2000: A2 launch draws near

[A2OC]

Behold the car that Audi believes to be the future of automotive technology. And the maker says it will "become reality well before its time" when the revolutionary aluminium-bodied Audi A2 arrives in the UK this year.

Following an international launch to the world’s press at the end of March, this remarkable new departure for the brand will take to British roads in the autumn – but Hoot! will be testing the car in St Tropez and reporting on it on March 30.

The Audi A2 will be the world’s first volume production car to feature a bodyshell constructed entirely from weight-saving aluminium. It has come to fruition just three years after the A12 concept which inspired it débuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Audi says the fully-fledged production version remains "surprisingly faithful" to the initial design study.

The experience in lightweight construction which Audi has already gained with the innovative A8 luxury saloon has been applied in the newcomer. Space Frame technology (ASF) ensures that the aluminium body of this new five-door hatchback weighs approximately 43 per cent less than it would if built from steel using conventional processes. Its kerb weight of 895kg is the lowest in its class, which consequently has a beneficial effect on fuel consumption and handling agility.

Despite an overall length of just 3.82m, a width of only 1.67m and a height of only 1.55m the Audi A2 does not leave its occupants wanting for space. It is a fully fledged four-seater, thanks in part to its innovative "space floor concept" - a split-level floor with rear footwells lower than those upfront, thus liberating considerably more space and maximizing comfort for rear seat passengers.

At launch the A2 will be available with two 1.4-litre engines, both mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The first will be a new spark-ignition petrol engine, which has been classified as low-pollution according to EU4 legislation. Delivering 75bhp, it will give the A2 the potential to travel up to 46.3 miles on a single gallon of petrol.

Equally impressive will be the new high-torque three-cylinder TDI engine with pump nozzle injection. It has the same 75bhp output, and will enable the A2 to cover up to 67.3 miles per gallon.

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