Audi A1 8X.
The coilover guide.
Shop the coiloversKeep the A1's compact proportions and give the tyres room to work. Start with the 8X application, then choose the height and adjustment you will use.
Audi's small hatch grows a second pair of doors.
A modest drop and a well-chosen wheel can suit the original A1 without making every speed hump a negotiation. Allow room for the front tyres to steer and for the rear to compress with passengers aboard.
The three-door and five-door Sportback share this guide, with body-specific checks kept beside the kits. Identify an S1 or quattro before going further: its drivetrain and rear suspension need a different application.
The A1 arrived in 2010 as a new model line for Audi. Its short body and contrasting roof arches gave the three-door a shape that remains easy to recognise after a wheel change. Audi announced the five-door Sportback in November 2011 for an early-2012 arrival.
By its 2015 update, Audi reported more than 500,000 A1 and A1 Sportback sales since launch. Changes to the styling and engines kept the first generation in circulation; a later-looking bumper does not by itself identify which suspension is underneath a used car.
For a daily A1, the useful choices usually start at the wheels. Write down their width, offset and tyre size before deciding the height. A five-door that carries people in the back needs enough working travel at that load, even if the empty-car arch gap looks generous.
The S1 adds a more substantial distinction than an exterior package. Audi gave it quattro and a four-link rear axle, while the ordinary front-wheel-drive A1 uses a torsion beam. The second-generation A1 Sportback announced in 2018 is another car again; keep its GB/GBA applications separate from the 8X.
Start with your A1 8X.
Match the model year, engine and body style before comparing brands.
Front-wheel-drive 8X: check the exact body and engine
BC S-11 names the 2010-2018 A1 FWD 8X. AST's ACS-V2101SD row covers 2011-2018 FWD cars. Eibach names the three-door body codes and separates engine and axle limits. Match the build year and body to the chosen maker's row, including a 2010 car against AST's later starting date.
Compare the FWD 8X listings
Five-door Sportback: keep its own application row
The two Eibach references explicitly list 8XA/8XF Sportbacks. Their rear lowering figures differ from the three-door rows. BC and AST use broader A1 FWD descriptions, so ask for body-specific confirmation rather than extending those descriptions by appearance.
View the named Sportback applications
S1 or quattro: identify it before choosing a kit
An S1's four-link rear axle and quattro system differ from the ordinary A1 FWD arrangement. S line trim does not establish S1 running gear. Send the exact model and original suspension details with the enquiry; these FWD listings do not confirm an S1 or quattro kit.
Ask about my S1 or quattro
Facelift or previously modified car: inspect what is fitted
Include earlier spring, damper and top-mount changes with the build details. A facelift bumper, an S line badge or a previous owner's wheel package cannot identify the axle limits or supplied hardware needed for a suspension order.
Check my changed A1What do you want
from the car?
Road miles, circuit weekends or a car built around the lap. Start with how you drive.
Keep useful clearance around the wheels you have chosen.
Read the buying advice
The listed BC S-11 BR RN is the FWD 8X example. Its RN specification supplies no front top mounts, so include inspection of the retained mounts and bearings in the fitting plan. Agree the height around the roads you use, then follow the kit's own front and rear adjustment instructions.
- Confirm the FWD 8X application
- Budget for retained front mounts
- Leave travel for everyday loads
Choose adjustments you can record and reach.
Read the buying advice
AST's ACS-V2101SD is listed with 12-position rebound adjustment, original-equipment top mounts and a separate rear spring arrangement. Confirm the exact 2011-2018 FWD application, then discuss tyre choice and working travel with the fitter. Record the height, alignment and damping changes so a later adjustment has something useful to compare with.
- Match AST's year and drivetrain row
- Check retained mounts and droplinks
- Record settings for repeat visits
Work from the tyres and the car's actual specification.
Read the buying advice
Send the engine, drivetrain, wheel and tyre details with the planned circuit use. Agree the spring specification and available travel with the person setting the car up. An A1 FWD road-kit application does not establish a race package, an S1 conversion or a solution for a heavily altered rear axle.
- Identify the actual rear axle
- Agree springs for the chosen tyres
- Plan fitting and setup support
A torsion beam, with the spring beside the damper.
On a standard front-wheel-drive Audi A1 8X, the rear spring and damper are mounted separately.
Component layout only. Mounts, dimensions and adjusters vary by kit.Audi's original A1 drawing shows a coil spring on its own seat alongside each rear damper. The two trailing arms are joined by the torsion beam. A kit can keep that separate spring position and provide a height-adjustable rear spring unit; the coilover name does not require a spring wrapped around the rear damper.
The standard rear axle has no alignment setting points in Audi's original technical description. Have the finished geometry measured and investigate any reading outside specification with the fitter. Keep the S1's different four-link rear suspension out of an ordinary A1 FWD fitting plan.
Understand the height and spring adjustments
Inspect the mounts before choosing the finished height.
A used 8X may arrive with a mixture of original and replacement suspension parts. Ask the fitter to identify the dampers and mounts, inspect the bushes and bearings, and check the chosen kit's droplink or additional-parts requirements before the order is final.
Bring the actual wheel dimensions and spacer thicknesses. The tyres need clearance on the inside as well as beneath the arch, through steering and suspension movement. Allow for the load you carry, settle the final height and have the alignment measured afterwards.
Wheel width and inner clearance
Eibach flags possible wheel-clearance requirements, even with original wheel sizes. Have the exact wheel and kit combination checked; fitting a spacer also changes the outer arch clearance and must suit the wheel's own approval conditions.
Front mounts and bearings
The BC RN listing supplies no front top mounts, while AST names original-equipment mounts. Ask which parts are retained and which need replacement, including worn bearings, rather than assuming every range photograph shows the contents for your A1.
Rear beam and alignment
Have the rear bushes and mounting points inspected, then measure the finished geometry. The ordinary FWD beam has no standard toe or camber setting points, so an alignment booking should include a plan for investigating an incorrect reading.
Engine and axle ratings
Eibach's -01 and -02 references have different permitted front axle limits and engine lists. Compare the identification plate and exact application row; a higher-rated reference is not automatically the right choice for a lighter car.
The current A1 8X range.
Compare the controls and hardware included in each range.
S-11 is the listed BR RN application for the 2010-2018 A1 FWD 8X. The RN top-mount arrangement is part of the specification to check. Keep front and separate-rear setup instructions with their actual components; a generic lower-bracket description cannot set both ends of this car.
View BC Racing A1 8X kits
The Pro-Street S -01 reference lists a 900kg maximum front axle load and -02 lists 960kg; both Audi rows list 840kg at the rear. Their engine lists differ, and the Sportback rear lowering range differs from the three-door's. Match the exact certificate, body and engine before choosing.
View Eibach A1 8X kits
The ACS-V2101SD listing specifies 5100 Street, a 2011-2018 FWD application, rebound adjustment and original-equipment top mounts. Its front droplink reference and separate rear spring layout belong in the fitting enquiry. Confirm current supplied parts and timing with the exact order.
View AST A1 8X kitsFind your A1 8X coilovers.
Prices include UK VAT. Choose an application and brand, then open a kit for its current options and availability.
4 listings
Match the engine, body style and axle-load limits on the product page before ordering.
Eibach · PSS65-81-010-01-22
Eibach Pro-Street S Coilover Kit for Audi / SEAT / Skoda / Volkswagen applications - PSS65-81-010-01-22
Front-wheel-drive 8X: check the exact body and engine / Five-door Sportback: keep its own application row
AST · ACS-V2101SD
AST 5100 Street Coilovers for Audi A1 8X - ACS-V2101SD
Front-wheel-drive 8X: check the exact body and engine
![BC Racing Coilovers - Audi A1 (10+) [8X]](/images/09cf8cd191b679-480.webp)
BC Racing · BCR-S-11
BC Racing Coilovers - Audi A1 (10+) [8X]
Front-wheel-drive 8X: check the exact body and engine
Eibach · PSS65-81-010-02-22
Eibach Pro-Street S Coilover Kit for Audi / SEAT / Volkswagen applications - PSS65-81-010-02-22
Front-wheel-drive 8X: check the exact body and engine / Five-door Sportback: keep its own application row
All A1 8X kit links and part numbers
- BC Racing · BCR-S-11: BC Racing Coilovers - Audi A1 (10+) [8X]
- AST · ACS-V2101SD: AST 5100 Street Coilovers for Audi A1 8X - ACS-V2101SD
- Eibach · PSS65-81-010-01-22: Eibach Pro-Street S Coilover Kit for Audi / SEAT / Skoda / Volkswagen applications - PSS65-81-010-01-22
- Eibach · PSS65-81-010-02-22: Eibach Pro-Street S Coilover Kit for Audi / SEAT / Volkswagen applications - PSS65-81-010-02-22
Before you order.
Identify your car
Identify the 8X, build year, engine and body. Distinguish the three-door, Sportback and S1 or quattro, and keep later GB/GBA cars separate.
Match the kit
Match the chosen maker's engine, year and drivetrain row, then compare both permitted axle limits with the car's identification plate.
Check what’s included
Check supplied and retained top mounts, bearings, droplinks and rear spring hardware against the exact kit instructions.
Check your modifications
Record wheel width, offset, tyres and spacers. Check inner and arch clearance through steering and suspension movement at the intended height.
Plan fitting
Confirm current lead time before booking specialist fitting. Plan alignment measurement at the final height and retain the settings record.
See what the adjustments do.
Choosing coilovers for road and track
Compare the kit against your roads, tyres and setup plans before counting adjusters.
Ride height and spring preload
Understand the two adjustments before choosing a lowering range.
What spring rate tells you
Compare force and movement, read the units and choose a spring with the damper in mind.
Spring rates and top mounts
Read the front/rear figures and check which mounts come with your kit.
Questions about Audi A1 8X coilovers.
Check the details before choosing your kit.
Does this guide cover the newer A1 Sportback?
This is the first-generation 8X guide, including the three-door and original Sportback. The later GB/GBA A1 Sportback has separate applications. Match the chassis identity and build details even when a kit title gives only an open-ended year.
Will an ordinary A1 coilover kit fit an S1?
An S1 needs its own application check. It has quattro and a four-link rear axle, whereas the ordinary A1 FWD has a torsion beam. The BC S-11 and AST rows here specify FWD; the listed Eibach Audi engine rows do not establish S1 fitment.
Can the three-door and Sportback use the same reference?
Some listed references name both bodies, but their application conditions still apply. Eibach explicitly lists 8X1/8XK and 8XA/8XF with different rear lowering figures. Check the exact body, engine and axle limits; broad A1 FWD wording needs body-specific confirmation.
Why are there two Eibach Pro-Street S references?
The -01 Audi rows list a 900kg maximum front axle load and the -02 rows list 960kg, with different engine coverage. Both list 840kg at the rear. Compare the exact certificate with the car's identification plate rather than choosing by price or the larger number.
Is the A1 8X rear spring separate from the damper?
Yes, on the ordinary front-wheel-drive 8X. Audi's original drawing shows a separate coil spring and damper at each side of its torsion-beam rear axle. Follow the chosen kit's rear spring-seat and damper instructions separately.
Can the standard rear toe and camber be adjusted?
Audi's original description gives the ordinary FWD rear axle no standard alignment setting points. Have the finished geometry measured. A fitter should investigate readings outside specification and assess any proposed corrective work for the exact car.
What should I budget for besides the kit?
Have the retained mounts, bearings and bushes inspected and check any droplink or additional-part requirements. Include fitting and alignment measurement. Wheel or spacer changes need their own inner and outer clearance checks before agreeing the running height.
Will the registration finder choose the exact A1 kit?
It helps identify the car. Add the engine, build year, body, original suspension and axle ratings to the enquiry, with wheel dimensions and earlier changes, so the exact kit application can be checked.
Let’s talk suspension.
Find your A1, then tell us its engine, body and original suspension. Include the wheel dimensions and any earlier changes so we can check the exact kit application.