AUDI A1 IS NAMED WHAT CAR? CAR OF THE YEAR 2011

Premium subcompact hatchback makes the leap from Most Exciting Car of the Year to What Car? Car of the Year in its first 12 months.

A1 is “the right car at the right time, combining desirability with ability” according to What Car? judges as it wins Car of the Year
The Audi premium hatch is dubbed “the ultimate downsizer’s transportation” by the panel of What Car? journalists and scoops Supermini of the Year
TT cruises to its fifth-consecutive Coupe of the Year crown
The new Audi A1 scooped the top honour at the prestigious What Car? Awards last night at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane.

The judges were full of admiration for the premium subcompact hatchback, which “comes across as every inch a bespoke premium product“ and “oozes quality everywhere you look and from everything you touch – you won’t find better at this price.“

Steve Fowler, Editor-in-Chief of What Car?, explained: “The Audi A1 is a brilliant car: brilliantly targeted and brilliantly executed. More and more buyers are looking for smaller, more efficient cars, but with all the luxury trappings of much larger cars. That’s exactly what Audi has given them – a super-stylish, high quality small car that’s affordable and great fun, too.“

Peter Schwarzenbauer, Board Member for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG, accepted the award and said: “Our buyers can have great confidence in the A1 now that it has been voted the best by the respected What Car? experts who we know are exceptionally thorough in their testing. We know this is right up there among the very hardest awards to win from a car title anywhere in the world.“