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Audi Plotting A2Q Model for 2018

2011 Audi A2 concept 1 photo
Photo: Audi
For the sake of making money and having a wider range, Audi really wants to fill the gap between the A1 and the A3, currently the only wiggle room it has in the A range. But the question is: what do you offer that's small, premium and worth selling?
Back in 2011, Audi tried to make a successor for the A2 and unveiled a concept (pictured above). Inspired from the aluminum space frame of the original car, this new model was supposed to be an EV or plug-in hybrid and compete with the likes of BMW's i3 when it entered production in 2015. The idea was later scrapped because Audi thought it would cost too much money to develop, but is apparently back on the table and coming our way in 2018.

German magazine Auto Bild says it's received information the A3 will be put into production, this time under the A2Q name. According to them, Alfa Romeo has taken the trademarks for Q2 and Q4 automobiles, which is stopping Audi from using them. So does that mean there won't be a coupe version of the Q3? Probably.

The A2Q is said to ride on the MQB platform shared with the A3 and be powered by an electric drivetrain with a massive 500 kilometer range (310 miles). Even though recent reports suggested Audi doesn't want pure electric cars like Tesla offers, Auto Bild also says an EV version of the upcoming Q6 SUV is also on its way for 2017 and will have an even larger range of 700 kilometers (430 miles).

Hopefully all these rumors about 2018 this and 2017 that turn into tangible products, before BMW's i range captures the whole premium EV niche market.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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