Audi A2: the aluminium small car ahead of its time

The Audi A2 is a small five-door hatchback that Audi built from November 1999 to 2005. It was the first mass-market Audi with an aluminium space frame, which made it light and economical but also expensive to build.

Audi A2 at a glance

History of the Audi A2

From the Al2 concept (1997)

The A2 came from two show cars, the Al2 Light green and Al2 open end Light Blue, designed for the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show. Stefan Sielaff led the project and Luc Donckerwolke was responsible for the exterior, which used transparent plastic parts and aluminium to create a feeling of space and lightness. The production car was presented at the 1999 Frankfurt show and stayed close to the studies. Peter Schreyer and Gerd Pfefferle received the Design Prize of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2002 for their work on the A2 and the second-generation A4.

Aluminium body

The A2 used the Audi Space Frame, a technology previously reserved for the more expensive Audi A8. Castings and extrusions were laser-welded into a frame, and the outer panels had little or no structural function. The shell was so light that two people could lift it, and the side panel over the doors with the A- and D-pillars weighed about 2 kg. An average A2 weighed 830 kg, and a 2002 car with standard equipment 895 kg. The drawback was cost: many parts were made only for this model, the car was expensive for its class, and it competed with the cheaper Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The interior made the most of the small body with a sandwich floor, a 390-litre boot and the battery under the boot floor.

The 3L version

The A2 1.2 TDI 3L was the most economical version. Its three-cylinder diesel drove through an automated gearbox, and an Eco mode switched to freewheeling when the driver lifted off and stopped the engine after four seconds at a standstill. The tank held only 20 litres, the tyres were narrow 145/80 R14, and the rear seats were fixed and light. With a drag coefficient of 0.25 and a consumption of 2.99 l/100 km, it was for a long time the only mass-produced five-door car below 3 litres per 100 km in Europe. Only 6,450 were built.

Sales and the end

Audi was disappointed by sales. The A2 found 176,377 buyers in five and a half years, while the Mercedes-Benz A-Class reached a million. A facelift in 2003 brought a service flap at the front that looked like a grille and new colours, and the colour.storm special model of March 2003 added bright paint, a black roof and black plastic trim. Production ended in 2005. Audi showed an A2 Concept in 2011, but cancelled the project in early 2013.

Design and features

• Space frame: the A2 was the first mass-market Audi with the aluminium Audi Space Frame, which kept the weight low.
• Economy: petrol versions could reach 5 l/100 km, and the 1.2 TDI won the Nordic Eco Run of 2003 with 2.62 l/100 km.
• Packaging: the sandwich floor created room for the fuel tank and electronics, and the boot of 390 litres was larger than the Audi A3’s.
• No quattro: the A2 was the first Audi since the 1970s Audi 50 and Audi 100 not to offer four-wheel drive.

Audi A2 versions

• A2 1.2 TDI 3L: the three-cylinder diesel with automated gearbox and 2.99 l/100 km.
• colour.storm: the special model of March 2003 with bright colours and a black roof.
• Advance: equipment package with climate control, metallic paint and two removable rear seats.
• Style and Style Plus: packages with body-coloured trim, alloy wheels and, in Style Plus, a leather steering wheel and S line sports suspension.
• S line Sport: sports suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels and sports seats.
• High-Tech: package with the Open Sky glass roof, parking aid and a hands-free phone kit.

The A2 sat below the Audi A3 and used a space frame developed for the Audi A8. More models are in our Audi collection.

Sources

• Audi A2, English Wikipedia: design, aluminium construction, sales figures
• Audi A2 (8Z), German Wikipedia: the Al2 concept, equipment packages, the 3L version and production numbers