Resignation of Ferdinand Piëch, - A2's blamed

Alan_uk

A2OC Donor
FT article today http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/702f01c6-ebf8-11e4-8604-00144feab7de.html#axzz3YQlWxDU7 both credits and blames outgoing chairman Ferdinand Piëch for VW ills

Yet, from 1993, as CEO and then as chairman from 2002, Mr Piëch recast VW from a lossmaking, unproductive volume carmaker into a profitable, global automotive powerhouse.

Mr Piëch’s engineering talent and perfectionism drove the carmaker to design complex, technically superior vehicles, often regardless of the cost.

Bernstein Research placed three VW Group vehicles — the 1,001 horsepower Bugatti Veyron, the VW Phaeton (for which VW built a bespoke glass factory in Dresden) and the aluminium Audi A2, on its list of the top 10 lossmaking cars of modern times.
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Interesting article re the challenges ahead for the new chairman who ever he/she is.
 
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Well the Veyron was never designed to make money was it, it was a pure engineering and marketing exercise.
The VW Phaeton was a conceptual mistake as it took the "People car" brand that was VW directly into competition with its Audi brother (let's face it, if you're an Exec, you're always going to want an A8 over a VW Phat one), and rather than badge-engineer an existing limo platform in the VAG lineup, they designed a new one from the ground up (although the Phaeton underpins the entire Bentley range too, so maybe that was the reason for doing it, to hide the development cost).
And we all know the A2 was a fantastic idea, very well executed, but 10 years ahead of its time. The market was not ready for a "small, premium" car and people were not yet ready to understand that efficiency is the way the market has to go. I'm still convinced that if they had continued the A2 with a Mk2 version, it would have become a success, but it was killed off before it had the chance.
 
That is precisely why they built the Pheaton, as a practice run for building Bentleys so in overall terms is not a loss maker. A 'new' A2 would probably not be all alu construction, steel shells can now achieve light weight construction. Given the apparent success of the Beemer i3 (and I await to see sales levels after the initial early adopters have all bought their cars) Audi dealers must be wishing they had something to compete.
 
Audi's loss on the A2 is our gain!!!

We get a car that should have cost an extra £4,000 when new, so we all have benefitted from that loss in one way or another.

We also have a car that does not look out of place or have a lower spec than current "economical, small" cars, rolling off the production line.

Also a car that will probably look just as good in another 15 years!!!

So thank you Ferdinand Piëch !!!!

Steve B
 
I think it's a real shame they dropped the A2 concept, a new one seems to be on its way but it seems to be just another plain mini MPV with the main selling point being the great range of VAG engines . The designers clearly did a great job on the A2, I think it still looks fresh next to modern rivals, even the headlight clusters on the A2 still look special after almost 13 years. I am particularly pleased with mine after a headlight wash retrofit.

The BMW I3 seems to have taken the A2 baton but still a little pricy for me at the moment, I'll give it a few years.

Max
 
It many ways I am kinda glad that the new model A2 seems to have been shelved.

Not only do I think that there is no room for an A2 in between the current A1 and A3 (The A1 is big enough on the outside at least) so to me there is no room for an A2.

But most importantly, if they made the new one as good as our A2 model, then we would feel a bit jealous of the people that own them. Ours would also be less exclusive.
If they made the new A2 and it didn't have the character of our A2 model, then that would be a shame and do nothing for the "A2" brand.

So I hope they don't ever bring out another A2, we can then still be as exclusive as ever (more so as the numbers dwindle!).

I would really have liked to buy some good A2s with a view to completely refurbishing them and selling them a completely sorted "nearly new" A2s. The next best thing to a new A2!

How many people on here have opted to buy a new car and had to settle for a "normal" one rather than a "new" (reconditioned) A2.

Steve B
 
BBC News article What now for Volkswagen after its chairman resigns? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32501492

Suggests that chief executive Martin Winterkorn wont be around for long and the way forward is non family Chair and CEO who can get to grips with the unprofitable VW division and curtailing acquisitions that are not adding value or giving economies of scale. Mind you, the A2 did capitalise on using many component parts from the VW group (Polo) but maybe that put off the Audi purists.
 
I think the A2 is a great design really. The only thing I would change if making a mk2 would be to make it wider. Everything else is spot on.
 
I think thats my only minor gripe too.
I wonder what the future holds for VW now then?
 
The only thing I would change if making a mk2 would be to make it wider.

Agree, especially if that meant an asymmetrical split back seat: 1/3 and 2/3 so that 3 can be sat at the back with a middle lap seatbelt and still allow the seats to be removed. I'm sure I had a car like that once.

Plus up-to-date electronics as standard such as sat nav, music system, etc. Friend of mine has a BMW with heads up display and tablet style of control system with rear cameras - cool. And Euro 6 of course for all those emmission zones that are going to appear soon in the UK. And LED lights.
 
Not wishing to disagree, but if you have a wider A2 then it is more like an A3, so why would Audi do that?

We frequently have 5 adults in our A2s and everyone says they are comfortable enough.

Widening it means that you would lose one of my favourite aspects, they are SO easy to park in small places and car parks that have very thin parking bays.

To me the proportions of the A2 are absolutely perfect. How many of us refer to it as a TARDIS? I call it that whenever I am explaining the car to people don't know the A2.

As I have said, I hope they never build another A2 !! You can't improve something that does everything you want from a small car, and more!!!

The only new A2 I would like to see, if we HAD to have one, is one that is built on the same body style and dimensions but with an updated grill (just to make it stand out as a new A2) and some minor styling improvements (such as light units and interior improvements)

Steve B
 
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