The Audi S1 is the brand’s tiniest hot hatch and the most powerful model of the A1 lineup. Powered by a 228hp (231PS) 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine producing 370 Nm (273 lb-ft) of torque and fitted as standard with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system, the Audi S1 should be quite fun to drive – but is it?

EVO’s Henry Catchpole first drove it on some snow-covered roads in Sweden and then put it to the test on an improvised course with dry tarmac. His feedback is that the car is fast, but the fact that the AWD system is front-biased (60/40) means there is understeer, which takes away some of the fun.

Still, the Audi S1 is deemed to have an overall neutral feel, with Catchpole saying it very hard to unbalance it. The only big problem with it is the price tag, a hefty €29,950 ($41,387) in Germany for the three-door model.

By Dan Mihalascu

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