New Audi A1: Quality Knows No Compromise: Episode 5 - VIDEO FEATURE

Audi moves into subcompact segment for first time with A1

• The A1 will be the first premium automobile in the compact class
• High-precision body, excellent paint finish and fine interior
• Comprehensive expertise and great care in every detail

Episode 5 in a multi-part video series on the design and production of the new Audi A1

INGOLSTADT - January 23, 2010: Uncompromising quality is both an aspiration and an obligation for Audi. The new A1, just like the brand’s other models, is characterized by exquisite attention to the smallest of details; it will set new standards of quality in the compact class. “The A1 will be the first fully-fledged premium automobile in its segment,” says Werner Zimmermann, Head of Quality Assurance at AUDI AG.

Werner Zimmermann, Head of Quality Assurance at AUDI AG

“Uncompromising quality is a fundamental value of the Audi brand,” explains Zimmermann. He is responsible for the high standards that apply to every vehicle project at Audi, from development to production and from the suppliers to the customers. “Our brand is venturing into what for us is a new class with the A1,” he adds, “but the smaller size of the vehicle does not mean that the customers expect anything less than they always do from an Audi.”

Evidence of the premium character of the Audi A1 is found in every last detail in the interior – in the selection of the materials, in their processing and in the tight, even gaps. The surface of the instrument panel is softly backed with foam; all buttons and controls move precisely; even the pull handle that unlatches the hood release does so crisply and precisely.

“The body is precision-built; the quality of the paint finish is top-rate,” says Zimmermann. “We even live quality in those areas that are not directly visible to the customer. Only in this way is it possible to achieve that incomparable Audi feeling.”

”Quality is something that you experience with all of your senses; something that you can see, hear, sense and feel,” says Zimmermann. “Reliability and a long service life are an absolute necessity today, but we at Audi have also mastered the art of luxury – the selection of materials and the attention to detail with which we process and assemble them. A perfect overall impression is the sum of many perfect details, and this was also our quality ideal for the A1.”

CLICK HERE to go back and watch previous episodes

CLICK HERE to watch Episode 6 - Audi A1 Sows its Colors