Audi S1 review

What the S1 does that’s different to other fast Audis is to encourage you to misbehave – look, it has a traditional handbrake that’s pretty much begging to be yanked on mid-corner, and traction control that can be fully disabled. Combine this with a 4wd system that’s only too able to pull you out of whatever trouble you’ve got yourself into and you’re looking at a fun and trustworthy companion. 

Of course, you won’t actually be misbehaving unless you’re in a snowy deserted car park, will you? Which is why you’ll be glad to hear that the S1 is engaging even if you’re just zapping along to the shops. Traction is fantastic, the S1 digs itself out of corners hard and that sparky 227bhp gives it an almost ferocious turn of pace thanks to – for a hot Audi – remarkably supple suspension. This is a light, sporty hot hatch, so it’s not cosseting exactly, but why would you want it to be? It has (count ‘em) four exhaust pipes poking out the back and you want to be able to hear them as the engine flings itself through the mid-range on a gust of readily accessible torque. It’s proper fun this, and that’s the first time we’ve said that about an Audi for a while.