it's official, the A2 will die soon

[sos10]

........

A2 driver, Mac user
http://homepage.mac.com/sos10/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2003-04-15%2011.47.02%20-0700/Image-9459FAC06F7211D7.jpg

[runboy]

sos10

Have you read something new?

I read yesterday in Autocar an article on aluminium cars, and an Audi spokesman said they would not be replacing their small city car. This is the sort of comments we are hearing from Audi these days.

We have known this for a while now-but the exact date for end of production is still not known-possibly 2004/5. Audi have just updated the looks (very slightly) and put in a new diesel engine so I reckon another 2 years until production ceases

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit

[Dieselpower]

Here's some text i did find on another car-related forum;

Audi: Aus für den A2 ist besiegelt



Die Volkswagen-Tochter Audi lässt das zuletzt erfolglose Modell A2 2005/06 endgültig auslaufen.

"Den Audi A2 wird es nicht mehr geben. Unsere Aufgabe wird es dann sein, die Marke Seat an der entstehenden Lücke an Audi heranzuführen", sagte Audi-Chef Martin Winterkorn auf der IAA.

Der Absatz des A2 war im ersten Halbjahr mit knapp 16.000 Fahrzeugen (Vorjahr: rund 22.000) weit hinter den Erwartungen des Ingolstädter Autobauers zurückgeblieben.




'08/'02 A2 1.4 TDI, Ebony black, DIS, Cruise Control, sportseats, open sky system, 16"wheels

[Johann]

and in English that says?

__________________________________________________ __________________________________
[img=left]http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/180225.jpg[/img=left]
2001 A2 TDI SE Crystal Blue with Open Sky, 6CD Symphony II, BOSE upgrade, DIS and HALF a winterpack!

iPAQ 3970 with Sat-Nav sleeve, rear cupholders, luggage net and floppy wiper!

http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/uk23.htm

[swiv]

Well, according to babelfish.altavista.com this is an approximate translation:
---
The Volkswagen daughter AUDI lets the last unsuccessful model a2 2005/06 run out finally. "it will not any longer give the AUDI to a2. Our task will be it then to advance the mark Seat at the developing gap at AUDI ", said AUDI boss Martin winter grain on the IAA. The paragraph of the a2 was in the first half-year with scarcely 16,000 vehicles (previous year: approximately 22.000) far left behind expectations of the Ingolstaedter Autobauers.
---

It's far from perfect, but readable. It seems that low sales are the reason to shut the A2 down mid 2005. And SEAT seems to be the VAG partner that is supposed to fill in the gap for a mini-MPV like the A2 is.

--
Edo (2003 Silver 1.4 Tdi Exclusive(SE), black interior, sport seats, JVC KD-SH909RB cd-receiver, Infinity Kappa F&R speakers, 12" Subwoofer on 300w Amp)

[runboy]

The Autocar piece (i'll get it tonight) says something along the lines of "to make an aluminium produced car financially viable they have to sell a minimum of X, and the A2 has sold that same number, no more".

So no profit from the A2 then. But it gets people into the brand. Will SEAT get people into the Audi brand... hmmmmm....

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit

[gerard]

that's too bad,

ending the A2 is a bad idea in so many ways...

i think the number one problem is bad marketing....

too bad....

-gerard


2003 1.6 SE FSI Cobalt Blue & 1968 Dodge Charger

[shezlee]

Received a dealership booklet, it covered the A3, A4, A6 and the A8 not one mention of the A2 anywhere. P..........off

Lee and Sheridan,
TDI SE, Build 11/01, Dolphin Grey (http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/uk18.htm)
50% Brighter Bulbs : Audi 6 CD Changer (http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/guide1.doc) : Rear drinks holder (http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/guide2.doc) : Floppy Wiper (http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/guide4.doc) : Centre Tray (http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/guide5.doc) : Elasticated Belt System (http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/guide7.doc) : Chrome Numberplate Surround

[Shaf]

I was speaking to the salesman at the Audi dealer at the weekend and he hasn't heard anything about the end of the A2. It doesn't say a lot though......
He didn't even know about the new TDi either.

Shaf

Nov 2002 TDi Sport, Silver,Black/grey interior,climate. Replaced previous Mar 2001 TDi SE

[Johann]

AS ever 2005 is the last year of A2 production, WHICH IS A NORMAL PRODUCTION RUN OF 7 YEARS... only difference is there will be no NEW A2...

It is well known that VW sees SEAT as their cheaper sporting brand, then Audi above that and then Lamborghini. The other end of the scale is Skoda, then VW, then Bentley as the more luxury non-sporting arm of the VW group... Hence the Seat Altea showcar is our spirital succesor...

http://www.a2forum.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2166

http://www.whatcar.com/default.asp?a=news&b=story&makeref=0&modelref=0&cat=1&article=2253

__________________________________________________ __________________________________
[img=left]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-2/11882/a2andme2.gif[/img=left]
2001 A2 TDI SE Crystal Blue with Open Sky, 6CD Symphony II, BOSE upgrade, DIS and HALF a winterpack!

iPAQ 3970 with Sat-Nav sleeve, rear cupholders, luggage net and floppy wiper!

http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/uk23.htm

[runboy]

The article I mention above in Autocar reads:

"......There seems to be a surprising degree of agreement - even among alloy indistry enthusiasts - that high-volume production cars like the VW Golf and Ford Focus are unlikely to ever be made of aluminium. Today's break even is claimed at around 60,000 cars per year - the A2's production level. Significantly, Audi says there won't be a replacement for its avant garde city car"

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit