Audi - A2
The A2 is considered to be ahead of its time in design terms - but the avant-garde styling has not won favour with customers.
Audi was reported to be disappointed with the level of sales; The final production is estimated to be 175000 units. In comparison to rival Mercedes-Benz' A-Class sales of 1 million, this unhappiness on the part of Audi is not surprising.
The A2 is built using considerable aluminium alloy content, providing significant weight advantage over similar sized cars. It uses a "space frame" design: the outer panels of the body have no structural function - similarities exist with the original Renault Espace - and the "space frame" bears the forces working on the car. Due to the decision to create "knots" instead of welding the space frame, improvements in shell stability, shell durability, lower weight, and better interior space are evident. Unfortunately, the cost of working with aluminium, particularly with small production runs, meant that the A2 was more expensive than its competitors. This may have contributed to the relatively slow sales in conjunction with the dearth of marketing from Audi.
Audi was the first manufacturer to try and incorporate lightweight building concepts using Aluminium and associated alloys into a "mass market" vehicle; the previous efforts at using a Space Frame were limited to the rather more expensive A8. As a guide to the mass involved: the entire shell weighs so little that two people can easily pick it up; the side panel over the doors including the A and D-Pillars weighs approx 2kg (4.5 lbs). The original 2002 Model A2 had a basic mass of 895kg.
The A2 was produced in Neckarsulm in Germany. It was the first five-door vehicle on sale in Europe whose average fuel consumption is less than three litres per 100km (62mi), ca. 94mpg (British gallon). Due to the construction, the average A2 weighs less than 1000kg (2200 lb), and this results in excellent fuel returns for all engines, not to mention superb chassis dynamics.
