It’s the end of the small Audi as we know it as the A1 and Q2 won’t be replaced.

Aspiration into the Audi brand will become a lot more challenging in the future. As reported in an interview with the Handelsblatt, the German automaker’s CEO, Markus Duesmann, has confirmed that Audi will discontinue the A1 and Q2.

Audi recognises the cost of its shift to electrification. Smaller platforms and lower prices don’t have the margin tojustify electrification, making battery-powered A1s and Q2s an impossibility.

For Audi, the decision is to go upmarket, sacrificing its popular entry-level models such as A1 and Q2. This will come as a disappointment for those who saw A1 and Q2 as attainable and might challenge Audi regarding young customers.

A1 and Q2 enabled Audi to capture a more comprehensive age demographic in its customer base. Discontinuing these models, and focussing on more expensive vehicles, will undoubtedly alter the Audi age demographic in terms of ownership.

In the historical context, A1 and Q2’s deletion from the company’s product portfolio will also see it decuple from a historical small car history.

An example of Audi’s small-car excellence was A2, a significant and revolutionary vehicle predating A1. It is a pity that the company is now strategising to bundle all its technology and resources into larger platforms.

What is also telling about this latest Audi strategic model realignment is that affordable electric cars will not happen anytime soon.

Audi’s last internal-combustion model will launch in 2026, and it is targeting 2030 as the date for a full-electric vehicle portfolio.

Further Reading

Audi Q2 Review

Audi A1 Review