The Audi A2 It looks like it’s finally getting a sequel, 20 years after the groundbreaking original ceased production.
With its sporty design that appears to mix the front end of a Volkswagen ID.3 with the rear end of the original A2, the new Audi is expected to be the German brand’s cheapest electric vehicle (EV) when it is unveiled, which could be the case as early as 2026.
Rumors suggest the new car will replace both the lightweight A1 and the Q2 small SUV, meaning it will undercut the price of the Q4 e-tron, which starts at 46,000 euros (A$82,000) in Germany.
It’s unclear what name the new electric vehicle will have, but the Q2 e-tron seems possible, and the A2 e-tron should also be in the running if Audi can bring itself to dust off the revered nameplate.
The tall hatch shape, A-pillars that start near the front axle line and the presence of a front quarter light suggest the Audi has a heavy dose of ID.3 DNA.
However, as far as we can see, the ID.3 and the new Audi do not share any exterior body panels. The Audi features split headlights at the front and looks like it has more prominent wheel arches.
Interestingly, Audi has added subtle door handle tabs at the bottom of the window line on both the front and rear doors, similar to those used on the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
At the back, the new Audi has a hump reminiscent of the original A2, including a rear window bisected by a spoiler.
While the A2 was a critical darling and has become a cult classic, it never sold in the numbers Audi had hoped: around 176,000 examples were sold in markets outside Australia during its six-year production run.
Martin Winterkorn, former Volkswagen Group chief executive, said: “Buyers never really fell in love with the narrow and tall design,” while the bespoke aluminum spaceframe ensured the A2 couldn’t be “priced enough”.
The new Audi will feature a traditional steel monocoque and, under the skin, could be one of the first vehicles to use the MEB+ platform. MEB+ is a comprehensive update to the existing MEB architecture and supports cheaper lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
That means it will weigh significantly more than the original A2, which tipped the scales at around 900kg, and was powered by a small range of naturally aspirated petrol and turbodiesel engines and either a manual or automated gearbox.
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