Belgian Prime Minister Yves Letermen was on-hand at Audi’s Brussels plant as production commenced for the all-new A1 premium subcompact model.
The Volkswagen Group plant has been completely upgraded since it stopped producing Volkswagen’s Polo models in 2009 and is now set to roll-out up to 100,000 A1 vehicles annually.
Audi needs the capacity with European customer demand for the A1 (priced from EUR 15,800) likely to outstrip supply with only 50,000 able to be manufactured this year.
Initially, European models will be powered by either a 1.4-litre TFSI petrol engine or a 1.6-litre TDI diesel. A 1.2-litre petrol engine will follow.
There’s no doubt the A1 us a styling triumph – it delivers traditional Audi styling cues in a cute way and is available with a myriad of individually customized designs – including different colour combinations for its noticeably curved roof.
Over 103,000 prospective European customers have flagged their interest in what Audi is calling “the world’s first premium subcompact”. The company says more than 90 per cent of those prospective buyers have never previously owned an Audi.
