A teaser image of the new A1 dashboard.
INGOLSTADT: Audi has begun teasing the all-new second-generation of the A1. The first teaser image isn't a cryptic, disguised artist's impression of the exterior though, but is instead an animated gif of the new model's dashboard.
Audi seems to have caught on to the idea that increasingly advanced infotainment systems are vital to the success of smaller, more affordable models such as the A1, which is why the first details released, on the Audi AG Facebook page, are of the hugely updated system.
What the image confirms is that the vastly enhanced infotainment system will be the kind of thing we'd normally associate with something much higher up in a manufacturer's range than an entry-level model like the A1.
The current A1.
It features the haptic MMI Touch touchscreen display already found in the likes of the new A6, A7, A8 and Q8, and the car also gets Audi's Virtual Cockpit digital instrument panel. Unlike in those models though, the system in the A1 won't be offering the third display lower down the center console.
The Virtual Cockpit is also unlikely to be a standard feature of many A1 models and will instead be an optional extra. Even with something like the considerably more expensive A5 S-Line, the Virtual Cockpit is an expensive upgrade. Perhaps surprisingly though, a very similar system is part of standard equipment in other VW Group models such as the Volkswagen Golf GTI.
Second-generation A1s will be built on the VW Group's ubiquitous MQB platform, called A0, and using the new platform will bring a number of benefits. One of the first and most notable benefits will be to make the new A1 larger than the model it's going to be replacing.
Other changes from what we have at the moment include a colorful accent surrounding the vent that can be seen in the teaser, which hints that this junior member of the Audi range will be available with other customisation and personalisation options not seen on more expensive models. A full reveal of the new A1 has been confirmed to be taking place in Barcelona in the not too distant future, and the covers will likely come off the A1's exterior very soon.
