Fire breathing Audi RS1 has little purpose

Explosive performance from upcoming Audi RS1 will expand Audi Sport brand

You may recall that the Audi A1 was launched a few years ago, and you probably didn’t care about it. This is partly because there wasn’t an insane, fire-breathing RS model to grace the covers of magazines and newspapers. Audi then released the S1 almost 5 years after the release of the A1, but it was too late.

As stupid as it sounds, there is some substance to this claim. BMW has been mastering this tactic for years; they release the M-Model of their car along with the lower models and popularity magically skyrockets. The beautiful power of hype.

Back to the topic at hand; the new-and-untimely Audi RS1, which will pay a final tribute to the current A1 shape until the arrival of a new, second-generation line-up in 2018.

Set to go on sale in early 2017, the hyperhatch, expected to be offered in both coupe and Sportback guises, will fill the void between the naughty Audi S1 and the brutal RS3. At this point the numbers aren’t official, but it’s safe to assume that the RS badge will attract a considerable premium over the 170kW S1, which costs R499 000, meaning that we can expect a price tag in the R700k region.

Along with the upcoming Volkswagen Polo R, the RS1 will take the fight to a number of hot hatches with sources close to the recently reorganized Audi Sport division revealing that the RS1 has been extensively benchmarked against the hot Mini John Cooper Works.

Power for the RS1 comes courtesy of the popular EA888 turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol unit, which should develop a number very close to 208kW; almost 38kW more than today’s S1 which is already on par with the Mini JCW’s output.

Gearbox choices for the RS1 are very likely to be a standard 6-speed manual or a new 7-speed dual clutch automatic unit that has been engineered to handle up to 500Nm of torque. The RS1 is also set to receive a standard multi-plate clutch four-wheel drive system as standard.

Increased power suggests that the RS1 would easily break the 5.8 second 0-100km/h time of today’s S1 coupe. With similar gearing, it should also have the same limited 250km/h top speed as the S1.

With a fun ride and a smile guaranteed to be painted onto your face when you get behind the wheel, will the RS1 be a major hit, or will the steep price tag leave a bitter taste for many potential buyers?