Audi's A1 supermini concept breaks cover

22 October 2007

The first pictures of Audi's A1 supermini concept car are here - a little ahead of schedule.

They're the latest to be leaked into the press ahead of the car's official launch at next week's Tokyo motor show.

Called the Metroproject Quattro, the concept car is said to give detailed clues as to how the Mini rival will look when it goes into production in 2009 or 2010.

The concept car uses a hybrid, four-wheel-drive powertrain. The front wheels are powered by a turbocharged 150bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine, while a 41bhp electric motor provides additional drive to the rear wheels when required.

Power to the front wheels is directed via a semi-automatic gearbox, although the driver can use paddles behind the steering wheel to manually change gear. The 0-62mph time is 7.8 seconds.

In towns and at low-speeds, the electric motor can power the car with zero emissions.

The lithium-ion battery has a range of 100km (62 miles) in pure electric mode and can do 62mph.

It also benefits from stop/start and an energy regeneration set-up that uses downhill sections to recharge the battery.

The three-door, four-seater has 240 litres of luggage space and is longer and wider than a Mini, which promises decent legroom in the rear seats.

The cabin shows a lot of production-ready components, from the instrument pod to the round vents on the dash. There's also a new Audi phone system, too.

More details and pictures will be included in our Tokyo motor show report on Wednesday.

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