A flop that shouldn't have flopped? The Audi A2 Story

[@rogerking7258]

What happened? Just over 20 years ago we had a wide choice of innovative, cleverly packaged and distinctive vehicles; now we are lost in a sea of bloated, lookalike so-called SUVs which take up too much space, pointlessly consume too many resources, both in manufacture and use and seem to be competing to see who can achieve the worst ratio of interior/exterior space.

[@d-d-i]

Mini-MPV's were indeed the pinnacle of everyday car. Lots of interior space and comfort, while being good to drive and easy to park as well.

[@baronvonjo1929]

The other non SUV cars kept getting worse and less useful. Not saying all SUVs are worthwhile. But you wont see me looking at anything other than CUVs and SUVs here in the US. There is not a single sedan or hatchback or other body thats worthwhile here atm that fits my needs

[@todorkatsarski7487]

The problem is that car companies produce what people want, and people want SUVs. I prefer a sedan or estate, but the majority prefer tall cars for some reason. I don't blame the car companies for that, they just make what people want. People started wanting more and more SUVs once they started being more drivable like a car instead of a truck.

[@Fanboy1222]

OK boomer

[@willswheels283]

@@todorkatsarski7487Agreec, that’s exactly what I was going to say, manufacturers build cars that sell, so if people are buying bloated characterless blobs then manufacturers will continue making them and discontinue cars that don’t sell well, theyr more about profit these days than innovative design.

[@whatwelearned]

"why are all cars so boring?" *Interesting car is built **No-one buys it

People are boring.

[@joãoAlberto-k9x]

And the aliens too.

[@Dani-it5sy]

That always makes me mad. Remember when the Aston Martin looking Mondeo came? I was expecting to see A LOT of them. But I don't think they sold all that many. We should have jumped on top of that straight away. Luckily other car manufacturers didn't let themselves get scared off. Brands like Skoda, Peugeot and maybe even Renault make some cars which are actually stunning for being a budget brand. They make Mercedes look like they fired their entire design department and have decided to just stick to most basic shape of the type of car in question. A silhouette of a sedan with an Easter bunny like wrapper around it with Mercedes drawings.

[@markotrieste]

Did you say "Citroën"?

[@traviswalker8933]

Interesting doesn't mean it should be hideous like the Multipla and this thing in the video.

[@simonlangner]

I own 2 A2's, one is our family's inventory and has over 250.000 km in the clock, the other ist at 150.000, garage-kept and in Colour.Storm yellow. For me, these Cars are the pinnacle of engineering. Every year, I bring my Cars to a Shop in Bavaria which specialises in A2's, the loaner car there has a mileage of over 550.000 km, going strong with no rust at all. I am whole-heardedly convinced, that in a few years from now, we will Look back at this era and think of this little Audi as the perfect classic car.

[@LittlePixelTM]

No rust, because Aluminium :)

[@give-peace-a-chance]

In dieser Werkstatt in Wellheim bin ich mit meinem A2 trotz stundenlanger Anreise auch jedes Mal. Bei Edgar und seinem familiären Team fühle ich mich bestens aufgehoben.👍

[@simonlangner]

@give-peace-a-chance Ja genau, die sind wirklich allererste Sahne!👍 Eine Werkstatt, wie es sie kaum noch zu geben scheint. Ich würde meinen nächsten A2 bedenkenlos bei ihnen kaufen.

[@give-peace-a-chance]

@@simonlangner Mein nächster Kauf wird aber noch dauern. Mein Benziner 1.4 BBY ist mit ca. 308.000 km erst eingefahren...😉👍

[@antraxxslingshots]

@@give-peace-a-chance Gibt es Schwachstellen auf die man achten sollte?

[@tobotron]

I owned an A2 for over 10 years and I really, really loved it. Everything was so reasonable about it, everything was designed around 4 people and some luggage and what you really need from a day to day basis. Plus it was super reliable. I liked it so much that my wife and me even drove to our wedding in it. I really miss it from time to time.

[@smitias_8474]

What happened to it?

[@tobotron]

@ it was 20 years old when I sold it in 2021. We were thinking about getting rid of 1 car in our household and the A2 started have some issues. So we kept our Saab 9-3. In 2023 I sold that one because my daughter was born and bought an Octavia. The Octavia is an incredibly boring car. But I appreciate all that boringness and the 1.5 petrol engine with 150hp is really good. I‘m very curious how this engine would work in the a2, if you optimize it.

[@smitias_8474]

@@tobotron Oh, Saab - you have a fine taste in cars. Owned 9-5 Aero for a year recently - amazing car but in the end I switched to a boring car too. Such a money pit when it gets old. Octavia is great for a boring car, very functional and reasonable. Thanks for your answer)

[@tobotron]

@@smitias_8474 Thanks! i had my 9-3 between 2015 and 2023. An amazing car for long trips on the German autobahn. But with the newer Saabs, you feel the GM influence. Not as bulletproof as the A2, but not as bad as many people picture it.

[@karendarrenmclaren]

Wait... in same time when they made glass cars, that had nothing that hasn't failed, they also made reliable cr and it flopped? How? 😳

[@trzarector]

I had an A2 with glass roof and absolutely loved it. Such a great car. It always suprised people with how much room it had inside. I remember part of the marketing was Audi parking A2’s inside of reinforced glass boxes in various locations. I remember seeing one at in Canary Wharf, London and it just blew my mind and I vowed to own one which I did a few years later. Great car.

[@Noukz37]

No problems with the sunroof? 😅

[@0cer0]

I saw the Al2 at the 1997 IAA, and I was in shock at first. But after several hours I came back to the Audi stand and fell in love with the little car. The shape was more Industrial design than car styling, and being an Industrial designer myself, I seriously appreciated Audi's approach. I got my first A2 in 2001 and during the following 18 years I owned different A2s, all Diesel versions Audi offered. My last A2 was a white 1.2 3l, which had 360.000km on the clock when I sold it. For me , the A2 was, and is, one of the best cars of all times, an immediate classic that definitely belongs in the automotive hall of fame. It was extremely fun to drive, was surprisingly well suited for long distance travel and had an enormous amount of space for passengers and luggage. And if I hadn't switched to electric in the meantime (the Model 3 was just as irresistible when it was presented as the A2 was back then), I think I'd still be driving the A2. In a way, it's the final answer to the question of the right car. It still turns my head every time I see one.

[@0cer0]

Not to forget: A very lively and fun community formed around the A2, which I was part of for many years. I got to know a lot of very interesting people through the A2, some of whom I'm still friends with.

[@AUTOMOTATE]

Was born 2000 myself and I remember the first time I saw one of these last year drive by me in my city I was thinking to myself "what on Earth is that?" I thought it was some variant of the Multipla not an Audi. But I think its one of those cars once you notice one you start to notice them everywhere, definitely a car you'll start to see in collections and museums one day, or what's left of them.

[@AntonHoward-mx9sb]

A2s will be future classics, ive always loved them. Superb forward looking engineering.

[@davidedwards4125]

Already are, very strong owners club and almost anyone on the road in one waves back ;-)

[@richardhookway]

Agree, looked futuristic when released and still looks surprisingly modern. I sat in one once, but too small for my long legs.

[@terrywindy1222]

I have owned various A2s since 2004 I'm 6'4" and never had trouble with space for my long legs

[@richardhookway]

@@terrywindy1222 I’m the same height although proportionally longer legs and size 13 feet!

[@cytherians]

I sure wish the USA had the chance to buy the A2. Sadly, the market was never opened. I have a 2007 A3 Sportback, which has been a phenomenally reliable car all these years... but my only regret is fuel efficiency should be a bit better. If I ever get back to Europe, I plan to hunt down an A2!

[@emty9668]

I ended up with this as a hire car in Germany, it was just out and every time I parked I had people come and look at it. It took me a few days to realise the boot was deeper and bigger than it was by just removing a shelf. There was no manual with it and I could not find the fuel cap release. I took it to two garages and everyone was puzzled. Finally found it on the drivers door pillar, only accessible when the door was open.....it was a brilliant car. 1.4 diesel and quick.

[@cytherians]

How odd... putting the fuel door release on the inner door pillar, only accessible with the door open. One would think there'd been a rash of owner mistakes accidentally opening the fuel door. On the other hand, one less lever to have cluttering the interior.

[@Vespastendert]

Im a Mercedes specialist. Work mostly on the older models. I dont work on the first A class. I really hate them. Instead i have a few A2’s in my customer fleet. Also from time to time i buy them to sell on. They are just so awesome

[@kadran3263]

Why do you hate them? Please elaborate!

[@rayyarayya-c5n]

Is it because the funny way they mount the engines? Lol

[@marcd6897]

I think they have placed all engine components so tightly into the car that it was a nightmare to service.

[@bjthedjdutchdude1992]

May I ask, why do you hate A class?

[@thereallotharmatthae]

I miss old W168 A190. Was a great car for its time.

[@JJonCars]

Yay, was hoping you'd do a video on the A2. I honestly wasnt really a fan when it was new, but now I like it enough to own one. Whats incredible is how good they are to drive, as well as being so efficient and practical. Cheers :)

[@zsoltpapp3363]

Its a brilliant little car even to this day, but it was pretty expensive back in the day

[@Sacto1654]

Its high price was its downfall.

[@tjroelsma]

Yes, and you didn't get much "bang for your buck", in other words: despite the high price, it was pretty standard in its specs. And that was the VW design logic at its core: solid cars that drove well, but the only luxury in a GL (Grand Luxury) spec was in its name. Bog standard was the norm and that clashed with the pricing, especially as Japanese and Taiwanese cars offered far more luxury for less money, while still giving you a very decent drive.

[@ridezosmon2306]

I now understand why it flopped 😢

[@chalibanec1]

I choose meriva instead of a2. In case of accident who will fix that aluminium body and for what price?

[@thanakonpraepanich4284]

It was going to be a hard sale when one of these cost more than a Holden Commodore at NZ launch. I was there when I was a foreign student.

[@RoryRevs]

Got a chance to drive an A2 recently and absolutely loved it, I definitely would have one as a runaround!

[@gerarduspoppel2831]

People that have drove it are mostly very positive about the Handling.

[@Timico1000]

it was a great car, had mine for nine years and 250.000 km...it was far better than the A-Class!

[@RoryRevs]

@@gerarduspoppel2831 yea I had a good few roundabouts in low gears flat out and thoroughly enjoyed it :D

[@RoryRevs]

@@Timico1000 that's fantastic! That was a good era for VAG stuff for sure

[@pdsnpsnldlqnop3330]

The aluminium bodywork was a liability at the time, no shop wanted to work on that and this scared off buyers, meaning depreciation was real, meaning that nobody wanted to buy the new ones. People that have them love them though.

[@Timico1000]

I think most of potential customers didn´t care (or even know) about the aluminium body, they just didn´t like how it looked. Had mine for nine years and had to take quite a lot of jokes.

[@garrylawless3550]

Thanks for telling the story of this innovative car. I always liked the look of the A2, and wanted one, however at the time I couldn't afford one. Moving on many years later, I used to see one on my way to work, quite often the owner would set off before I reached where they parked, and I'd end up following it for a few miles wondering what it would be like to drive! I still like them to this day. Thanks again.👍🏻🚗

[@nicholasstocker8864]

I am a huge fan of weird & obscure cars. Considering that the Audi A2 is both of those things, that means I love it!

[@eriktempelman2097]

Back in late 1999, I was one of the first non-Audi people to be allowed a quick peek at the A2 bodyshop, with high tech solutions like camera-equipped welding robots that could adjust for heat distortion, or its vacuum-cast B-pillar. Awesome tech. Sadly, this did not translate to actual sales.

Pearls before swine.

[@davidrussell8689]

Yes , I remember reading an article on the production welding technology ; very different from conventional steel welding applications.

[@dandare1001]

Most technical aspects are like pearls before swine to the majority of people. I think it was the price, although I know many people didn't like the styling, either. I thought it looked pretty good.

[@niklaswejedal463]

The A2 is the only Audi that I would really want - I love all those compact MPVs of the early 2000s, just as I love the BMW i3 (which incidently is the only BMW I want...). Such a shame the general public did not get it...

[@damonrobus-clarke533]

Must say, I do like an i3, genuinely different, as is the A2. People are such bores.

[@470danadidas]

I had an A2 and I loved it. It had an all black exterior with black leather seats and red carpets. It was on an 05 plate so probably one of the last to be built.

[@davidedwards4125]

I have one and love it, the interior space packaging is amazing. I also have an Elise S1 and the parallels in weight saving design are interesting .

[@micumatrix]

It is important to mention, that the A class had a double floor, because it was from the start made to fit batteries or the H2/O2 canisters. My second gen A class had a 54l tank, which is till now bigger than the tank of many medium sized cars. When Tesla and EVs started to get a grip the second gen. B class was practically ready to receive the batteries packs and electric motors from Tesla, with need for much modification…

[@richardstamper5630]

I have both of the cars featured here, the last of the brilliant Audi A2 90 Sport and the last of the BMW 13S's. The A2 has been with me over 13 years and with it's mildly tuned 1.4 diesel engine it can rocket up to 100mph without breaking a sweat. It's hugely entertaining and absolutely classless. Mine has the original Audi body kit, black paintwork, 17" wheels and full black leather interior. It's a thing of quality and a car I am never going to sell. The 13S picks up on the same theme, wonderfully built and totally original design. One has an all aluminium tub, the other all full carbon . Between them they are the most satisfying cars to own and drive. You could call the A2 fairly basic by todays standards but it's so practical, just remove the rear seat (a two minute operation) and you have a van. Now with 135k miles on the clock it feels as good as ever so why would I change it for a bland unreliable modern car.

[@jensstroner6757]

Perfect timing. Got mine delivered today, fits perfekt in my collection of unusual vehicles like my volvo c30, fendt gt 380 and hopefully an i3 in the future

[@coalieroller5663]

quite a few a2 drivers moved to i3s actually. I think they are pretty similar. Short nose deep dash, kinda tall for its size, aluminum frame, small outside big inside, technologically advanced compared to cars in the same era. I like both of them

[@alancobbin]

I remember the London Eye publicity stunt with the A2,also the 1.4tdi diesel with a stage 1 Map was very nippy and would still return 65-70mpg,happy memories,cheers fella 👍

[@datathunderstorm]

Hunting for a new fuel efficient car with prestigious pedigree in 2013, I shortlisted the Audi A2 as a viable replacement for my existing vehicle. I really, really wanted an Audi A2 - especially as it tightly resembled the Audi TT DNA wise. Unfortunately, there were no automatic versions available in the UK - health problems with my legs meant an automatic transmission car was a priority. The A Class was also shortlisted but failed on dodgy auto transmissions. I ended up with a fully specced 2008 Toyota Prius Tspirit which I’m still driving to this day!

[@iosifd2409]

A Class was really bad , bad gearboxes, crazy electronics, cheap interior . A2 was quite superior to A class .

[@gernotf]

I had an A2 back then. It was a great car. In fact, I think it‘s better then many cars for sale now.

[@mattw8332]

The A2 is the newest Audi model that I actually like. None of their other models launched after it have piqued my interest.

[@Ricketik65]

I feel exactly the same.

[@saileshrp]

Agreed, virtually everything since has been progress through marketing, not through innovative technology, no matter how many LED lights you throw at it.

[@billtaylor2050]

I had an A2 and I’d buy another one like a shot. I swear it ran on the fumes of other cars and it was so comfortable.

[@pauldupre2269]

I absolutely love this Channel, I've been a Subscriber for a few years now. What I'd love to see is the Sporty Honda Civic Story. All the variations from the first time Honda brought Sporty models to the Civic line. VTI, VTI-S, Type S, Type R & anything that may have been before that I don't know about...Pleeeeeaaaassseee ❤️🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤔🤞🤞👍❤️👍

[@ekoturnip]

I love my little A2 1.4tdi, fun to drive and costs nothing to keep. Thanks for the great video :)

[@joãoAlberto-k9x]

I ❤ only the almighty Allah. 🎉.

[@ekoturnip]

@@joãoAlberto-k9x Nobody cares, why even bother posting?

[@fransb8543]

I had one, a 1.4 Petrol 75hp with the funky six spoke alloys and recaro seats. I loved its looks, comfort and quality feel. Also it was genuinely frugal at 6.2-6.7l/100km regardless of how I drove it. But my god, it was dangerously slow.

[@p13giraffe]

As a previous A2 owner, I applaud your excellent video summary of a great automotive concept that still looks fresh 20 years later.

[@BrenTravisMusician]

So surprised that it only sold 170,000. It is a masterpiece and still looks good after all these years.

[@ronniepriveprofiel3876]

Funny, the overall opinion here is that is was a ugly car from the beginning. and the reason it wasnt that wanted along my colleagues

[@aaron-fauth]

@@ronniepriveprofiel3876Your overall opinion that I agree with.

[@baronvonjo1929]

Its clever. Buts dorky and immature at best and ugly at worse.

[@lorenzoburesta829]

I think one of the biggest problems about this car was the aluminium chassis. Very expensive repairs and maintenance. The looks are a matter of personal taste.

[@Whatshisname346]

It was priced about the same as the A3 and the VW golf. You were getting a car from a class below for the price of a premium hatchback. From a buyers point of view it made no sense. Now, I own an A2 because I love stupidly over engineered cars full of quirks but most buyers are conservative and the A2 is a bit too out there considering the price.

[@seanoneillsongs]

maybe I'm an oddball but I loved both the concept and design of the A2 - and the Multipla even though I'm not at all a fan of MPVs - the original Scenic in particular. Mercedes A Class - another car I just couldn't like. Used A2s are pretty thin on the ground - definitely future classics

[@thatcheapguy525]

had an A140 and loved it (accept for the Magneti Marelli electronics) and have always admired the A2

[@iluvcamaros1912]

That era VW/Audi still looks fresh and modern. Almost more so than the current stuff.

[@sharg0]

Had an A2 a couple of years ago, had to sell it when my hip got bad. Fitted with grippy low profile tires it was really fun despise the weak engine (petrol 1.4)! (I still haven't forgiven Audi for stopping production)

[@ComeJesusChrist]

I’ve owned three of these and there is still another, castle red (metallic brown) A2 in the family. Most of my cars in the last two decades were German executives, with over a dozen Mercedes, a few 3 series, A3/4s and the rest being Alfas, Golfs, Subarus and so on. I always get back to cars from the nineties and first decade of this millennia and I wouldn’t touch a car made in the last ten years. The A2 is the prime example of how car manufacturing peaked then, cars only degraded from this point. Whatever we need in a car, models from twenty years ago already had them, many of them even in basic trim level. I think the A2, A8, the 211/212 E-Class estate/first gen CLS, third/fourth gen Range Rover and a few other staple models like the MK4/5 Golfs and A3s are indicative of how cars of this era had everything that matters. A Volvo XC70 with a D5 engine from 2004 is just as useful, but a lot more reliable, than any AWD SUV that followed, although I accept that some prefer taller vehicles, but again, we had very good vehicles doing that already, but without the small engines being worn out by turbos, clogging EDR/DOF and other false devices. The A2 had four airbags, some very reliable, frugal, easy-to-maintain engines, a very modern but practical chassis, air conditioning, plenty of passenger leg room and boot space with quality finish. I prefer the four seater versions as the seats come out easier and I remember how I transferred items from the A2 into an E91 BMW estate realising how the usable space was comparable, with more legroom for the children in the back in the A2. My only criticism is the front pillar slightly restricting the view, but it’s not a deal breaker, just needs more attention than in other cars. Also, the engine management light is on in most models, it’s like a unique feature. The windscreen wiper is surprisingly effective, despite all concerns about the single wiper. It’s a very lightweight car, so cross winds on the motorway is more noticeable, but again, it’s not a major concern. A lightweight, small car with transporting four adults was an objective that the A2 achieved and it’s a shame that car manufacturing was forced into a different path from durable, well-engineered but somewhat minimalistic cars. On a side note, what a brilliant time for motoring when the Fiat Multipla was a genuine option! Today, even the Smart Fortwo is no longer what it was designed to be. There is absolutely no diversity, fun, joy, common sense and customer focus in today’s cars.

[@simonlangner]

I couldn't agree more! Cars back then were basic, but had a quality fit and finish which seems to be extinct today. I, myself have an A2 for my daily commute and an A8 D2 for long family trips, both pretty basic manuals. I think many people today don't fully think about the complexity of their modern cars anymore. Higher complexity means more can go wrong, so far higher opportunity cost.

[@stuartn3522]

I bought my 1.4TDI eleven years ago at 125,000 miles. For the first four years, my example was used on a gruelling 600 mile a week commute- bookended by stop start traffic! After that, the commute was halved, however we're on almost 285,000 miles. Just the standard service parts; Brakes; Timing Belts x3; Oil Pump and Balancer Shaft Drive Chain and Tensioner and Clutch. Non- service items- replaced between 150,000 and 200,000 miles: Indicator Relay Fuel door switch Clutch hydraulics- Master and Slave Cylinders Replacement Road Springs; Control Arms; Dampers and Top Mounts Driver's Door Lock Mechanism Exhaust Flexi-pipe Thermostat Radiator Fan Errr... That's it. And still achieves 56mpg without trying. Record- with knackered thermostat was 67mpg... Bloody good fun on the lanes too. 🥰

[@chrisxa1222]

So you basically have replaced the whole car

[@CT37BN]

Design is brilliant and well executed, but when it came out some commented it kind of looked like a mini-MPV. Another seriously well designed hatch is the first gen Citroen C4 2-dr. hatch (not the 4-dr which had a different rear end).

[@kidcowdy1231]

I never understood why they never sold. As a kid one of the teachers had one and it was mind blowing, it looked like it had come from space!

[@bogotvorprvovencani]

ive been waiting for you to make this video

[@joãoAlberto-k9x]

Oma Oh! my Allah

[@davidrussell8689]

It’s the car that I would have loved to own ! From an engineering view point just the welding technology for mass production was impressive. Excellent video . Keep up the good work and thank you once again .

[@chrisjoyce415]

My Mum has a fully spec’d A2. Leather, TV, glass roof, the works. I love it and she lets me drive it when I visit from Auz. Great car. They have one in the Autostadt museum in Wolfsburg.

[@CaSuMog]

Recently had one on my lift. 406 tsd km, very oily, but still going.

[@SteveM-ly7oy]

I bought one a few weeks ago. It's a noisy diesel, but not that noisy when it has warmed up. Quality inside is superb. It's 19 years old, but everything inside works as it should, even the aircon is freezing. It's good on a twisty road. The suspension is not the best, though. Overall, with a bit of fettling, it should turn into a decent modern classic. Thanks for putting this on KZbin, the A2 deserves a wider audience.

[@nigelcharlton-wright1747]

These were very clever car design, I had the pleasure of borrowing one from a friend when our Rover 75's fuel pump failed, (not a Lucas component!). The only things I found when I later serviced and worked on some items that were required when it was MOTed. The lower wishbone as used on the VW Polo needed the ball joint replaced. This required the whole lower wishbone on both side replaced, which took to long to remove and replace. A long bolt at the front and a pointed end that went into a rubber bush. As I said after completing the job (including replacing all 4 shocks and track-rod ends), I could have rebuilt my Humber Super Snipe's front suspension on both sides in just one day! The cylinder heads cam cover included the cam shaft, therefore you couldn't replace the gasket and finally the dip stick for the engine was made out a fibreglass that snapped at the bottom. Thankfully you remove the tube that goes into the oil sump. Maybe I am being over critical about the second and third point. Loved the interior with it's rear seats that could be flat or even remove it. The handling was infact excellent. A truly wonderful car, such a pity the front suspension was designed by an idiot!

[@snakehandler87]

I absolutely loved these and I would give anything to be back during that time, this was peak automotive engineering and design time in my opinion

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

I’m so pleased by listening to an actual person speaking - and hear the same actual person pronouncing aluminium the way it should. 🙏🏼😁 Thank you.

[@DaveP668]

I had a 1.4TDi SE from 2003 until 2005, did 60,000 miles in it and loved every minute of ownership. Agree about how well it was built and the interior was as well fitted out as the much larger Audi models. 20 years later I have seen 2 today locally and they are as fresh today as they were when first launched. The problem was it cost twice as much as other similar sized cars.

[@shaywhelan1]

Another very enjoyable and informative piece. I still don't quiet understand why it failed. Small cars like with a premium feel are perfect for large European cities

[@mackan67an]

My A2 1,4tdi, 2001,with 400 000km runs very well, i have own it for few years

[@nickd1973]

My first car was an Audi A2. Loved it even with its few flaws. Getting the front of it caught and stuck over curbs a couple of times and needing help lifting up. I guess the aluminium made it light 😂

[@evang9708]

I had 3 of these and they really did punch above their weight, it was great on diesel, punchy and sounded like dumper truck with the little 3 cyl.

[@mara1982cz]

I have this car. I'm from Czech and we go to Finland, Italy-Sardinia, France, Sweden. Car is great only 960kg and 4,5 liter to 100km. Now we have 390 000 km and still working good.

[@FangPaw]

I fell in love with the idea of the A2 as soon as I saw it, and my wife ran one for 11 years. Although the interior space was at least the equal of the Focus/Astra, it was always compared it to the Fiesta et al, which of course were much cheaper. I suspect many potential customers couldn't understand why such as small car would be so expensive. Maybe the petrol version was fun to drive, the (heavy) 1.4 diesel was not. The suspension was crashy yet wallowy, it understeered horribly, and the steering had a curious delay to it, so corners tended to be taken in a series of jerks. One of the worst features were the seats: rather than the whole seat adjusting for height, only the squab moved, making it uncomfortable for taller drivers/passengers. Especially as there was not enough legroom for drivers much over 6ft. And replacing the plastic-impeller water pump is an (expensive) engine-out job. The wife loved it. I didn't.

[@chriswarren2599]

I currently own six. A 1.2 LHD with the automatic transmission, a fully loaded LHD tdi with OpenSky, full leather, cruise etc, a1.4 petrol, two other diesels and my replica Papaya Orange colour storm tdi with almost all the factory extras. I have owned loads of cars over the years and these wonderful little thing are without a doubt the best engineered car you can buy. The best bit-no rust. Get one whilst they are affordable, you won’t regret it.

[@MrBenHaynes]

I love the A2 concept. Owned a first gen Honda Jazz and it was a Tardis! I want a Wuling Bingo plus SUV for my next electric propelled Tardis

[@eeeandeee]

I had a 1.4 TDi SE with all round electric windows and the famous panoramic sunroof. A real Tardis of a car and very very quick, comfortable and economical. I wish I could have kept it instead of having to part exchange it :-(

[@neilrwilliams218]

Audi recently revealed an A2 e-tron which was a modern electric update of the original produced by their apprenticeship program. It won't be going on sale, but shows they still think about the A2.

[@TiagoJoaoSilva]

A2 e-tron? Dear Audi: SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!

[@MaximilianvonPinneberg]

Another nice touch on the A2 to further drive through the aluminium messaging was the Aluminium trim and interior handles. Best glovebox opener I've ever used.

[@CaSuMog]

Btw, the Citroen DS and later SM bonnets were the largest Aluminium parts in the car business from 1955 … until Audi came along iirc.

[@garypoulton7311]

Nonsense, Range Rover from 1970, the roof is almost 3 metres long.

[@CaSuMog]

@ Ok so we can count 1955 until 1970….

[@denisripley8699]

... and Land Rovers were Aluminium from their inception in 1948

[@Mrtom248]

I'm on my 3rd diesel A2 and I think they are great cars. Cheap to run and plenty of room and relatively easy to maintain.

[@viktoria4083]

I now drive my mums A2 and I love that car. I wouldn’t switch it to any other car. It’s now has over 215.000km on the clock, it’s still super reliable and super cheap. Best decision my mum ever made was to buy that car 😍

[@rocklover7437]

My sister had one and she has always regretted selling it .I drove it a few times and it was great .

[@phil1980a]

Had mine since new in 2003. Great car then and still very relevant now. Yes in car technology has moved on but still get the odd person asking if it's a new model when all clean and shiny. Fun to drive as well!

[@MaximilianvonPinneberg]

I had an A2 for a couple of years from launch. i absolutely loved that car. In London it was nimble and easy to navigate the narrow streets, on the motorway it had that big car feel. Sadly I had to give it up and was forced to have an A4, a car that never lived up to the revelation that was the A2.

[@lqr824]

In 2005 I made a 12-car dream garage, with a car for every size and need. A2 was the car at the villa for station and milk runs. Small sports cars, big sports sedans, a diesel S-klasse for cross-Europe driving, an Atom for the track. The museum cars were the Alfa Carabo for looks and the Rekordwagen for performance.

[@antraxxslingshots]

A few years ago there was a time i saw more of them then when they were knew. It was ahead of its time imo. It was a very well build car, i had two in the circle of people i know, both had the 1.2 TDi and ran over 300.000km without any issues.

[@rupertorgan7749]

I love it when the German car builders go left-field and radical, so twenty years ago I bought an A2 1.6FSI Sport. I only kept it for seven months and 13,000 miles, the problems for me were the FSI engine being very fussy on quality of fuel - it needed not readily available and very expensive Shell Optimax to run without misfiring and throwing up the engine management light - and the ride quality on British roads was abysmal. I so wanted to like it, because it was different and innovative and with a high quality interior, but ultimately I was spending too much time at my local Audi dealer.

[@arnebuchner1297]

One of the best cars Audi ever built. And even today it does not look outdated. The prices for used A2 are still high, because this was a car that drove like two classes higher.

[@micumatrix]

2012-2013 I was thinking about buying a used car and it was a long process, since it was a time, where the cool cars of the years 2000+ got cheap. When I started to include also insurance costs I landed at Audi A2 and Mercedes A class. I just loved how special they were and the space inside. In the end I opted with second gen. A class, because of the many faults that were discovered in the first two mentioned cars. You really had space like an E class Mercedes in front. (Also repairing an A2 was always a bit more expensive…) Funny You mention the Q2. I also like the format and I drive it regularly, but it is in fact a normal car, because it doesn’t use the space as ingeniously as the A2 and the A class ;)

[@vitesh89]

Great channel, I'm a Toyota and Lexus fan, after watching a few of your videos I learnt alot.

[@BigCar2]

Check out the Lexus LS video.

[@jenssirbensonmam4822]

Thank you for this video. I have a sweet spot for the A2 because a friend of mine and her baby daughter survived a side impact of 80kmh by a drunken taxidriver with a Mercedes with minor injuries. Her daughter in her Baby Cosy seat suffered no injuries. Sad, that the A2 was too far ahead of its time.

[@melvyncox3361]

I run an A2,with just over 101,000 miles on it and l absolutely love it,and so rare as well!1.4TDi SE.No chance of selling it,and hopefully will last as they don't rust. I'd definitely recommend getting one,as l think they will become a classic.The only worry with these is if they are damaged,as they are prone to be written off by insurers.l'm still keeping mine though👍!

[@BazFairbrother]

Hi Andy, I've always had a soft spot for these being a VW Audi master technician. The worst point for me as a tech was the bonnet that had to be lifted off for maintenance work. Not too bad in a workshop environment but for the AA/RAC it must have been a nightmare!

[@BigCar2]

It didn't look too hard to remove - just a couple of bolts surely? Was it a two person job?

[@BazFairbrother]

@BigCar2 it's not the removal but more what do you do with it when it's off. No matter how you try and store it the painted edges touch down. That's what I meant about roadside assistance. In a workshop we could place it somewhere on foam blocks.

[@andynapier6181]

I'd an A2 for about 5 years and anyone who saw it was amazed at the amount of storage space inside the car. It had a lot if good points for me. I found the 1.4L petrol engine to be low-powered having to keep my foot flat on the floor to do 70mph on UK motorways and the driver's seat a bit unsuitable for longer runs. I was glad to get out after driving about 150 miles to Edinburgh airport. Apart from those two niggles it was a great car. I'd recommend anyone to get one as a city car without hesitation.

[@MrDuncl]

At the time all the newspaper reviews picked up on the non removable bonnet in a negative way. "A car you will never be able to service yourself" etc etc. I'm sure it must have hurt sales.

[@TiagoJoaoSilva]

@@BazFairbrother it was pretty light, just one scrawny man's job, and it would fit in front of the rear seats

[@nivens.1604]

21 year old A2 owner here, it's my second car. Y-reg (built 2001, sold 2003) base model with a/c, pine green pearlescent paint with cream interior, 1.4 petrol. I think it's a really lovely car, although mine has under 64,000 miles on it the interior really isn't showing its age much at all. My first car was a 2004 1.2 Polo twist in silver, and the A2 is everything I loved my Polo for but just better made in every respect. The A2 is also substantially quicker; only 3 seconds faster 0-60mph but about 300kgs less weight means it's faster everywhere than the Polo (I have actual overtaking power now, it's quite the revelation)

[@funwithhenryyt]

Thank you for this interesting story. I love these type of videos. I wanted to ask, could you do a Lancia Thesis video. I'd love it.

[@BigCar2]

Sorry, not any time soon, but I've done a quick look at the Ypsilon on my second channel, Little Car.

[@funwithhenryyt]

@@BigCar2 No problem. I'll definitely check that one out.

[@peterdevreter]

I'm waiting patiently for a A2 1.4 with low miles to snatch for about 2k. I recently drove the diesel version and it's a pretty cool car.

[@bigcahoonaburger8550]

These cars from various brands, Mercedes A class also springs to mind, are like the 00’s fads. The Fubbies and Baby-g watches of their time in car form, fun for a bit then they look too gimmicky.

[@Shanachie707]

It’s so funny, if you are talking about the development of the Audi TT. Because this has only been a show car, design concept, which was transformed into reality, because of the feedback it received throughout the shows. And this job was outsourced to an Austrian company near graz, international mostly known for their military off-road vehicles, called Steyr-Daimler-Puch. The complete development of the body ,chassis , drive ect, except the engines was developed by Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Graz. Even the complete Hungarian factory for the TT was developed and designed by Steyr-Daimler Puch. I think that has been there last big project, because than the company has been taken over by Frank Stronach’s MAGNA corporation

[@chrisreed3929]

I test drove an A2 not long after they came out. Fantastic car to drive and beautifully built, but alas I just could not love the look. Oddly enough, I feel it looks better now than it did then.

[@globalpeasant]

Had one of these for 5 years - the 1.6 FSI . Perfect for London streets with is small size and turning circle . Also a decent motorway cruiser and nippy on B roads . Wanted to keep it for as long as I could but moved abroad so had to sell :(

[@lindaoffenbach]

Hi, as a loyal follower of your channel, first of all my sincere compliments for all of your uploads. They are a genuine quality watch and such a delight. Writing a comment from me here has not yet passed, except this one this time. May I perhaps put in a request. That is, would it be an idea and possibility to cover the story of the Volvo S/V40. It was a time of deep change at Nedcar when Mitsubishi came onboard. Little is known about the joined development of the platform. Both the Carisma and Volvo were built on the same lines, but how they went through the stages of development has been an untold story. It would be most intriguing actually. Keep on the excellent work, and thank you 🙂

[@BigCar2]

Probably one day. Glad you like the videos!

[@markiesmith4537]

In late 2002 I wandered into a huge Car Supermarket to find a dozen brand new A2s for sale - Audi had dumped them on the market for a bargain price - only £8500 reduced from £13500 (IIRC). Perfect for my wife who wanted a zippy small car but with a big boot to carry her work kit (450l rear seats up). We had it for 11 years until written off in an accident - marvellous car!.... In my opinion what killed it was the price. £13,500 when you could buy a Toyota Yaris for £8250 that was the same general package. The British public didn't see the A2 as being worth that much more - it was doomed!

[@ioanliviu22]

I like the design of the A2 and it would look good around my A4s, one being from the same time, namely, the B6 (also timeless design) but then again, I also own a Citroën C5, so I don’t really mind quirky but I’m not quite that far gone to drive a Multipla or a 1007.

[@jansefran1752]

GREAT little car ... Small on outside / big on inside ... Aluminium frame + top aerodinamics ... Top design.

[@wertywerrtyson5529]

This type of design is very good because you sit higher than a regular small car, you can be tall and still fit, and you still have space for passengers in the back and some luggage while being fuel efficient. I have an Opel Meriva and despite being only 4.3 meters it feels bigger than many larger cars.

[@Andrew-zv4fm]

I remember seeing the A2 as a kid when I would go to Germany to visit family. I liked it.

[@kentho6114]

70mpg is unbelievable before diesel gate. The Lupo SDi got really high MPG. I almost bought an A2. Love wedge shape cars.

[@philpaxton2078]

I've had an A2 for several years. Incredibly practical for its size, although a pain to work on. Anyone would think that Audi didn't want you to do your own maintenance.

[@miketango244]

I love my 2002 Aluminum A2 1.4 TDI diesel, it weighs under 1000 kg and uses only 3.5 litres of diesel per 100 km when driven carefully, even though it has a retrofitted diesel catalytic converter, so it complies with the Euro 4 emissions standard. It has currently done 390,000 km.

[@muskreality]

That intro takes the cake 👏

[@davidhinkson8856]

To me, the Audi A2 was Audi's answer to the Mercedes A Class. But since Audi already had the A3 in its range, the A2 didn't evolve into a bigger Golf sized car as the A Class eventually did. I guess smaller cars don't always work for premium brands.

[@panaceiasuberes6464]

I own both the A2 el and Lupo 3L, both convert to manual gear. Amazingly strong cars.

[@georgiosanthopoulos5602]

It caused a stir in the supermini class when it was launched, it was so well-made, so classy, perfect shutlines and cabin materials, the A-Class was totally sub-par on material perceived cabin quality. The A2 however failed because it was very expensive, you could get a fully loaded Golf instead which was just as well made at the time. Another thing that worked against it was its choppy ride at low speeds, it was very stable and comfortable on the motorway though. Finally, although Audi was widely touting its kerb weight as being very low, other front-running superminis were just as light (Yaris, Punto), had the same Euro NCAP score, sat five and cost significantly less than the Audi.

[@mediocreman2]

Great little car. I only wish they offered it in AWD and made it better looking. Even the not so great Haldex system would have been nice to have.

[@typxxilps]

still iconic for the time - even though looked a bit boring next to the competition, a bit too much 90s A class

[@maritagraefer6027]

One of the best cars ever.