Photo: SB-Medien
Audi hasn't made a small, really hot hatchback since the days of the first generation S3. But soon, the S1 will pick up where that car left off, offering 230 PS, quattro all-wheel drive and a slick auto gearbox, all in a small package that's only 4 meters long.
The car has been out testing for about a year now, letting us know it's an S model through its enlarged wheels and distinctive quad exhaust system. Autoexpress recently reported that the car has S-tronic and quattro as standard, contradicting our own analysis of the photos, which seemed to indicate a simple rear crossbeam suspension system.
AWD or FWD, it seems the littlest of Audi S models didn't have enough traction, because during a winter testing session in Northern Sweden the car struck a snowbank. Our spy photographer tells us the crash might have actually happened because the Audi team didn't want their car spied again.
Two support cars, presumably the Q7s we see in these photos, were trying to slow the photographer down in order to let the S1 get away. But at the next junction, he found the S1 had crashed, a local female test driver being behind the wheel. She wasn't hurt and the car took only minor damage.
However, this incident does provide us with insight into the S1's mechanical bits. As you can see in the photo above, the rear tires spun so hard that they reached the road underneath the car. Rear tires spinning can only mean one thing: quattro is indeed fitted to the car.
AWD or FWD, it seems the littlest of Audi S models didn't have enough traction, because during a winter testing session in Northern Sweden the car struck a snowbank. Our spy photographer tells us the crash might have actually happened because the Audi team didn't want their car spied again.
Two support cars, presumably the Q7s we see in these photos, were trying to slow the photographer down in order to let the S1 get away. But at the next junction, he found the S1 had crashed, a local female test driver being behind the wheel. She wasn't hurt and the car took only minor damage.
However, this incident does provide us with insight into the S1's mechanical bits. As you can see in the photo above, the rear tires spun so hard that they reached the road underneath the car. Rear tires spinning can only mean one thing: quattro is indeed fitted to the car.
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