Apprentices at Audi’s Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm training facililties put forward the idea to reimagine the A2 as an EV – and leadership obliged
Audi’s apprenticeship programmes are clearly hands on, with the latest trainees given the chance to reimagine the iconic A2 in E-Tron form. It is of course not intended to progress any further than a fun exercise (and a chance to celebrate the model’s 25th birthday), but it does build on a growing trend of heritage mining among established brands.
Audi is at pains to point out that this is indeed just an exercise, but it is an extensive one with around 40 trainees and students working on the concept for about a year in total. We were also told that the idea to convert an A2 “was developed by the trainees themselves” and by all accounts the project “strengthened team spirit and cooperation beyond training.” Apprentices were supported by nine trainers and experts from various departments, including design, who assisted throughotu the process from initial sketches to final prototyping.
Much of the key ingredients remain intact and it is a very tastefully-executed one-off concept. The distinctive silhouette, friendly face and overall proportions are all very familiar, with the updates most evident in the illuminated badges (front and rear), daytime running lights and new covered wheels – which would not look out of place on other noughties models like the B4 RS4 or 8N TT.
Closer inspection reveals new treatment to the front mask, which is now much smoother and features a markedly different grille and diffuser, as well as the cleaner side surfacing without protective strips on the doors. Eagle-eyed viewers will also notice the razor-thin wing mirrors which, we assume, house cameras instead. At the rear, the clean bootlid brings a dose of nostalgia (remember the “smoothing” and de-badging trend?) while inside there are updated fabric sports seats.
It is not the first time the A2 has been revisited in a semi-official capacity. In 2011 another electric concept was shown at the Frankfurt Auto Show, this time as a “technology study”. Its 31kWh battery offered about 125 miles of range at the time.
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