According to a report by Autocar on October 24, Audi has begun testing an all-new entry-level electric vehicle that will “indirectly replace” the outgoing A1 and Q2 models set to retire next year.
This new model will become Audi’s smallest vehicle yet and is designed to compete directly with the BMW iX1 and the upcoming second-generation all-electric Mercedes-Benz GLA. Spy photos suggest the car looks like a more compact version of the Q4 e-tron, while also drawing clear inspiration from the classic A2 model produced between 1999 and 2005.
Since this vehicle is not a direct successor to any existing model, it may debut under a brand-new name. One possibility, according to Autocar, is the revival of the long-discontinued “A2” badge.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner has declined to confirm the final naming plan but acknowledged that reusing a historic model name remains “a viable option.”
The new EV is expected to be built on Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform—the same foundation used for models like the VW ID.3, Audi Q4 e-tron, Ford Capri, and Cupra Tavascan.
Positioned as a premium offering in the small and compact car segment, the new model aims to bring true luxury to a category that few global brands currently excel in. “There aren’t many brands that can achieve this worldwide,” Döllner noted, “but I believe Audi can deliver genuine luxury in the A-segment.”
Replacing the A1 and Q2 with a single, distinct model is part of Audi’s broader effort to streamline its lineup. This strategy, Döllner explained, will allow the company to “focus on its core product range” and provide consumers with “a clearer and more defined choice.”
