Audi Eyeing the Small Car Market

Another recession move on the automotive market, this time from German giant Audi that has so far kept well away from the small city car market. But not anymore, as Auto Express has found out, the Audi family is ready to welcome its smallest member to date, which will be based on Volkswagen's micro-concept, the “up!”.

And when we say based, that means that it will have the exact same underpinnings as the Volkswagen. The same platform will be used by Skoda and Seat. Still, Audi hopes to maintain the executive feel and transmit it to the car so that it keeps with the overall Audi image.

The only differences from the up! are mostly in the body, the new grille, the headlamps shape, beefy wheelarches. But the car won't rely on design to sell in great numbers, but rather on its “green” nature. No, it's no the color we're talking about, but the engine which will have very low emissions and as an added bonus will be very economical. Word is that they'll be 600cc in capacity and put out less than 100g/km.

For future Audi owners that means they won't have to pay road tax under the current regulations. The fuel economy of the car has been estimated somewhere around 95 mpg which will probably be one of the best selling points of this car. In order to improve these numbers even more, Audi is looking at the possibility of adding an electric powerplant that has yet to be described.

The new model will slot in between the Audi A1 and the A3, as Rupert Standler, chairman of the board of management, explained: “We have intentionally left a gap between the A3 and forthcoming A1. Although it's too premature to talk about about the car that will fit it – as it needs time – the A2 had a certain type of DNA with its aluminum body, and this should be respected. But electric drive is a must”.