Friday, February 26, 2010

Video: Audi A1 Test Drive - Pure driving experience

. Friday, February 26, 2010

Heading into next week's Geneva Motor Show, Audi has released yet another new video of the A1. Showcasing how the A1 actually drives; DTM pilot Markus Winkelhock takes the Audi A1 for spin around the track along with Dr. Horst Glaser, Head of Chassis Development at Audi.



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Press Release:

Audi A1: Pure driving experience

- Direct-ratio, electrohydraulic power steering
- ESP stabilization system with electronic axle differential lock
- Winkelhock: “Benchmark in the small compact class!”

INGOLSTADT, Germany, Feb 26, 2010 - With its agile handling and direct steering, the new Audi A1 is just a lot of fun. Dr. Horst Glaser, Head of Chassis Development at AUDI AG, tested the A1 together with DTM pilot Markus Winkelhock. The verdict was as follows:

The new Audi A1 offers a very sophisticated chassis, balanced weight distribution and a low center of gravity. “That is a guarantee for maximum driving enjoyment,” says Horst Glaser, Head of Chassis Development at AUDI AG. Because it connects the driver to the road, the steering is one of the most important components of a sporty car. The A1 therefore comes standard with electrohydraulic power steering that has a very direct 14.8:1 steering ratio and is also more efficient than a purely hydraulic system.

Another factor for the agile and safe handling of the A1 is the perfect tuning of the front axle bearings, the stabilizer bars, the springs and the dampers. The rear axle features a torsion-beam suspension with the springs and dampers separated. “The car is very well sprung. It swallows up bumps of almost any size without any amplification of the motions,” says DTM pilot Markus Winkelhock when describing his impressions.

One new Audi technology is on board every version of the A1 – the ESP stabilization system with an innovative electronic axle differential lock. The brakes are applied slightly to the inside wheel in a curve, allowing more torque to be transferred to the wheel on the outside of the curve. The vehicle is very agile and the handling remains neutral even longer.

“After driving the Audi A1 for the first time, my opinion is clear: It’s the benchmark in the small compact class,” says Winkelhock.