Audi A1 quattro vs Audi Ur-Quattro: 2013 twin test

Hot hatches are as popular as they’ve ever been these days, but the new Audi A1 quattro is no ordinary souped-up supermini.

It’s limited to just 333 left-hand-drive cars, only available in white and features the aggressive styling usually reserved for Audi’s storming RS range. It also has running gear from the larger S3, giving it a combination of four-wheel drive and 253bhp turbo power that’s unique in this class.

So rather than pitch the A1 against slower rivals, we’re comparing it with a famous ancestor. The Quattro took Audi into motorsport in the eighties and paved the way for its modern success. And while these cars are separated by 23 years, both are hand-built, use turbo engines to power all four wheels and claim 0-62mph in under six seconds.

Today, the original Quattro is commonly known as the Ur-Quattro, and the 1989 example in this test is one of the last off the line. It gets a 217bhp five-cylinder engine, and it stands a good chance of teaching the newcomer a lesson. If the A1 can capture even a small slice of the magic that made the original car so special, it’ll go some way to justifying its £40,000-plus asking price.

Verdict

Audi has made huge profits selling premium saloons in recent years, but its heart and soul still belong to high-performance four-wheel-drive sports cars like the A1 quattro and Ur-Quattro.

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While the brand has drifted away from its rallying roots – towards Le Mans 24 Hours glory – its high-performance road cars retain the same heady mix of powerful engines and four-wheel-drive traction.

We’re not picking a winner in this test, but both cars are clearly very special. And while we’d hoped the A1 would be a little quicker than its ancestor after 23 years’ development, there’s no faulting its high-revving performance or the quality finish and luxurious equipment inside.

The decision to fit so many new mechanical parts but leave the steering untouched might just come back to haunt Audi: a lack of responsiveness from the electric rack is the A1’s only real weak point.

Without this fault, it would be an instant classic, and in the long term its rarity should take the sting out of its depreciation and eye-watering price.

As for the Ur-Quattro, its status as an icon is clearly deserved, as few classics could give their modern rivals a run for their money. Driving the two side-by-side was a fantastic glimpse of Audi’s DNA, and we hope future limited-edition models continue to use the great Quattro as a blueprint.

Audi A1 quattro

Purists will be disappointed that the new A1 Quattro can’t match the old model’s dynamic prowess. Numb, lifeless steering is the main problem, although this car still has huge amounts of charisma and raw pace. We’ve no doubt it’s destined to become a future classic. A high price and sold-out production run dampen its appeal, but it’s a timely return to Audi’s roots nonetheless.

Audi has produced a constant stream of high-performance S and RS models in recent years, so it would be quite easy to miss the arrival of something truly special.

However, the A1 quattro is so much more than just a hotter version of an existing car. Only 333 examples have been built – all of them left-hand drive – of which just 19 are on their way to the UK. And each lucky owner will have to fork out £41,035 for the pleasure of owning what is by far the fastest supermini on the market.

So the car has two simple questions to answer: can it become an instant classic like its older relation? And does it deliver enough performance and excitement to earn that quattro badge on its bootlid?

It certainly has what it takes to look at. The standard A1 is striking enough, but the quattro’s exterior design has been given a dose of added aggression. The white bodywork, black roof and gloss black detailing are smart, while rally-inspired details like the white turbine alloys, massive rear wing and big bumpers all help create a unique look. But the changes aren’t purely cosmetic. The huge air intakes in the front bumper and pair of 100mm big-bore exhaust pipes are essential to let the 2.0-litre turbo engine breathe.

Placed side-by-side, the Audi A1 and Ur-Quattro are clearly from different eras. The old car is long, low and narrow compared to the new one, but the A1’s wheelbase is only 55mm shorter, so interior space is maximised.

Clamber into the heavily bolstered sports seats, and it’s easy to see what Audi has done to set the A1 quattro apart from the standard car. Every possible option has been thrown at it, so you get a powerful Bose stereo, heated leather seats, sat-nav, a DAB digital radio and xenon lights included in the asking price. Special details such as the stainless-steel pedals, flat-bottomed steering wheel and bright red rev counter are unique to the A1 quattro, while the knurled metal gearknob looks like it’s come straight from Audi’s R8 supercar.

Unfortunately, all this equipment adds 200kg to the kerbweight, but to ensure the performance still crackles, the A1 has the same engine as the S3 hatchback and TTS coupe. That means there’s 253bhp and 350Nm of torque driving all four wheels, which propels the A1 quattro from 0-62mph in a claimed 5.7 seconds.

On track, it felt every bit as fast as the numbers suggest, and the rest of the drivetrain has been beefed up to cope with the muscular engine. Stronger brakes, full-time four-wheel drive, plus a new rear anti-roll bar and multi-link suspension are all unique to this car, and parts like the carbon-fibre propshaft should give the A1 a massive advantage over the Ur-Quattro at the track.

Power delivery is remarkably similar to the old car’s at first – but once the turbo gets into its stride at 3,000rpm, the A1 feels quicker and the exhaust note becomes an urgent howl as you approach 7,000rpm.

Traction off the line is immense, yet the A1’s tall body and short wheelbase make for a spiky handling balance. If you change direction sharply without loading up the wheels first, the car twitches and oversteers, despite its four-wheel-drive system. And the problem is made worse by the same electric steering as found in the standard A1, which alters its weighting suddenly. It offers little genuine feedback and is a real letdown in a car that’s otherwise extremely focused. The ride is very firm and the big wheels hunt for cambers in the road, too, so it’s a shame the steering makes adjusting your line tricky.

Nevertheless, the A1 was seven seconds faster than the Quattro around the short test track at Blyton, which highlights the benefit of modern suspension and tyres in corners.

As a limited-run flagship, the A1 quattro represents something genuinely different from Audi. The rally-inspired details go some way towards justifying the hefty price tag, and that’s part of the reason why the entire global production run has sold out – but how will it stack up against the original Ur-Quattro?

Audi Ur-Quattro

The original and still the best, the Ur-Quattro has withstood the test of time incredibly well. Faded brakes meant it was much slower at the track than the A1, but overall the narrow gap in performance is a testament to how far ahead of its time this car was in the eighties. Well kept used examples can still be found for around £16,000 and are very likely to increase in value, so it’s also something of a bargain.

Cult cars like the Audi Quattro need no introduction. This model single-handedly transformed the world of rallying and defined the evolution of sports cars.

When it first arrived in 1980, the only previous four-wheel-drive sports car was the agricultural and hugely expensive Jensen FF of 1966. But with its modern transmission, firebreathing turbocharged engine and massive grip, the Quattro boasted the kind of performance rivals could only dream about.

A quick glance at the facts and figures suggests the difference between old and new isn’t that big. Despite being slightly larger, the 1991 Quattro we tested is actually 10kg lighter than the Audi A1 quattro, at 1,380kg. Yet while the 217bhp, 2.2-litre turbo five-cylinder engine was considered powerful back in the day, it trails the A1, with its 253bhp output.

When the Quattro made its debut at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show, some criticised its squat shape, which was the work of British designer Martin Smith. But today, it looks close to perfect. Even though the wheels are just 15 inches in diameter, they fill the car’s hefty arches properly, while details like the embossed Coupé logo across the boot and subtle rear air vents draw the eye.

The interior is a little less glamorous than the gadget-laden A1’s, but the orange LCD dials evoke a wonderful sense of nostalgia, and the electric windows and extending radio aerial still work just fine – a testament to Audi’s build quality. The later version we tested came with half-leather sports seats and a contoured three-spoke steering wheel that give an extra-special feel.

So the cabin has aged well, but can the Quattro still keep up on track? Under the bonnet lies an engine that fully deserves its hallowed reputation. Our 20-valve Quattro had covered more than 70,000 miles, yet it still delivered scintillating mid-range punch. Plus, the evocative five-cylinder warble fills the cabin every time you accelerate through the gears.

Cars of this vintage often need to be handled with care, but our example had retained the natural agility of its youth.

The steering was a real highlight: heavy, yet direct and wonderfully communicative, with a purity that the A1’s clinical, electrically assisted set-up lacks. And the grippy chassis still gives you the confidence to corner at high speed on a wet or dry surface.

Lean on the suspension and it shows impressive composure, while only the long-throw gearbox and spongy brakes give away the Quattro’s age. It felt planted even in freezing conditions, and the balance was more neutral than in the twitchy A1.

Even a short drive was enough to cement the Quattro’s reputation, and its dynamic brilliance remains undiluted. It definitely deserves a space in anyone’s dream garage.

Facts and figures