Which is best: the new Audi A1 or BMW’s ever-popular MINI?
By Mat Watson October 2010 It’s a battle royal. Audi’s new A1 is the talk of the town with its cool modern looks, upmarket feel and desirable badge. But building premium small cars is BMW’s job, as its MINI not only defined the genre but it created it. So we’ve bought the two flyweights together to battle it out on UK roads. While both cars will undoubtedly be competing for similar customers, they go about their business in slightly different ways. The Audi A1 is thoroughly modern looking while the MINI is unashamedly retro. The Audi A1 is all about quality while the MINI focuses on fun. And while prices may be similar, Audi plans to keep sales to a level to ensure the A1 always remains exclusive whereas you can’t drive down any street without passing a MINI. Or ten of them. With prices starting at £13,420 the A1 is a bit more expensive than its British rival. But when comparing like-for-like, the difference in price is negligible. And in terms of residual values, carbon dioxide emissi
