Three-pedal cars are becoming increasingly rare in the luxury segment, as only a handful of automakers are trying to save the manual. Examples include the Acura Integra, Cadillac CT4-V/CT5-V Blackwing, and the BMW M2, M3, M4, and Z4 M40i. You’ll be surprised to hear that Audi still lets you row your own gears in one of its cars, but it’s not nearly as exciting as the ones I mentioned. The A1 is available in some markets with a stick shift.
Not just any manual but a five-speed unit. Yes, Europeans can buy a brand-new Audi with a five-speed manual in 2025. The base A1 makes do with a three-cylinder engine rated at just 94 horsepower and 130 pound-feet (175 Newton meters) of torque. Such a car would never make the cut in North America, not just because it’s small, but due to its shockingly austere level of standard equipment. It’s stuck with halogen headlights and tiny 15-inch steel wheels. It’s also painfully slow, taking 11 seconds to reach 62 mph (100 km/h).
Photo by: Audi
From cloth seats and manual air conditioning to blank buttons and the absence of a central armrest, the entry-level A1 makes a lot of concessions to keep the price low. But you’re still paying €22,950 (nearly $24,000) in Germany for the cheapest car Audi sells, so it’s not exactly a bargain. The A1 is based on the Volkswagen Polo, which kicks off at a lower €19,835 ($20,500) in its home market. The mechanically related SEAT Ibiza is cheaper, at €18,430 ($19,100)
If you think the A1 is not worthy of the Four Rings, the subcompact hatchback is actually living on borrowed time. Once the current generation dies, Audi will axe its smallest car and make the A3 its entry-level model. Another lesser model from Ingolstadt facing retirement is the Q2, as the B-segment crossover won’t be renewed either.
Audi still trailed behind Tesla last year, even with volume-oriented products such as the A1 and Q2. With 1,704,093 units delivered, the Model 3 and Model Y outsold the entire Audi lineup in 2024. The German brand shipped 1,671,218 cars last year, down 11.8% from 2023.
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