Several weeks ago, Audi celebrated the 25th anniversary of the original A2. To mark the occasion, Audi Tradition assembled a remarkable lineup of early prototypes and concepts, including the 1997 Al2, the 1997 Al2 Open End and the little-known 1995 A2 “Ringo” prototype. For anyone wanting to trace the A2’s roots, these three cars capture the very beginning of its story.
Three years before the production A2 reached showrooms, Audi previewed its vision with the Al2 concept at the 1997 Frankfurt IAA. With its five-door layout and distinctive green accents, the Al2 most closely foreshadowed the production car that would follow.
That same year, Ingolstadt took the idea further with the Al2 Open End, revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show. This two-door concept featured a unique pickup-style rear opening, giving it a lifestyle-oriented twist. In many ways, it feels like a spiritual predecessor to the 2023 Audi activesphere concept, which also embraced a convertible cargo bed theme.
Predating both was the 1995 A2 prototype, nicknamed “Ringo” by Audi’s design team. It explored earlier design directions, including a three-door hardtop layout and distinctive C-pillar and rear-window treatment.
Until this year, Ringo remained virtually unknown—kept deep within the Audi Tradition collection and unseen even by visiting VIP guests. Its reappearance was an unexpected and special reveal for devoted A2 enthusiasts.
Although I didn’t attend the anniversary event in person, Audi Tradition kindly permitted me to share these photos from the celebration. They also featured them on Instagram, which isn’t embeddable so I’m linking it HERE for reference.
Finally, I’ve added the 1995 A2 “Ringo” prototype, 1997 Al2 concept, and 1997 Al2 Open End concept to the ooooIYKYK Audi Archive project. Each now has its own dedicated section, alongside additional entries documenting the broader Audi A2 lineage.
Thanks again to Audi Tradition for allowing ooooIYKYK to share these photos from the event.
PHOTO GALLERY
