Audi confirms A2 name revival as an electric hatchback, here’s what made the original stand out

The Audi A2, when it first debuted in the year 1999, was a compact MPV-styled supermini, a 5-door hatchback that was based on the Audi Al2 concept car. 2 decades after its first outing, Audi is now planning to revive the moniker in a new avatar. The EV hatchback will be an integral part of Audi’s new strategy to make its EV lineup accessible to a wider market.

The new entry-level electric SUV?

Audi says that the new A2 will serve as the brand’s entry-level electric model, aimed at broadening the appeal of its EV lineup. CEO Gernot Dollner spoke to the tune of confirming that Audi has been planning to make entry into the Audi world easier and more relevant than ever.  The A2 is expected to play a massive role in that change and moreover be a replacement for the aging A1 and Q2 SUV.

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Audi A2 platform and positioning

The upcoming A2 will be based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric platform. The same architecture is also used for models such as the Volkswagen ID.3. In terms of size and specification, the new Audi EV is expected to be close to the ID.3 hatchback but will feature reworked styling cues inspired by the 1999 A2.

Design to be inspired by the original A2

Going by the bunch of spy images doing rounds over the internet, the all-new A2 will feature a compact, tall-bodied design with crossover elements, echoing the proportions of the original A2 that was sold between 1999 and 2005.

Audi has pointed out that the revival is a deliberate effort to bring back the original model, which was known for its focus on efficiency through lightweight construction and aerodynamic design. The all-new model is expected to follow a similar design philosophy, maximizing aerodynamic efficiency.

The original A2

The original A2 was special for Audi, so much so that they had developed a special manufacturing line for it at their Neckarsulm plant in Germany. The product manager associated with the original Audi A2 had revealed to Autocar magazine that the project was built on the brief, “create a small Audi, not a cheap Audi,” and the creative brief is said to have been, “transport four people from Stuttgart to Milan on a single tank of petrol.”

A slew of new features stood out with the car, the most interesting being the service hatch up front. Regarded in German as the “serviceklappe,” this was a black panel at the lower edge of the bonnet where the radiator grille would normally be situated. Audi had launched the vehicle with a bunch of new engines, which included 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI 4-cylinder petrol engines, and beyond that, the vehicle also had 1.2 TDI and 1.4 TDI 3-cylinder engines.

The original was heavily marketed to be the first five door vehicle on sale in Europe with an average fuel consumption less than 3 liters per 100 km. These figures as later found, out only applied to the 3l version of the car. A revival concept of the A2 was also showcased at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.