Could Audi kill the A1 to make room for an electric A2?

Friday, 12 February 2021

The Audi e-tron GT is finally here.

Audi could be gearing up to bring back the short-lived A2 as an all-electric entry model, a report from Autocar UK is saying, meaning the death of the A1 is nigh.

The current discussion at Audi’s headquarters is currently revolving around how to electrify the brand’s entry level vehicles. At the moment the A1 is the cheapest Audi on offer but despite its (relatively) low sticker price of $42,500, it’s not a volume seller.

Electrifying the small car will only add to that figure and, considering the public’s general preference of SUVs, it doesn’t really make much sense for Audi to go down that path.

The little A1 hatchback may not be long for this world as electrification could prove too costly to justify.

Audi’s boss, Markus Duesmann, seems to be thinking the same. During a media conference at the recent launch of the e-tron GT, Duesmann said that a third generation of A1 was unlikely. Autocar UK reports that he went on to say the Q2 could take over the entry role. Makes sense, given the Q2 and A1 sold similar numbers here last year.

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More intriguing is the possibility of a reborn A2, which sold between 1999 and 2005 in limited numbers overseas. While not a raging success back then, it did spawn an entirely electric concept car in 2011. Audi considered putting it into production but never did.

Duesmann told the UK media that a new A2 wouldn't be a direct redesign but that Audi was working on something in that segment. It is allegedly based on the AI:ME concept that debuted at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show while VW's expertise in small electric cars will no doubt come in handy.

In the meantime, expect the e-tron GT and GT RS sports sedans to arrive in New Zealand around mid-2021, followed by the high performance “S” models of the current e-tron in both SUV and Sportback body styles.

At an Audi event last year, Audi NZ boss, Dean Sheed, said that the new Q4 e-tron, an electric mid-size SUV, will debut towards the end of 2021. “This car will become a volume seller for us locally sometime in 2022.”