Audi has locked and loaded the new generation A1, a supermini hatch aimed to take on the Mini at its own game. But will the new styling language, tech and improved drive appeal to the next generation IT crowd. Due to hit retail in November, the Audi A1 loses the first-generation frumpy look that was aimed for the knitting community and goes full on for the trendy sports bar folks who have memberships at trendy gyms they never use.

The Audi A1, released in 2010, trails behind the Mini in terms of sales finding 90,000 happy customers annually, a mere dip in the ocean compared to the 215,000 sales Mini generates every year. So Audi had to do something to appeal to more people and, therefore, steal sales away from the Mini crowd. The second generation A1 certainly looks a lot more striking, but to us, the Mini still looks way cooler. Apparently, some of the external design elements take cues from the 1984 Quattro, such as the single-frame grille and bonnet slits. (hood slits if you are reading this from the USA). The new A1 shares the same platform used by the VW Polo and Seat Ibiza, so that means a larger and wider presence by mere a few centimeters either way. This also allows for a larger load capacity and adds an extra 65-litres of rear boot space. The A1 will not be offered with a diesel engine, it’s a choice of three petrol engines ranging from the 1.0-litre 3-cylinder and 1.5-litre to the 197bhp 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine. All engines will be offered with a six-speed manual or, as an option, a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. The 2.0-litre variant will be offered with a 7-speed auto as standard. The 250bhp AWD S1 is scheduled to arrive in 2019, a hydrogen gas powered version will be offered in mainland Europe but not in Hingland. No word yet on a hybrid or pure electric version. As far as tech goes, the A1 will be just as feature packed as the rest of the Audi range, the instrument binnacle is now fully digital as standard with options to upgrade to fancier graphics. Most models will get an 8.8-inch touchscreen as standard with the option to upgrade to a larger 10.1-inch screen. The Sat-Nav system will now feature Google Maps, smartphone functionality will include Android Auto & Apple CarPlay as well as optional LTE connectivity (superfast internet on the move). Audi will also offer, as an option, a 560W Bang & Olufsen sound system. Audi says the new A1 will offer improved ride and handling courtesy of adaptive damping which is optional, top spec models will benefit from a sports suspension which offers a firmer but supple ride. The new Audi A1 will be loaded with the latest active, passive safety and driving assist technologies such as automatic parking and adaptive speed cruise control. Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but expect an increase to around £17k for entry-level models.