Independent Reviews of Audi New and Used Cars

Before dismissing the Audi S1 as an expensive indulgence, ask yourself this. How much space do you really need in your hot hatch? Yes, for similar money, you could buy a slightly larger car of this kind from this era, something from the next size up like a Golf GTI, a Megane Renaultsport, an Astra VXR or a Focus ST. The question is whether you really need to. Typical buyers, after all, don’t usually choose their shopping rockets prioritising rear seat room or boot capacity. So, what if you could trade a little of that and get something far more useful in return: all-weather traction. Plus, if as well, you could get a little more speed - and residuals offering a lower set of running costs - you’d be all set. Such is the appeal of this S1. It’s not perfect of course. On a dry road, some larger or less powerful models in this segment might feel a little more involving - and maybe they’d be better track day tools too. It’s also hard to ignore the fact that in buying this car, you’ll probably be paying around 20% more than you would be for a comparably-sized Fiesta or Clio-class GTi. In return though, you’re getting something quite special: a proper quattro-driven Audi S-car that can hit 155mph and get to 62mph in less than six seconds, yet will nevertheless better 40mpg and emit just 165g/km (NEDC figures). That kind of formula at this kind of price just wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago. Now, it could be sitting in your driveway. Small, but almost perfectly formed.

Audi’s e-tron S Sportback sets a fresh standard for EV handling. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

If you’ve ever wondered just how much style and luxury is really possible in a really small car, then it’s worth trying one of these. In distilling the essence of ‘Audi-ness’ into something this compact, the German brand continues to set this A1 Sportback apart in the supermini segment, offering a balance between sportiness, quality and comfort that rivals are still struggling to match. True, ground-breaking technology isn’t on the agenda here, but as Audi has already discovered, there’s a place for that and it probably isn’t in this very price-conscious sector of the market. What’s more important is that if you climb out of an expensive A4 or A6 into an A1 costing half as much, the feeling is very much the same In fact, that’s even more the case with this MK2 model with its smarter finish and hi-tech Audi connect infotainment options. All right, so in overall terms, the revisions made to this supermini aren’t especially far-reaching, but then they didn’t really need to be. There’s still nothing else in this segment that’s quite as polished and premium. The A1 then, remains a very expensive-feeling car that for you, may well be just about affordable. Exactly as Audi promised.

This may not be the most powerful estate car in the world from its era but in every meaningful respect, it was the fastest, exactly as it was designed to be. Speed, it seems, is not directly relational to power and by shaving the weight, increasing the torque, improving aerodynamics and reducing friction in the engine, Audi managed to do more with less when it came to this ‘C7’-series RS 6. Quite how much more only really becomes apparent when you exercise the throttle pedal with intent. This thing is quite jaw-droppingly fast - certainly quick enough to make its key AMG rival from Mercedes seem as if it’s weighed anchor. It’s not perfect of course. Steering remains the most obvious area for improvement, while some will feel the car’s personality only really emerges when the optional sports exhaust is fitted. And, despite the weight savings, it’s still large and heavy enough to lose a little to Audi’s smaller RS 4 Avant model on tight and really twisty roads. It feels churlish to grumble though. The engineers at quattro GmbH hit virtually all of their design objectives with this RS 6. It has a charisma of its own, an incredibly special interior and looks like a supercar’s evil henchman from outside. Best of all, that devastating power never, ever loses its appeal. The result is an astonishing machine - and a monumental force to be reckoned with.

Audi’s Q5 looks appealing but pricey in TFSI e plug-in hybrid form. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.