Audi A1 Sportback review (17/10/2012)

THE supermini has not been Audi’s stomping ground. The premium German marque relies on its traditional market segments for the majority of its sales. But Audi has been diversifying its product line-up with bewildering rapidity.

Audi, having witnessed the dizzying success of rivals BMW’s premium brand Mini, were anxious to get in among the new generation of top-end superminis.

The result was the A1 and it was a venture into the dark — Audi’s previous attempt, the adventurous A2, was never hugely popular. Punters eschewed the A2 on the basis that cheaper options served the purpose just as well.