Spyshots: 2012 Audi RS1

⌕ 2012 Audi RS1 on Nurburgring

This has to be one of the coolest bodies that Audi’s Quattro GmbH has come up with in a long time. Despite being the size of a of a household pet, the RS1, with its bulging nose and rally-inspired wing on the back is as scary as the Focus RS.

The car was recently spotted while it was undergoing high-speed testing on the Nurburgring test track and on regular roads in Germany, as it will soon make its presence felt on the European market, most likely next year.

Audi is reportedly planning a four-cylinder engine under the bonnet and some rumors suggest a highly-tuned 1.4-liter. However, a number of reliable sources have said that the 2.0-liter TFSI from the Golf GTI is what will actually power this car.

In the hot Golf, this produces 210 hp in European-spec, but the RS1 is likely to go all the way to about 250 hp in order to justify its badge.

Volkswagen Group will convert the PQ25 platform in order to make this and the upcoming Polo R as all-wheel drive cars.

The power should be delivered to the road via Audi’s seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission, which should help it deal with the 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) sprint in under 6 seconds.

From a cosmetics point of view, the RS1 benefits from the same oval twin exhaust round the back, some beefy side skirts and a huge wing to keep the back end in check. The front is dominated by massive air intakes and the new Audi grille design.

Both 17-inch wheels and LED daytime running lights are expected to be standard features.

Audi originally planned to use a 1.4-liter TFSI engine to produce a front-wheel-drive S1 but has since dropped the idea, believing it was bad for the company's image. Skipping the S1 and going for a quattro RS1 might mean this will be a more performance oriented car, one that driving enthusiasts might enjoy more.

❐ Check out the 2012 Audi RS1 Spyshots photo gallery