RE: Shed Of The Week: Audi A2
Discussion
This takes me back. When a few friends were playing around with 993's etc. I looked at one of these as my daily to save the weekend toy. (Not a 993) I pitted it against a Mondeo, not the same class but the same price and I must admit it the A2 was a very very nice thing to drive. Massive understeer but quiet and everything had the chunky click to it. Wonderful! The Mondeo was more active but I felt I was in a recycling centre the tactile feeling was so bad.
What wasn't wonderful was the strange class it was put in due to tax and the draconian service schedule and this was in the days when you had do go main dealer. Too high a purchase price and no real green driven taxation made it far too much to run.
After looking into the costs I bought a leggy 90's 7 series and looking back it was overall far cheaper as well as being very wafty, shed like and, well... awesome.
Wouldn't mind one of these today and probably for the exact same reasons.
What wasn't wonderful was the strange class it was put in due to tax and the draconian service schedule and this was in the days when you had do go main dealer. Too high a purchase price and no real green driven taxation made it far too much to run.
After looking into the costs I bought a leggy 90's 7 series and looking back it was overall far cheaper as well as being very wafty, shed like and, well... awesome.
Wouldn't mind one of these today and probably for the exact same reasons.
exceed said:
A THREEE LITRE version!?! Noo????
3L was a designation for their hyper efficient versions, meaning 3 litres per 100km - which is what fuel economy is measured in (l/km) in Germany.They also did a Lupo 3L which was quite a cool little car - with various aero, weight saving and engine enhancements. Basically a precursor to Blue Motion.
On the subject of the A2 I always thought these were ahead of their time. Great little cars and well deserving of the cult following they seem to have now!
TobesH said:
I agree, had one as a courtesy car, 1.4 engine if I remember, dreadful, slow, loose and vague to drive, unstable at speed, heavy . Couldn't see why they made it, not for me...
I presume that is stodgy rather than weighing too much, cos it's weight must be one of the best thing about them.That they cost the same as a new Mondeo at the time probably explains why they didn't sell many. A normal, spacious, competent car or a small, underpowered ugly thing for the same price, hmmm...
Once you get past the 'wonder' of aluminium construction (nothing new - my dad has a Triumph made in 1947 that was built out of aluminium) I cannot see any appeal whatsoever. A conventional hatchback would have done the job of transport for most people much better and more cheaply than one of these. However, if you were the type who wears square rimmed spectacles then I can imagine there would be no substitute for an A2 ("what a clever bit of design etc etc...").
Still, as a 'shed' to use in the garden for storage then I can see the appeal; similar boxy shape and presumably light enough to move around once you stripped out the running gear and interior?
Once you get past the 'wonder' of aluminium construction (nothing new - my dad has a Triumph made in 1947 that was built out of aluminium) I cannot see any appeal whatsoever. A conventional hatchback would have done the job of transport for most people much better and more cheaply than one of these. However, if you were the type who wears square rimmed spectacles then I can imagine there would be no substitute for an A2 ("what a clever bit of design etc etc...").
Still, as a 'shed' to use in the garden for storage then I can see the appeal; similar boxy shape and presumably light enough to move around once you stripped out the running gear and interior?
Alex P said:
That they cost the same as a new Mondeo at the time probably explains why they didn't sell many. A normal, spacious, competent car or a small, underpowered ugly thing for the same price, hmmm...
Once you get past the 'wonder' of aluminium construction (nothing new - my dad has a Triumph made in 1947 that was built out of aluminium) I cannot see any appeal whatsoever. A conventional hatchback would have done the job of transport for most people much better and more cheaply than one of these. However, if you were the type who wears square rimmed spectacles then I can imagine there would be no substitute for an A2 ("what a clever bit of design etc etc...").
Still, as a 'shed' to use in the garden for storage then I can see the appeal; similar boxy shape and presumably light enough to move around once you stripped out the running gear and interior?
They cost the same as a Focus. The front and rear passengers and boot were a similar size as a Focus too.Once you get past the 'wonder' of aluminium construction (nothing new - my dad has a Triumph made in 1947 that was built out of aluminium) I cannot see any appeal whatsoever. A conventional hatchback would have done the job of transport for most people much better and more cheaply than one of these. However, if you were the type who wears square rimmed spectacles then I can imagine there would be no substitute for an A2 ("what a clever bit of design etc etc...").
Still, as a 'shed' to use in the garden for storage then I can see the appeal; similar boxy shape and presumably light enough to move around once you stripped out the running gear and interior?
The use of aluminium in itself was not novel, it's construction of cast nodes and extrusions in a 'mass' produced car at that price was novel.
It's performance (speed) was similar to all other small cars of it's time.
Those are the facts. Everything else is just opinion.
SOTW divides opinion as ever.
I'm surprised by the number of negative posts here, I thought that as small eco cars go, the A2 would be high up on the PH approval. Anyways, I like them, and I didn't think they would be down to shed money, there are a few on sale locally for £1500ish, and they're all petrol models, diesels are more like £4-5k.
A guy I worked with has one as a long term lease car, after he got scared when an electrical gremlin caused his Rover 414 saloon let him down and he spent three hours on the hard shoulder of the M6 on a Friday evening awaiting rescue.
It was spacious inside for the footprint but, shall we say, the manufacturing quality of the electricals failed to live up to the design. For a brand new car, in the six months we were colleagues he had the Audi dealer out to it four or five times - I seem to remember it had an affinity for going into limp mode.
Looks nice for the money but I'd be wary of buying one with a known electrical glitch already!
It was spacious inside for the footprint but, shall we say, the manufacturing quality of the electricals failed to live up to the design. For a brand new car, in the six months we were colleagues he had the Audi dealer out to it four or five times - I seem to remember it had an affinity for going into limp mode.
Looks nice for the money but I'd be wary of buying one with a known electrical glitch already!
stedale said:
Shambler said:
Escort Si-130 said:
Must be a real slow news week on PH, first stupid Smart cars, now this. Is it Geek week, what next a f
kin Gee Whiz being reviewed.
Ah the first idiotic comment, well done sir well done.kin Gee Whiz being reviewed.Go and ask ANY Audi dealer or specialist if these are good cars.
Guess what the overwhelming response will be?
And for reasons I have no idea. The A2 attracts the weirdest owners. All of whom seem to think they are in on some amazing secret. Once heard a guy tell someone. "Got to be careful with flame around the wheels. They are magnesium and if they catch fire they'll take out the whole car and probably the building"
Guess what the overwhelming response will be?
And for reasons I have no idea. The A2 attracts the weirdest owners. All of whom seem to think they are in on some amazing secret. Once heard a guy tell someone. "Got to be careful with flame around the wheels. They are magnesium and if they catch fire they'll take out the whole car and probably the building"
Friend had one many moons ago. I remember being taken out on the first drive, and although he was excited and enthusiastic, we both realised that the ride quality was shockingly poor - very stiffly sprung, and unbearable on all roads bar autobahns...
Later, unbeknown to him, a bird had built a nest in the engine bay and it wouldn't start, so he had it towed away to the supplying dealer far away, expecting a warranty claim at their expense. In the end he had to pay the full recovery and inspection costs and sold the damn thing immediately...
Later, unbeknown to him, a bird had built a nest in the engine bay and it wouldn't start, so he had it towed away to the supplying dealer far away, expecting a warranty claim at their expense. In the end he had to pay the full recovery and inspection costs and sold the damn thing immediately...
We've owned our tdi 75 for 6 years. Remapped to 106 hp 4 years ago and nothing has gone wrong at all. Regular servicing and fuel only. Honestly one of the best cars I've ever owned. However, the ride is truly dreadful in my Sport ( on 17" alloys ). I've been ruined by a £900 xj8, so it's going soon.
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