Angry Audi S1 is Oz bound

Audi has turned up the heat on its smallest hatch.

Audi Australia has confirmed that the new S1 pocket rocket – which will debut at the Geneva motor show early next month – will be available Down Under.

The S1 will be equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 170kW of power and 370Nm of torque, feeding through a six-speed manual transmission to Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system.

The S1 will cover the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.9 seconds.

International markets will get both three-door and five-door variants, but only the five-door version – known as the S1 Sportback – is slated for Australian showrooms.

UK pricing will start at £24,900 (AU$45,790) for the five-door. Local pricing is expected to start around $50,000.

The S1 will target the two-wheel-drive Mini Cooper JCW, which is similarly priced at $50,400 but offers less power at 155kW.

Styling for the S1 incorporates typically aggressive S-model appointments, with quad exhaust tips at the rear and reworked Xenon headlamps up front. Standard wheels are 17-inch while 18-inch units will be offered as an option.

Audi has previewed the S1 ahead of Geneva in two-tone paint, with a black turret section. Two new colours will be introduced with the S1, Vegas Yellow and Sepang Blue.

Interior options include a ‘quattro upgrade’ package featuring a flat-bottomed steering wheel and highlights in red, black or yellow.

Expect to see the Audi S1 in Australian showrooms before the end of 2014.