Audi A1 gets three-cylinder engines

After four years and over half a million sales, the Audi A1 has had a nip and tuck. It may have VW Polo roots, but that's not stopped it from making a rather significant contribution to Audi's slightly imperious growth.

The big news is a pair of new three-cylinder engines. Turbo triples are all the rage at the moment, especially in tiddly cars like this.

And more often than not their mixture of punchy performance and entertainingly warbling soundtracks immediately make them the pick of their respective range. Even if their quoted mpg figures are typically untouchable...

The pair consists of a 94bhp 1.0 TFSI petrol, boasting 65mpg and 99g/km claims, while an 89bhp 1.4 TDI Ultra is thriftier yet, with quote figures of 83mpg and 89g/km.

There's a range of four-cylinder petrols and diesels available, a highlight being the 189bhp 1.8 TFSI petrol turbo, which shares its engine with the new Polo GTI.

All are front-wheel drive, save for the range-topping 227bhp S1 Quattro, which continues service as a rather ace AWD hot hatch.

While new engines grab the headlines, there's been a host of other detail tweaks too. There's new electromechanical steering, which reduces its assistance with speed (we need to drive it to know how natural that will feel).

A seven-speed S-tronic paddleshift gearbox is optional on every engine and there's a new adjustable suspension system on the options list, its modes switchable via a refreshed drive select system.

Inside, there are more connectivity options. Naturally, there's been a minor refresh on the outside, too, though Audi's been sensibly shy with the CAD systems. Some S1-inpired tweaks bring a smidge more aggression and add 20mm to the A1's length.

Most models are on sale now, with the 1-litre triple arriving in spring, when it will kick off the range at £14,315. This or a Mini, dear readers?