Audi may not have officially committed to reviving its much-loved aluminum-bodied compact, but fresh spy shots from the Grossglockner High Alpine Road (sourced from @wilcoblok and @stephanbarral on Instagram) suggest Ingolstadt hasn’t forgotten the A2’s legacy. A prototype wearing unmistakably A2-inspired proportions was caught on test alongside a smaller electric SUV — one that could be the rumored Q2 e-tron.
The timing is intriguing. Just last week, Audi celebrated the 25th anniversary of the first A2, a model remembered for its radical aluminum space frame and pioneering efficiency. That anniversary retrospective can be read here. Now, a vehicle that looks every bit the A2’s spiritual successor appears to be climbing Alpine switchbacks.
A LEGACY OF CONCEPTS & PRODUCTION
This is not the first time Audi has teased a return to the A2’s compact ethos. In 2011, it revealed an A2 concept that previewed a high-tech, electric city car. Later, at Auto Shanghai 2019, Audi doubled down with the AI:ME concept, a vision for urban mobility built around autonomy and futuristic packaging. The new prototype borrows cues from both of those studies — short overhangs, tall cabin, and a forward-looking stance — but with design execution seemingly closer to production reality.
TESTING ALONGSIDE A SMALLER SUV TEST MULE
Sharing road space with the prototype was another small Audi SUV mule that looks very similar to the new Q3, though possibly the rumored Q2 e-tron. The pairing hints at Audi’s broader push to strengthen its entry-level EV lineup. Both cars appear to have locked-in exterior designs, notably preceding Audi’s recently introduced Concept C and its “Clarity” design language.
BUILT ON MEB+?
Though Audi hasn’t commented on the sighting, the working assumption is that these cars will ride on the Volkswagen Group’s updated MEB+ EV architecture. That platform is designed to deliver improved efficiency, faster charging, and enhanced software capability — all of which would be essential for an urban-focused compact like a future A2 e-tron.
For now, Audi remains silent on whether the prototype signals production intent. But seeing an A2-shaped silhouette winding up one of Europe’s most famous mountain roads is enough to make longtime fans wonder: could the aluminum pioneer be reborn as an electric cult classic for the modern age?
