Audi 2011 Annual Report Download - page 82

Passion _ 79
the Audi A1 Sportback was about –
a small car with a big personality.
Soccer ladies Azusa Iwashimizu
and Mizuho Sakaguchi are convinced
that the car will win the hearts of
urban trendsetters, just as they won
the hearts of soccer fans the world
over just under a year ago. “The Audi
A1 Sportback is a perfect car for cities
like Tokyo,” says Sakaguchi as she
stands at the edge of the stage.
“It’s great that this sporty-looking
compact car now comes with fi ve
doors, too. This is really going to make
it a big hit especially in Japan with all
the megacities we have here.” As
with the A1, customers can order the
A1 Sportback in one of many equip-
ment packages and thus customize it
to suit their exact preferences. Saka-
guchi’s favorite is Samoa Orange with
a color contrast roof in Daytona Gray.
Since last year, Audi has been a
supporting company for Japan’s
National Football Team, providing
each Nadeshiko (Women’s Team)
player with an A1. “Most of my team
colleagues including myself have
never sat in a European premium
car before,” says Azusa Iwashimizu.
“Now, we commute to training every
day in our A1. We love it because
of its great looks, its comfort and
because it’s such fun to drive. And it’s
a real headturner, too.”
For Audi, working with the world
champions has been a great benefi t.
Japan is widely regarded as a defi ning
market. Customers here value
technology and design more than
in practically any other country.
At the same time, Audi’s involvement
as a supporter of Japan’s National
Football Team is a commitment to a
country that is only slowly recovering
from last year’s earthquake and
tsunami disaster. A commitment
that was expressed at the Tokyo
Motor Show with a specially designed
model.
The “Audi A1 SAMURAI BLUE” un-
veiled by Sakaguchi and Iwashimizu
is one of a kind. It was designed
to commemorate the partnership
between Audi and Japan’s National
Football Team. From the color of
its paint, center console and air vents
it is obvious at a glance that the car
is related to Japan and its National
Football Team. Blue and white are the
dominant colors, accompanied by
the red of the rising sun in the coun-
try’s national fl ag.
As powerful and sporty as any real
samurai – how’s that for size?
A small car with
a big personality
Launching in early 2012, the
Audi A1 Sportback is a new
variant of Audi’s successful
compact car. Designed for a
young, urban audience, this
vehicle shares much of its body
and dimensions with its three-
door sister model. A few more
millimeters in height, however,
translate into more room on
the back seats. Four seats come
as standard, but Audi will
supply fi ve seats as an option
at no extra cost.
At launch, customers can
choose from three TFSI and
two TDI engines. Their power
spectrum ranges from 63 kW
(86 hp) to 136 kW (185 hp).
Some engines are optionally
available with the swift-shifting
S tronic 7-speed dual-clutch
transmission. Audi connect
and the Bluetooth car phone
online link up the A1 Sportback
to the Internet. Customers can
select fresh colors and detail
features to give their personal
touch to the car’s modern
interior. They can even choose
to have Audi paint the roof in
one of three contrast colors.
For the rest of the car, a selec-
tion of more than 13 color
tones is available.
A1 Sportback
What really counts is
the combination of
technical ability, motiva-
tion and teamwork.
World-class: The new A1 Sportback
celebrated its premiere at the
Tokyo Motor Show.
The Audi A1 Sportback is
also available in the new color
Samoa Orange.