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Audi A2 (2000 – 2005) Review

Audi A2 (2000 – 2005) At A Glance

3/5

+Economical engines, very comfortable seats, decent ride, grippy handling and good crash safety rating.

-Bodywork is expensive repair. Access to the rear seats is awkward. The 1.4 can struggle when fully laden.

It was a simple brief – create a car that could take four people from Stuttgart to Milan on one tank of fuel. So Audi’s engineers set about creating a small car that was big on interior space, light on weight, and boasted some very fuel efficient engines.

The secret? Aluminium. Hence the concept car’s name – the Al2. By using an aluminium space frame, engineers saved 250kg. The car was also fitted with the world’s first three-cylinder direct injection engine.

It meant that the A2 was the first car ever to achieve the magic ‘three-litres per 100km’ (94.5mpg) fuel economy target. But don’t think that just because the A2 is frugal, it isn’t fun to drive. It’s also fun inside, too, boasting quirky features like a pop-out lunchbox hidden in the dash.

But despite the innovation, the A2 never appealed to buyers and was outperformed in the sales chart by the Mercedes A-class. Buy one, and you’ll own a piece of automotive and engineering history - a real future classic.

Ask Honest John

Should I hide my car's registration number in an online advert?

"I’m shortly planning to place an ad on Autotrader to sell my car (an Audi A2 for £2000). What is your advice regarding whether or not to display the car’s registration number in photos? Many private sellers blank it, presumably because of the fear of being the victim of cloning, but - on the other hand - buyers obviously want to know the reg number in order to check the car’s history (MOT, HPI checks etc). If I hide it and only disclose it when a potential buyer contacts me, aren’t I just as likely to be a victim of this kind of crime?"
There are valid reasons for hiding a number plate but, personally, I don't think it's worth doing. Someone is just as likely to clone your car from seeing it out on the road. As you say, potential buyers will want the number plate for genuine reasons. If you hide it, it looks like you're trying to hide its history.
Answered by Andrew Brady

Is the Audi A2 S Line a rare car?

"I have recently acquired a 2005 Audi A2 1.6 FSI S Line which I believe is very rare in this format. There are plenty of S Line A4 and A6 models but few A2 models. Can you tell me the answer please? "
The year of your car (2005) was the last year of A2 production so there were some special editions, like the colour storms, which are hard to find now. Mike from the A2 Owners' Club said, 'It may have S Line badges but it will be a sport model (no fog lights, 17-inch multi-spoke wheels, firmer suspension, full drivers info panel on the dash, three-spoke leather steering wheel, sports gear knob, sports seats with lumber and raised bolsters).' According to our data, there around 17,000 Audi A2s left.
Answered by Keith Moody
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