WISE BUYER
Time to snap up Audi’s innovative little vision of the future, says James Walshe
Why you want one
Yet another oddball from the late Nineties school of design lunacy and yet this one genuinely should have changed the world. Hot on the heels of the Mercedes A Class, this curious looking supermini was even cleverer than its Stuttgart rival. With exceptional packaging and space efficiency that would have coaxed a nod of approval from the likes of Sir Alec Issigonis, the A2 was safe and strong, yet also extremely lightweight, giving it outstanding fuel economy. Low weight also gave the car surprising performance and agility, as well as longer lasting tyres. From a styling point of view, some likened it to a wheeled toaster, while those who bought it enjoyed exceptional build quality coupled with low running costs, practicality, and pleasing road manners… as well as a sense that you were being a bit nicer to the planet than your neighbour was.
The people’s Audi remains an advanced concept today and is gaining classic credibility. There’s really nothing else quite like it. With laser welded aluminium spaceframe-style design, the outer panels have little structural function and the bonnet doesn’t have hinges - it’s an 8kg panel that only ever needs to be removed for servicing. Good ones are disappearing, so here’s how to grab yourself the best.
Which one should I buy?
Unveiled in 1999, not long after the ground-breaking TT, Audi’s new small car was let loose on the UK market in 2000 with a 74bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine and a 1.4-litre TDi unit (also 74bhp) that gave owners truly remarkable MPG figures. A Webasto pre-heater was fitted to diesel models. There was an ultra-efficient Euro-only 1.2-litre TDI (with a claimed 90mpg) but the next major introduction to the UK was a 110bhp 1.6-litre FSi engine version in 2002, which got several revisions including a larger fuel tank, and an 89bhp TDI model. Some say these two later models weren’t quite as reliable, thanks to direct injection, a temperamental dual-mass flywheel and turbocharger, but check the paperwork closely and you could end up with one that’s been well cared for. Trim was standard or SE, while the 2003-on Sport got 17-inch alloy wheels and sports suspension. The A2 was a terrible loss-maker for Audi, so many of the gadgets that featured on early cars were removed and later made optional to help boost the coffers.
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