Audi will unveil its small car of the future, the Audi A2, at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show.
Using the same ground breaking ASF (Audi Space Frame) technology first developed for the company's internationally acclaimed A8 luxury limousine, Audi is set to unveil the world's first volume production vehicle to wear a lightweight and environmentally friendly all-aluminium body.
The world first saw what was to become the A2 in the guise of Audi's Al2 concept car at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Al2 was designed and developed to showcase Audi's unrivalled expertise in the use of lightweight aluminium construction and highlight the company's vision of an environmentally friendly and fully recyclable motoring future.
Just two years later in 1999, the Al2 dream machine has become the Audi A2, a vehicle that will set the scene for the future of small car motoring with its body made completely from aluminium.
On sale in Europe before the end of this year, Audi in Australia will not finalise its decision on whether the A2 will be sold here until 2000. If the A2 does form part of Audi's Australian model range, customers can expect it to be on the showroom floor around mid-2001.
According to Audi's managing director, Matthias Seidl, the A2 represents the cutting edge of automotive technology and represents a huge step forward in environmentally friendly automobile manufacture.
"Because of its unique aluminium construction, the A2 is almost completely recyclable. Surely this will become an area of vital importance in the near future and we intend to be at the head of the field," said Mr Seidl.
"When we launched the A8 we set the standards in the luxury car class and now the A2 gives us the most sophisticated small car in the world.
"We will be looking very closely at adding the A2 to our local range but no decision will be made until 2000 because we have many other new models about to arrive," he said.
The A2 is another example of how Audi's designers have striven to stay true to the original concept vehicle. In the same way the incredible TT concept car became the awesome TT production model with just minimal changes, similarly the Al2 been transformed from show stopper to road going vehicle without sacrificing its unique character.
With its striking shape, the A2 reinforces Audi's claim of setting new standards of automotive design. It ingeniously and systematically exploits Audi's wealth of experience in pioneering lightweight construction. The use of the Audi Space Frame means that the aluminium body of the A2 is around 43 percent lighter than if it were made from steel.
The A2 weighs just 895 kg, the lowest in its class and has a fuel consumption that is consequently below that of other comparable cars. Added to this, its low weight makes it particularly agile. Despite its overall length of only 3.82 m, the A2 does not leave its occupants short of space. It is a fully-fledged car with a remarkably spacious interior.
Only 1.67 m wide and 1.55 m tall, Audi designers have nonetheless made incredible use of the available interior space. Using the "Space Floor Concept", with the rear footwells lower than those ahead of the front seats, the designers have created significantly more space for rear passengers than in rival vehicles.
The interior is also remarkably versatile. The rear seats of this four-seater can be folded down either individually or together, or even removed entirely for ease of transporting bulky items such as cycles.
In Europe the A2 will be available with a choice of two engines, each with a displacement of 1.4 litres. The A2 with the high-torque three-cylinder TDI (turbo diesel) engine has 55 kW of power and can cover 100km on just 4.2 litres of fuel. Despite being frugal, the turbo diesel has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 12.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 173 km/h.
The A2 with four-cylinder spark-ignition engine, which again develops 55 kW (75 bhp), produces similar performance data and requires on average only 6.1 litres of fuel per 100 km and is classified as low-pollution according to EU4 legislation. Both versions have a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The A2's progressive design reconciles two apparent contradictions: agility and robustness.
Whereas the gently ribbed roof and expansive rear window are indicative of its lightness and subtlety, the sturdy, high-shouldered vehicle body creates an impression of considerable substance, indicating security and protection.
The clear-cut lines, with accentuated joins and deliberately geometrical wheel arches, reflect its distinctive formal idiom. The Audi A2's front end is particularly striking. Its key features are the bumpers, which lie virtually flush with the body itself, and the eye-catching design of the headlights. The outstanding drag coefficient of 0.28 is the best in this vehicle category.
The Audi A2 also redefines the standard when it comes to ease of servicing. It is the world's first production car to have a "service module" - a folding flap with a high-gloss painted finish that takes the place of the conventional radiator grille. The oil dipstick and filler caps for engine oil and washer fluid are readily accessible behind this flap for maximum convenience. In other words, the engine hood itself will generally only need to be opened relatively infrequently in the workshop, for servicing purposes. Audi's extended service intervals – 2 years or 30,000 km for spark-ignition engines and 50,000 km for TDI engines, whichever is the sooner, also apply to the A2.
The A2's suspension combines ultramodern electronic components, such as ABS anti-lock braking as standard, EBD electronic brake-force distribution and the ESP electronic stability program, with the proven technology of a McPherson spring-strut axle at the front and a torsion-beam rear axle.
As on the Audi A8, the ASF structure constitutes an ideal basis for high passive safety, with the Audi Space Frame made from high-strength aluminium profiles surrounding the occupants like a protective cage. Driver, front passenger and side airbags are fitted as standard, and Audi's SIDEGUARD safety system is available as an optional extra.
Thanks to its systematic design, fascinating technology and unconventional features such as the "Open Sky" system – a glass roof available as an equipment option – the Audi A2 creates an entirely new premium class within the compact car segment.
The A2, a car designed for the 21st century, is a fully-fledged member of the Audi model range. The company is planning to launch a version capable of covering 100 km on only three litres of fuel before the end of the year.