When this car first arrived, the kids asked “what are you doing with a Bumble-Bee look-a-like”, as it was in “Vegas” bright yellow, with a brilliant black solid paint roof. It stood out, and you could hardly miss it or lose it in a car park and if anyone did run into to it and then say they didn’t see you, then they must have serious problems with their eyesight.

The S1 is a “pocket-rocket”, as they used to be called. It will be the must-have by any potential boy-racers. It will be the thing to be seen in by those seeking attention, and is bound to be sought after by young men and woman who want something a bit different to the regular hot-hatch, and who are prepared to spend all their hard-earned cash on a quick, hot motor.

It is not just buying the car that will cost plenty, but running it too as insurance won’t be cheap, vehicle excise duty, or road fund licence currently costs £290, and it isn’t particularly good on fuel either. 

However, the S1 might also appeal to the older end, those who want a small luxury, well-built car that looks good, handles impeccably, and has the advantage of Audi’s Quattro four wheel drive system. Who knows, the elderly may be well be the attention seekers after all. But as the S1 gets older, then younger buyers will start to drool over the possibility of owning one too, so it is a win-win situation for Audi, providing that the market is not flooded with them.

The S1 is powered by a 2.0 litre TFSI petrol engine that produces a respectable 231ps, the CO2 is a little high at 166g/km. It accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 5.9 seconds and a has a top speed of 155mph. The official combined fuel consumption figure is 39.8mpg.

Surprisingly on a gentle run down the M1 we managed to achieve 38.2 mpg, but then there were some long sections of roadworks with a 50 mph speed limit which no doubt boosted the figure. The long term average was down at 28.8 mpg though.

It feels like a quick and safe small hatch, yet it is very docile in traffic, and when you just want to go slowly, it does not constantly want to be off, racing every other car in sight. It is a very useable car in every situation. But when you do need a bit of power, its off like a rocket, acceleration is fantastic, and with that Quattro system, it stays in a perfect straight line, no movement at all from side-to-side.

The S1 is a four-seater only and space is pretty good for four adults. But room in the boot is limited, as you would expect from a car of this size. The luggage space also looks a bit smaller than the A1, whether this is an optical illusion, or the Quattro system takes up some room it’s not clear. But getting a couple of suitcases or a few supermarket shopping bags in there is a bit of a struggle.

The quality, like all Audi products is tip-top, everything in the car is up to a very high standard, the fit and finish and materials used are superb. Audi seem to have got their small cars, as good as their larger ones. The Fine Nappa leather with silver stitching, which is standard on the S1 appears to be every bit as good as it is in the A8.

The S1 has a on-the-road price of £25,635.00, but add a few nice options in, such as the 18 inch parallel S design alloy wheels, 3 spoke flat bottom multi-function leather steering wheel, cruise control, black roof, special yellow paint, Audi sound system, Hill hold assist, connectivity pack and a few other bits and pieces, and you can easily be up to £29,000.00 

The new S1 is almost unique, as there is hardly anything else on the market that is similar: high-power, four-wheel drive, great quality, big fun drive with superb handling, and for such a small car it feels as solid as a rock.

Martin Ward, Manufacturer Relationship Manager