Currently reading: New Audi A2 plans confirmed

Audi chairman confirms new model being planned; rumours it may be electric

Audi is currently planning a new A2, company boss Rupert Stadler has told Autocar.

"As we gave the A1 that nomenclature there’s clearly room for another product and another concept between the A3," he admitted.

Stadler wouldn’t be drawn on what exactly a new A2 could be, but admitted that it would be an obvious propostion.

"If you don’t have to explain a car like the A2 then it works," he said.

However other insiders have admitted that the A2 is likely to be an ‘E2’: an electric car based on the the A1 but with a unique bodystyle and look.

Stadler also quashed rumours that Audi was planning a car based on the VW Up!, possibly badged A0, saying that there was no possibility of the company slotting in a car under the forthcoming A1 supermini, which will be launched at the Geneva motor show in March.

Chas Hallett

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catnip 1 December 2009

Re: New Audi A2 plans confirmed

Tthey should just re-launch the original A2 with some chassis modifications and maybe some minor styling tweaks (please, no ugly Audi front grille)....I'd buy one!

McJohn 1 December 2009

Re: New Audi A2 plans confirmed

PhilM4000 wrote:
There appeared to be no sweet spot in the range, you needed to go for the top model. 3. Ride. The handling was great, it was fun to drive but the ride was only okay on the basic model with 15 inch wheels. Most early models sold and all the press test cars where the SE or sport on 16's or 17's and these rode terribly.

Absolutely spot on Phil, but a sweet spot did appear at the very end of production. It was the "Final Edition" model, which was a relatively basic spec car, on comfort suspension and small wheels and with climate control as standard, and at a more sensible price.

I have a 75bhp TDi version, bought secondhand, and it is a truly fantastic little car. It has the comfort and refinement of a car at least a class bigger, it rides and handles well (I have fitted slightly wider wheels and tyres, but still 15"), returns 56 mpg no matter how hard I drive it, and costs £35 in road tax. Even after 90k miles, it scrubs up well and there is barely a rattle or squeak from it. Superb build quality, and being aluminium means no rust issues as it gets older.

Trouble is you cannot get all this quality on the cheap, which is why the A2 was wickedly expensive for most of its production, and was misunderstood. Right now though a good A2 TDi makes just about the best used car you can find, even though prices are firm.

Jeezitsonlyacar 1 December 2009

Re: New Audi A2 plans confirmed

Everyone cares what his friends think, something which is both the triumph and the tragedy of modern consumerism.