Available to order from late November with first deliveries in spring 2015, the latest versions of the three-door and five-door Sportback bring exterior changes including a flatter and wider singleframe grille, new bumpers, new standard alloy wheel designs and a choice of new colours.

Inside, there’s additional chrome and high gloss black detailing, new upholstery choices including an Alcantara and leather blend and new upholstery colours.

Changes to the engine line-up see improved efficiency for the 113bhp 1.6 TDI, which remains the most efficient model. CO2 output in this latest version – now Euro 6 compliant – is reduced from 99g/km to 92g/km in both body styles and official combined fuel economy up from 74.3mpg to 80.7mpg.

The first UK models will also be available with 1.4 TFSI petrol engines – available in 123bhp and 148bhp COD versions – which are also now compliant with the latest Euro 6 emissions regulations and offer more power and improved efficiency.

These will be joined in the spring by a new turbocharged and direct-injection petrol engine – marked out as being the first with a three-cylinder configuration ever to feature in the Audi range. Due to join the range from the spring, the A1 1.0 TFSI will be capable of returning at least 60mpg with CO2 emissions of 99g/km according to provisional data whilst offering 94bhp – a 6bhp increase over the 1.2 TFSI that it replaces.

Depending on version, all engines will be linked to either a five-speed or six-speed manual transmission as standard, and for the first time all, including the 1.6 TDI, will also be available with the option of a seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch automatic transmission.

The Audi S1 and S1 Sportback with 228bhp and quattro permanent all-wheel drive remain as the performance flagships of the new range.

The new A1 also brings more equipment across the SE, Sport and S line specification levels. As before SE versions run on more comfort-oriented dynamic suspension, Sport models have a firmer sports configuration and S line versions ride even lower on S line sports suspension, with Sport and S line customers able to select the more supple suspension choices at no cost.

The specification changes also see the Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system become a new standard feature for A1 Sport models plus the Audi Music Interface and preparation for SD card-based navigation. This is also added to the specification for the S1 and S1 sportback.

And S line versions now benefit from standard xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights and LED rear lights.

The new A1 and A1 Sportback ranges will be priced from £15,390 OTR to £21,640 OTR. The S1 and S1 Sportback are priced from £25,380 OTR to £26,110 OTR.