(Motorsport-Total.com/Motor1) – A farewell to Audi’s cheapest models: A1 and Q2 are now officially history. That both are affected at once is not surprising – plans to discontinue these entry-level models were announced years ago. In July 2021, the brand announced it would discontinue the small car after the end of the current generation. In February 2022, the same statement followed for the small SUV.
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Now Audi is finally putting an end to both. Production of the A1 is ceasing at the Martorell plant in Spain. The small hatchback has been built since 2010; a total of 1,389,658 units have been delivered. In the future, the electric cars Cupra Raval, VW ID. Polo and their relatives will roll off the production line in Martorell. While the first generation of the A1 was also offered as a three-door, the successor was exclusively available as a more practical five-door variant.
Based on the VW Polo, the Audi A1 spawned several sporty derivatives over the years – but an RS1 never came. The closest were the S1 as a hot hatch and the extremely rare A1 quattro. There was even a crossover interpretation: Citycarver/Allstreet, with slightly increased ground clearance, adapted suspension, and plastic cladding.
The Q2 has been built at the Ingolstadt plant since 2016, making it the longest-serving model in the current portfolio. Essentially a crossover based on the seventh-generation VW Golf with the four rings, Audi sold 887,231 units over ten years. Now the Q2 makes way on the production line for the return of the A2. This time it will be a fully electric model called A2 e-tron, closely related to the recently introduced VW ID.3 Neo.
Gallery: Audi A2 e-tron (2026), the Motor1.com render
A significantly more exciting electric car is also on the horizon. Audi confirms that a production version of the Concept C will go into production next year. The sports car with a Targa roof is to be manufactured in Böllinger Höfe from 2027. The location is primarily known as the production site for the R8, but the upcoming sports car will not be a direct successor. There will be no V10 or any internal combustion engine. Instead, the two-seater will be exclusively electric and share its platform with the upcoming electric versions of Porsche’s 718 Boxster and Cayman.
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Audi is reorganizing its model range to become more competitive again in a challenging market environment. The discontinuation of the A1 and Q2 follows the end of several coupes and convertibles: A5, TT, and R8. Furthermore, the flagship A8 also seems unlikely to remain part of the model range for much longer – however, a successor is expected towards the end of the decade.
However, Audi’s portfolio is not shrinking. In addition to the A2 and Concept C, a large SUV with three rows of seats is also planned. The first Q9 would be a late answer to the Mercedes GLS and BMW X7. An off-roader is also being considered. And in China, there is now an independent AUDI brand that focuses on technology-oriented electric vehicles.
Will these measures pay off? That’s hard to predict – but at least with the Q9, it’s reasonable to assume it should be economically worthwhile.
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