1? Don't worry, because ABT has already created its own interpretation with 240 CV.

Compact sports cars have always been a type of vehicle that has strongly captured the attention of the most enthusiastic motoring fans. Over the years, we have witnessed how this segment has surpassed thresholds that, not so long ago, were reserved only for the most exclusive supercars. Audi has always been a faithful champion of hot hatchbacks, something it has demonstrated with the RS3, S3 and S1, the latter being one of the most sought-after. However, in this second generation of the German city car, its most sporty variant has yet to materialise, but tuner ABT could not wait any longer.

The first-generation Audi S1 proved to be a good example of the original concept of the compact sports car, in which low weight and considerable power were fundamental ingredients. Using a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine, it was capable of producing 231 CV, power that was distributed between both axles thanks to Quattro four-wheel drive.

Up to 240 CV of power

Today, the Audi A1 offers different engines designed to cover all kinds of needs. However, as a prelude to the future S1, the house of the four rings offers a 200 CV variant, a power output on par with that of its close relative, the Volkswagen Polo GTi. While Audi maintains a deafening silence about the S1 or a hypothetical RS1, ABT has sought to fill that gap—temporarily—by taking advantage of the existence of the A1 40 TFSI.

Thanks to ABT’s performance kit, the smallest member of the Audi family is now capable of delivering 240 CV and 360 Nm of torque, figures that place it on a par with a Golf GTi, for example. To complete the package, the German tuner also offers 18-inch wheels with a specific design that can be fitted to any A1, regardless of whether the performance upgrade is carried out.

To optimise the cornering of the German compact, ABT also allows its customers to include a new suspension system. Thanks to it, the body height can be lowered by between 25 and 30 mm, with the aim of offering better dynamic behaviour and a more aggressive, sharper look.

It will be necessary to pay a sum of 3,790 euros to include both the upgraded suspension and the wheels, although ABT has made no statements about the price of the performance kit. In this way, it will be possible to fill the gap left by the Audi S1, a variant that still remains in the shadows, awaiting the German house’s green light for its launch.

Technical specifications of this car

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