New Audi A1 Sportback: The Five-Door A1 arrives for 2012

Audi reveals the new A1 Sportback 5 Door

With almost two years of sales of the ‘Only Premium Car in its Class’ (Audi’s assertion), Audi has revealed the more practical version of its smallest car – the five-door Audi A1 Sportback.

Visually, the five-door A1 looks just the same as the three-door A1 – with the obvious addition of a pair of back doors – but Audi has managed to 6mm in height and width which, they say, improves room in the back. Which it may, but as the length and wheelbase remain the same it won’t do anything for legroom.

Although there have been claims that Audi was struggling to sell the three-door A1 at the premium prices asked, Audi considers the A1 a success with sales running ahead of initial targets.

But the five-door is expected to be the big-seller in the A1 range, so once the A1 Sportback gets in to showrooms next year Audi are expecting it to take two-thirds of sales.

Engine options will be the same as the three-door A1, with an 85bhp 1.2 TFSI, 120bhp 1.4 TFSI and the supercharged and turbocharged 182bhp 1.4 TFSI from the Polo as the petrol options.

On the diesel front there will be the 103bhp 1.6 litre TDI which delivers sub 100g/km CO2 and 74mpg, but by launch we should also see the new 141bhp 2.0 litre TDI Audi announced last week for the three-door A1.

Audi tell us they are now taking orders for the A1 Sportback, with first UK deliveries in Spring 2012. Starting point is £13,980 for the A1 1.2 Sportback Five-Door, a premium over the three door of £560.

We don’t have prices for the rest of the A1 Sportback range yet (we’ll update when we do), but it seems reasonable to assume the £560 premium will be constant across the range.

(59 photos – click any thumbnail for full gallery)

By Cars UK