[thelaj]

I'm currently awaiting a late December delivery for my A1 Sport 1.4 S-Tronic and have a few questions...

I specced the optional black headliner and LED interior lighting; does anybody have pics and/or know if it makes the interior too dark?

How does the car know when to keep the engine running at a junction rather than cut it off - I read elsewhere that it shuts down when the car is still and foot on the brake.

How is the ride on the 16" wheels and sport suspension? Is it still overly firm?

I've not driven a semi-auto before but have read a lot about it; is it jerky at low speeds? How about hesitation at junctions...

Is there any space for coins, keys, phones etc. - there doesn't seem to be much scope for storage.

Are there any pics of the wasabi green interior? I chose it to contrast with the solid black exterior but am beginning to get slightly nervous!

Anybody got Advanced Key? If so, how is it?

 

[kravi]

How does the car know when to keep the engine running at a junction rather than cut it off - I read elsewhere that it shuts down when the car is still and foot on the brake.

It shuts down when you stop without your foot on the clutch. Then, as soon as you press the clutch pedal, engine starts, fast and very smoothly.

When the car shuts down and you turn it on by pressing the pedal, it won't shut down again if you release the pedal. It just stays on until you start driving, reach a certain speed and stop again. And it won't shut down after small maneuvers like parking or driving in reverse.

It will always do this unless you turn the start/stop system off, which you can by pressing a button on the central console.

 

[kravi]

Is there any space for coins, keys, phones etc. - there doesn't seem to be much scope for storage.

There is a package (I don't know the name, but some of these guys will) that offers a few extra space for storage. It's the one that gives you the armrest.

 

[RichardD]

In comparison to my Clio 182, the 1.4 Sport S-tronic I test drove on Sunday, which had the 16" alloys and afaik the Sport suspension, was a much softer ride. What do you drive now?

I didn't find the S-tronic jerky. I noticed a bit of a delay a couple of times after stopping at lights but I think it's something you'd get used to quite quickly.

Check page 35 in the October 2010 pdf brochure, I believe that's Wasabi... http://www.audi.co.uk/content/dam/audi/ ... des/a1.pdf

 

[Crosara]

How does the car know when to keep the engine running at a junction rather than cut it off - I read elsewhere that it shuts down when the car is still and foot on the brake.

Are there any pics of the wasabi green interior? I chose it to contrast with the solid black exterior but am beginning to get slightly nervous!

The start stop system on the S-Tronic which you have ordered is amazing and VERY quick, all it does it just freezes the engine leaving the correct piston in place, ready to fire up again, so all you do it put your foot on the break, stop then foot off the break and car starts again, simple.

And please, please, PLEASE cancel the wasabi green...

 

[acrogenesis]

Is there any space for coins, keys, phones etc. - there doesn't seem to be much scope for storage.
Anybody got Advanced Key? If so, how is it?

For coins i use the ashtray, the keys always on my pocket , and the phone i have it charge it every time i get on the car with a usb cable connected to the 12V so i just put it on the passenger seat and if i have someone with me i put it in the cup holder , extra stuff in cup holder too or inside the armrest, important stuff in the glove box and below the seat theres a storage place too.
for the advance key is awesome you never have to take the keys out of your pocket

 

[Chelmersteve]

I have a 1.4 S-tronic with black headlining and it really isn't that dark inside.
Its my 3rd Audi with S-tronic and I think the transmission is superb - smooth, quick and you've always got manual override.
The stop/start is totally unobtrusive - as said earlier, the engine is cut when the footbrake is firmly applied and held on and restarts as soon as you lift your foot off the brake. You can avoid it stopping by 'feathering' your braking and anticipating road conditions, keeping a reasonable distance from the car in front etc
There is a coin tray behind the front cupholders although interior stowage is not a strong point, even with the storage pack.
With the standard Bluetooth your phone can stay in your pocket and it will still connect to the car's system and if you need to charge it there's both the 12v socket in the centre console and the USB port on the Music Interface in the glove compartment.
Wasabi Green is a matter of taste. Its not for me but it did look much better than expected on one I saw at Goodwood in the Summer. There are some pics somewhere on the Forum - do a search.

 

[mrfaize]

Agree with what Steve said ^^

 

[thelaj]

How does the car know when to keep the engine running at a junction rather than cut it off - I read elsewhere that it shuts down when the car is still and foot on the brake.

It shuts down when you stop without your foot on the clutch. Then, as soon as you press the clutch pedal, engine starts, fast and very smoothly.

When the car shuts down and you turn it on by pressing the pedal, it won't shut down again if you release the pedal. It just stays on until you start driving, reach a certain speed and stop again. And it won't shut down after small maneuvers like parking or driving in reverse.

It will always do this unless you turn the start/stop system off, which you can by pressing a button on the central console.

Thanks, it makes sense for the manual but it was the S-Tronic which confused me!

There is a package (I don't know the name, but some of these guys will) that offers a few extra space for storage. It's the one that gives you the armrest.

I did consider that package but it wasn't high on my options list - plus I read that the armrest blocked the handbrake which turned me off the idea.

In comparison to my Clio 182, the 1.4 Sport S-tronic I test drove on Sunday, which had the 16" alloys and afaik the Sport suspension, was a much softer ride. What do you drive now?

I didn't find the S-tronic jerky. I noticed a bit of a delay a couple of times after stopping at lights but I think it's something you'd get used to quite quickly.

Check page 35 in the October 2010 pdf brochure, I believe that's Wasabi... http://www.audi.co.uk/content/dam/audi/ ... des/a1.pdf

I "drive" my girlfriends 2004 Renault Clio at the moment. I thought that (being French) had quite a soft ride - I quite dislike it actually. :?

The start stop system on the S-Tronic which you have ordered is amazing and VERY quick, all it does it just freezes the engine leaving the correct piston in place, ready to fire up again, so all you do it put your foot on the break, stop then foot off the break and car starts again, simple.

And please, please, PLEASE cancel the wasabi green...

Thanks for the info on the start-stop - I'll have to see how that works in practice, but hopefully if it is as instaneous as you say it should be a nice function.

Too late to cancel the Wasabi green! My car is already built :mrgreen: I wanted the red leather interior but couldn't justify the cost and saw the green was something a bit more exciting than the black/grey options. Hopefully it isn't like vomit...

Is there any space for coins, keys, phones etc. - there doesn't seem to be much scope for storage.
Anybody got Advanced Key? If so, how is it?

For coins i use the ashtray, the keys always on my pocket , and the phone i have it charge it every time i get on the car with a usb cable connected to the 12V so i just put it on the passenger seat and if i have someone with me i put it in the cup holder , extra stuff in cup holder too or inside the armrest, important stuff in the glove box and below the seat theres a storage place too.
for the advance key is awesome you never have to take the keys out of your pocket

I'm now wondering if I should have specced the armrest (does it block the handbrake?)... As long as I have somewhere to put my small amounts of crap.

I have a 1.4 S-tronic with black headlining and it really isn't that dark inside.
Its my 3rd Audi with S-tronic and I think the transmission is superb - smooth, quick and you've always got manual override.
The stop/start is totally unobtrusive - as said earlier, the engine is cut when the footbrake is firmly applied and held on and restarts as soon as you lift your foot off the brake. You can avoid it stopping by 'feathering' your braking and anticipating road conditions, keeping a reasonable distance from the car in front etc
There is a coin tray behind the front cupholders although interior stowage is not a strong point, even with the storage pack.
With the standard Bluetooth your phone can stay in your pocket and it will still connect to the car's system and if you need to charge it there's both the 12v socket in the centre console and the USB port on the Music Interface in the glove compartment.
Wasabi Green is a matter of taste. Its not for me but it did look much better than expected on one I saw at Goodwood in the Summer. There are some pics somewhere on the Forum - do a search.

Great post, thanks. I think I'll just stick my iPhone in the glovebox and let it charge/do its thing. I'll also have another look in the gallery (seen some really nice examples in there so far).

 

[kravi]

I read that the armrest blocked the handbrake which turned me off the idea.

It does. And it doesn't

It's there, it takes some room between seats and you actually have to lift your elbow a bit to access the handbrake. So I guess you can say it does.

Nonetheless, you can always rotate it and put it on a vertical position and you won't even know you have it. So you can also say it doesn't.

For me, personally, it's very comfortable and a must have. Yes you have to do a not so natural elbow movement to reach the handbrake, but that's it (and only if you have it horizontally). Meaningless, I think. And while driving it makes a difference!

 

[acrogenesis]

I'm now wondering if I should have specced the armrest (does it block the handbrake?)... As long as I have somewhere to put my small amounts of crap.

At least for me it does not block the handbrake i don't use it horizontal i feel it's too tall yes putting crap there is necessary lol, i have one of those window breaker/seatbelt cutter and some other crap like the garage control etc i believe it is a must in a car

 

[thelaj]

On the subject of the start-stop system, do you *have* to sit on the brake for the S-tronic system? I don't like the idea of dazzling the car behind (I dislike it when others do this to me); can you put the handbrake on and remove the brake, or will this restate the engine?

 

[kravi]

Don't worry about that, you'll be dazzling them either way because your car looks sooooooo good!