Audi launches A1 hatchback compact

Models pose next to the new Audi A1 hatchback during a launch event in southern Seoul, Thursday. The entry-level compact hatchback appeals to young customers and has a price tag in the upper 30 million won range. / Yonhap

By Park Jin-hai

Audi Korea unveiled its new A1 hatchback, fueling competition in the heated compact car segment, Thursday.

The stylish compact with a price tag starting from 32.7 million won targets customers in their 20s and 30s.

“These days more consumers want premium compact cars and we believe that the new A1 will give the most attractive choice to the Korean market,” said Audi Korea CEO Johannes Thammer, during a launch event in Seoul, Thursday. “We are introducing the updated version of the A1 with improved performance and design.”

The A1 is one of Audi's most popular models, which has sold around 500,000 since its 2010 launch in Europe.

The new A1 mounted a 1.6 TDI diesel engine, meeting the Euro 6 emission standards, along with a seven-speed automatic transmission.

It has maximum 116 horsepower and torque of 25.5 kilogram-meters.

The cars available here are the three-door A1 30 TDI and the five-door A1 Sportback 30 TDI.

The A1 offers the most economical option among the Audi cars as its base price starts from 32.7 million won.

“Some 5 percent of our premium customers are young in their 20s. And the major premium customers are in their 30s who want lifestyle oriented vehicles,” Thammer added.

He predicted that the domestic compact car market will grow to 10,000 between 2018 and 2020, and so does its A1 compact hatchbacks.

With its competitive price range, Audi targets to sell 500 A1 cars during the latter half of this year, given the supply shortage as the car enjoys wide popularity in European market, but it predicts the number will be more than 1,000 next year.

“In the compact segment, we aim to secure 15 to 18 percent of market share,” he said.

The A1 30 is capable of going from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 9.4 seconds, with a maximum speed of 200 kilometers per hour. It can run 16.1 kilometers on a liter of fuel.

The A1 Sportback takes 9.5 seconds to accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour and has fuel efficiency of 16 kilometers per a liter of fuel.

According to Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association data, compact cars with smaller than the 2-liter engine have sold 52,313, more than half of the total of 95,057 foreign cars sold during the first five months of this year.

The number is 24.7 percent growth from the previous year. By age group, people in their 20s and 30s took 44 percent of all imported car customers.