An urban-focused Audi concept with a lounge-style interior, futuristic styling and level four autonomy? Sounds familiar, but looks a lot bigger...
2019's MEB-based Audi AI:ME concept followed similar principles in line with a focus on the car-sharing market, but showed that many of the same goals and functions could be achieved with a much more tightly packaged and familiar proposition. Indeed, at the time, many were quick to point out its similarities in positioning and ethos to the legendary Audi A2 supermini.
But that was three years ago now, and Audi has since remained tight-lipped on any plans for its own sibling model to the Volkswagen ID 3. All concepts since have used the more premium PPE architecture and placed an overt focus on dynamism, interior space, high-level autonomy or luxury, which begs the question: how would a small electric hatchback fit into Audi's future line-up?
The firm has long been candid about its prioritisation of larger, more profit-friendly cars. Early last year boss Markus Duesmann hinted that the current Audi A1 supermini faced an uncertain future because other VW Group brands, namely Skoda, Seat and Volkswagen, "are active there and very successful, with very high production".
More recently, an official statement confirmed the A1 and the small Audi Q2 crossover will not be replaced – directly, at least – at the end of their current lifecycles.
It said: "Audi is definitively positioning itself as a premium brand within the Group. As such, it is limiting its model range downward while expanding upward."
Strange that Audi's smallest and largest concepts in recent memory should be targeted so closely at the same segments, but perhaps its a reflection of a somewhat uncomfortable truth: bigger cars make for more flexible interiors, and thus better urban propositions.
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Apart from the trad AUDI front, it's refreshing to see a concept that doesn't look like all the others!
" ...bigger cars make for more flexible interiors, and thus better urban propositions"
Who says this?
Bigger cars take up more road space and thus cause more congestion, and how often do you see cars packed full of people in an urban environment?
We've seen it before with the original (W168/V168) Mercedes A-Class. You'd think that there's a market for a premium-badged, super well-packaged car, that can take a family on vacation in comfort yet squeeze in tight parking spaces in the city. Having owned one with autobox and leather in LWB form, I have certainly loved it. Yet it seems that the majority of Mercedes (or Audi) punters favour a sleek, sporty image over packaging.