Some details on the upcoming Audi A1 (Pictured in the spy shot above) have been leaked.

The A1 may be coming to North America. More and more small cars are making their way here, so it would make sense for Audi to join the game as well.

A more interesting detail is that the car may do without Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system, despite the rumoured S1 and RS1 models. This is to save weight and cut production costs. The S1 and RS1 models would keep the front-wheel-drive layout.

Now, you might think this is all just rumours, and perhaps it is, but a FWD Audi is definitely a possibility. FWD is already offered on a few models, and parent company Volkswagen has plenty of FWD cars as well. With the enviroment and money being a big concern lately too, FWD makes sense, as its cheaper, saves weight and saves fuel.

The S1 and RS1 models would be to fight the MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper S JCW respectively. The S1 is expected to receive the 1.4L 180hp engine out of the Volkswagen Polo GTI. The RS1’s engine is unknown though, the existence of the car itself is even still only a rumour. If it is made, a tuned version of the S1 engine may be used, with power bumped up to 220hp.

Source: MotorAuthority