Audi product plan for 2012

A1 diesel here now and Q3 to follow in Q1 — and that's just the beginning
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The Audi juggernaut will roll on in 2012, with more new models and variants reaching the market to flatten the competition.

Product Manager for Audi Australia, John Roberts, announced during a presentation for the new four-cylinder A6 variants that next year's new model releases would cover a lot of bases.

"Looking into 2012, in terms of product and what we can expect," he said, "in the first quarter... [is] the Q3… we're looking at an A5/S5 product improvement... an additional transmission for our TT — S Tronic for the entry-point 1.8 Turbos — R8 GT Spyder we'll see out here; A1 in a five-door version; A4 Allroad, A6 Avant and S6, S7 [and] S8. That's what you can expect to see from us, from the product launch point of view, in 2012."

And with just a few months remaining this year, Audi has also launched the A1 1.6 TDI (pictured), the car that's currently the only factory-entered competition vehicle in the World Solar Challenge running through Central Australia this week. Fuel consumption from the diminutive Audi has averaged 3.4L/100km during the event.

The new A1 variant, as the name indicates, is diesel powered and features common-rail injection, variable-geometry turbocharging and four valves per cylinder. Peak power is 66kW and the engine in the lightweight A1 develops a handy 230Nm of torque. With auto-start/stop and brake energy recovery, the frugal A1 is good for 3.8L/100km with five-speed manual transmission or 4.2L/100km with the S Tronic (dual-clutch) option.

Alloy wheels, sports steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity with music streaming, eight-speaker concert audio, trip computer, 6.5-inch pop-up display, auto headlights and rain-sensing wipers are all standard.

Audi is selling the new variant in two levels of trim — the Attraction grade (starting at the same entry-level price as for the A1 1.4 TFSI , $29,900) and the sportier Ambition grade, featuring 16-inch alloy-wheel upgrade, sports suspension, sports seats, front-centre armrest, front fog lights, high-gloss interior trim and chrome tailpipes.

What's coming:

Audi Q3
Audi A6 Avant
Audi R8 GT Spyder
Audi A1 Sportback
Audi A4 Allroad
Audi S6, S7, S8

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