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Audi A2
Manufacturer	Audi
Parent company	Volkswagen AG
Production	2000–2005
Predecessor	Audi 50
Class	Supermini
Body style	5-door hatchback
Layout	FF layout
Similar	Mercedes-Benz A-Class BMW MINI

The Audi A2 was a premium supermini produced by the German automaker Audi from 1999 to 2005. The last cars left the Neckarsulm plant in July 2005. Based on the Audi Al₂ concept car first shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1997, the A2 (internally designated Typ 8Z) was notable for being constructed from aluminium.

Contents 1 History 2 Design and construction 2.1 Interior 2.2 Service Panel / "Serviceklappe" 3 Trivia 4 Replacement 5 Technical Information 5.1 Three cylinder diesel engines 5.2 Four cylinder Petrol engines 5.3 Acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph)/ Top Speeds 6 External links

The A2 was considered to be "ahead of its time" in design terms—but the avant-garde styling like Honda Insight did not win favour with customers. Audi was reported to be disappointed with the level of sales; The final production is estimated to be 175000 units. In comparison to rival Mercedes-Benz' A-Class sales of 1 million, this unhappiness on the part of Audi is not surprising.

The A2 was produced in Neckarsulm in Germany. It was the first five-door vehicle on sale in Europe whose average fuel consumption is less than 3 l/100 km (94 mpg, imperial gallon), although these figures only applied to a special "3L" version with a diesel engine and narrower tyres. Due to the construction, the average A2 weighs less than 1000 kg (2200 lb), and this results in excellent fuel returns for all engines, not to mention superb chassis dynamics.

The A2 is built using considerable aluminium alloy content, providing significant weight advantage over similar sized cars. This helps the car to be significantly more economical than vehicles using traditional chassis; under certain circumstances, consumption of just over 2 l/100 km (128 mpg, imperial gallon) is possible. The Audi A2 won the Nordic Countries EcoRun economical driving race in 2005 with consumption of 2.62 l/100 km. Even the normal petrol engined versions are capable of 5 l/100 km.

The A2 uses a space frame design: the outer panels of the body have no structural function - similarities exist with the original Renault Espace—and the "space frame" bears the forces working on the car. Due to the decision to create "knots" instead of welding the space frame, improvements in shell stability, shell durability, lower weight, and better interior space are evident. Unfortunately, the cost of working with aluminium, particularly with small production runs, meant that the A2 was more expensive than its competitors. This may have contributed to the relatively slow sales in conjunction with the dearth of marketing from Audi.

Audi was the first manufacturer to try and incorporate lightweight building concepts using Aluminium and associated alloys into a "mass market" vehicle; the previous efforts at using a Space Frame were limited to the rather more expensive A8. As a guide to the mass involved: the entire shell weighs so little that two people can easily pick it up; the side panel over the doors including the A and D-Pillars weighs approximately 2 kg (4.5 lb). A 2002 Model A2 with standard equipment has a mass of 895 kg (1970 lb).

The A2 can, however, thus be considered a trailblazer for various newer aluminium-based vehicles, such as the present A8, forthcoming Nuvolari and TT and the present Jaguar XJ and XK8 series.

The A2 has for its size remarkable interior space, including a boot larger than the next model in Audi's range, the A3. This is due mainly to the "sandwich"-type construction, similar again to that of the Renault Espace or the Mercedes A-Class, which enables the floorpan to have an upper and a lower portion. The space in the middle can be used to house various components, such as the fuel tank and the engine's electronics. The rear passengers also benefit, as their foot space reaches into this sandwich space, creating a comfortable seating position even for tall rear seat passengers. This is in direct contrast to the comfort available on the rear bench of an A-Class. To improve the weight distribution of the vehicle, its battery is located inside the boot, under the floor.

The front of the car features an interesting design note called the "Serviceklappe" in German - this translates to "Service Panel". On early cars, this was a glossy black panel at the lower edge of the bonnet / hood; behind it are the filling points for oil and screenwash fluid, the dipstick - in other words, in the daily use of the car, the bonnet does not need to be taken off.

The Service Panel is the most obvious indicator of a car's age; it was changed to matt black for the "color.storm" colour schemes, and for model year 2004 it acquired fake "grille slats". Since the panel is solid, this could be seen as an indication of Audi's efforts to try and make the car "more normal".

The panel is fastened using two screws and several clips, so updating the look of a car is quite simple. Very little else was changed externally; colours and wheels were changed mildly during the production run. The only other external indicator of the age of the car is the windscreen wiper; very early models have a traditional blade, where newer ones have a "flex" version ("Aerotwin" from Bosch, model 760). This change was made for model year 2002.

The Bonnet itself weighs about 8kg (17lb), so it is easily carriable, but it is large and unwieldy. It is very easy to scratch the corners next to the windscreen.

The Service Panel was widely rumoured to be another example of making it virtually impossible for a car's owner to service a car without taking it to the shop. Other than refilling operating fluids, the engine, for example, was said to be highly inaccessible and working on auxiliary components almost universally required the use of a tail lift. In actual fact, the bonnet is easily removed, being held in place by two twist-lock catches. It then comes away from the car altogether, unlike the usual flip-up arrangement on most other cars.

Audi also has a version of the A2 in its Neckarsulm plant which has been converted into a pickup by trainees — the "A2 Caddy". This was on public show for the first time at the A2-Club of Germany's annual meeting in Amberg, Germany, in August 2005.

Rumours circulated on the web towards the end of the A2s production life about a second generation Audi A2. However, in 2006 it became known that Audi instead plan to launch a more conventional Audi A1 model around 2009 to compete with the MINI. [1]

This has often been discredited as, whereas BMW only has one car in the A/B segment, Volkswagen has three already (SEAT Ibiza, Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia) and introducing a fourth would be pointless and start cannibalisation. Many have said that it would be better for Volkswagen to develop the Polo into more of a MINI rival rather than introduce a competing model and possibly degrade Audi's premium image.

Information directly from Audi:

• 1.2 TDi (3L), 1191 cm³, 45 kW, 140 N·m, Semi-Automatic Transmission
• 1.4 TDI, 55 kW, 1422 cm³, 195 N·m
• 1.4 TDI, 66 kW, 1422 cm³, 230 N·m

• 1.4, 55 kW, 1390 cm³, 126 N·m
• 1.6 FSI, 81 kW, 1598 cm³, 155 N·m

• TDI 55 kW: 12.6 s , 173 km/h, 106 mph
• TDI 66 kW: 10.9 s, 188 km/h, 116 mph
• FSI: 9.8 s, 202 km/h, 124 mph
• 1.4: 12.3 s, 173 km/h, 106 mph
• 3 L: 14.9 s, 168 km/h, 102 mph

• Al₂ Concept at Automotive Intelligence
• http://www.greenconsumerguide.com/audi_a2_tdi.php
• http://www.audi.com - Manufacturer
• http://www.a2oc.net - International Audi A2 Owner's Club, now under new stewardship and still an active resource
• http://www.audi-a2club.de - German A2 website
• http://used-audi-a2.freeway.co.uk - Used Audi A2 information
• http://www.audi-forums.com/audi-a2-forum/ - Audi A2 Forum

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