When the A1 emerged onto the scene I have to admit to being a little underwhelmed, particularly by the design. It wasn’t that there was anything fundamentally wrong with the way it looked, it just left me feeling a little, well, meh!

However, over the intervening years the baby Audi has grown on me and, having just spent a week behind the wheel of the S1, that fondness has turned into something much deeper and more profound.

The S1 might have been a very different beast had the powers that be at parent company VW had their way. Although the platform that the new S1 sits on was always designed to be all wheel drive the associated engineering costs were such that, for a while at least, the hot hatch was going to be front-wheel drive with a tuned version of the 1.4TFSI under bonnet.

Fortunately sense was seen and, after a limited run of ridiculously expensive prototypes, the S1 was put into production with four-wheel drive and 228bhp under the bonnet.

The car Audi loaned me arrived resplendent in Vegas Yellow. I’m assured that it is available in less obvious shades if required but I rather liked the ‘look at me’ paint job. Quad exhausts, aerodynamic add-ons, and lowered suspension complete the ‘I’m no ordinary A1’ statement.

The interior is another matter, however. Being an Audi, of course, the quality of materials is high, both to the eye and to the touch and there are some nice touches, such as the strip of light that surrounds the door-mounted speakers and the abundance of aluminium highlights but, that aside, there’s little sense of drama, scant evidence of performance around the cabin. It’s the epitome of understatement.

There’s a fold-away (manual) 6.5 inch multimedia screen atop the dashboard, DAB radio, Bluetooth and a six-speaker stereo fitted as standard (cruise control is a £225 option, something that I find strange on a premium model) but my test car came equipped with a Bose surround sound audio system (£690) and Audi’s SD-based navigation system (a whopping £875).

There’s room enough in the front, head and leg, and despite the compact dimensions, the driving position was spot on. This is a supermini, let’s not forget, so rear legroom is, naturally, at a premium. The fact is, rear seat passengers might be wiser taking the train.

Performance from the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine is brisk, but perhaps not as brisk as you might imagine considering what little mass it has to propel. It’ll hit 62mph in a sprightly 5.8 seconds which, in isolation, is an impressive number. However, when compared to the Golf R, which boasts the same engine and can hit 62mph in just 4.8 seconds and is big enough so you can have more than one friend, that figure doesn’t quite add up. There’s also very little difference in price.

The big engine in a little car scenario does have some benefits though, because there’s plenty of pulling power under your right foot from almost any revs. In fact, on the motorway it’s unlikely you’d ever need to change down to access additional power to aid overtaking, so flexible is the engine. The exhaust note from the four fat pipes sounds pretty good, too, especially when you’re working the car hard.

The ride and handling can be adjusted using three modes - Dynamic, Auto and Efficiency - which adjusts the dampers, steering, power delivery and ancillary systems.

Dynamic mode can be a little uncompromising on the majority of the UK’s roads, leaving the car struggling to absorb typical back-road lumps and bumps and the driver struggling to exploit the S1’s real potential.

Thankfully Auto mode soften things up a touch, opening up a whole new realm of possibilities, and revealing all the ingredients a hot hatch needs: The steering is direct and responsive, and there’s plenty of grip, albeit limited by the front end. Still, there’s enough attitude and spirit to give its rivals a proper run for their money.

However, it’s money, in the end, that’s the thorn in the S1’s talented side. There’s no hiding the fact that it’s an expensive ride, and not as quick as it’s looks suggest. Of course, for that money you get legendary build quality and the Audi badge, but that might not quite be enough to see off its rivals.

Audi S1

Price: £24,555

As tested: £31,420

Engine: 2.0 TFSI Quattro

Transmission: Six-speed manual

Power: 228bhp

Acceleration (0-62mph): 5.8sec

Maximum speed: 155mph

Urban: 31mpg

Extra Urban: 48.7mpg

Combined: 40.4mpg

Emissions (CO2): 162g/km

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