Audi in its bid to achieve the top luxury car manufacturer title is expanding its lineup with a baby SUV, Q1. The crossover Audi Q1 will be launched only in early 2016. The baby SUV will share its platform with the all-new Volkswagen Polo based on the new flexible MQB architecture although it does look like a re-badged Volkswagen Taigun. It will directly rival the Nissan Juke and also potentially divert a sizeable chunk towards its own sales. The Audi Q1 is expected to cater to the mass market of the entry-level luxury segment. A sportier variant named Q2 is also anticipated to join the Q1.
THe Audi Q1 will sport compact dimensions with a length of 4000 mm, width of 1750 mm and height of 1570 mm while the Q2 is cited to be 4250 mm in length, 1900 mm in width and 1500 mm tall. This makes it marginally taller than the Audi A1 but slightly smaller than Nissan Juke. The Audi Q2 will be based on the Crosslane Coupe revealed at the Paris Motor Show last year. The permanent all-wheel drive system, Quattro will be offered on specific models whereas the majority models will come with a front wheel drive set up.
Audi will supposedly offer a wide variety of engines on the Q1. Downsized, start-stop equipped engines will be on offer in lines with the Audi A1. A 3-cylinder 1.0-litre turbo engine used in the Volkswagen Up! will be the entry-level engine on the Audi Q1. At the top of the range, a 200 BHP 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine will propel the Q1. In between, a four-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine and the recently developed 1.4-litre TFSI engine present in the A3 e-tron will be on offer. This engine will also contribute towards the plug-in hybrid system for the Q1.
A new 1.4-litre TDI engine including a higher-powered 1.6-litre TDI engine make up for the diesel engines likely to be on offer. A 6-speed manual gearbox will be standard while automatic variants will most likely sport the new 10-speed DSG transmission, speculated to go into production starting with next year’s new Volkswagen Passat.
Audi will provide ample personalisation options including various choices of colours for the new trapezoidal front grille that is set to become the common design theme for all the forthcoming Audi SUV models. The coupé-inspired roofline is in similar lines with the Audi Q3 while the side claddings give the Audi Q1 a butch look making it seem higher above the ground than it actually is. The interior design is likely to be minimalistic with most controls operated by the MMI and the centre screen.
The Audi Q1 is most likely to appeal to the young urban buyers and likewise, Audi has incorporated internet-enabled search and google maps in the infotainment system. A 6-speaker stereo along with Bluetooth will also be standard on the Q1. Audi hopes to dent sales of the Nissan Juke with the Q1 and enter an altogether different segment involving mass market sales. Prices are expected to start from £16,000 (Rs 15.8 lakhs) for the entry-level SE petrol Q1. An India arrival is very likely in 2017.
Source – AutoExpress