About a quarter of a century ago, Audi set out to create an ultra-efficient little car, one capable of going 100 kilometers on just 3 liters of fuel, or nearly 80 miles per gallon. The resulting car was the Audi A2, and, when equipped correctly, it managed exactly that through a combination of lightweight and impressive aerodynamics. Plus, it was a practical four-door hatchback. It was an incredible technological feat, and one with a mighty distinct design. So, it makes sense that Audi would channel the name and spirit of that original for a new, efficient, entry-level EV.Audi It Definitely Looks The Part Audi has only given a single teaser image of its new car, as well as its official name: the A2 E-Tron. Thankfully, the teaser actually tells us quite a bit. Importantly, the silhouette is clearly inspired by the original A2. It has a stubby hood and short overhang, and it has a tall, arcing roofline that comes to a significant taper at the vertical tail, with just an itty bitty spoiler. The rear glass looks like it could be quite small, too.It's unmistakably an A2 in profile, which is good from a styling perspective, but should also be good for aerodynamic efficiency and range. The original's odd looks came about because Audi was trying to reduce drag, and the most slippery one had a coefficient of drag of just 0.25 in the year 2000. That's slightly better than the new Nissan Leaf in U.S. specification. With the help of modern car design technology and aerodynamic understanding, Audi could have an impressively slick machine.Other details we can make out are the lighting elements. It seems Audi's multi-segment LED running lights will appear, likely with customizable illumination. The running light section looks slim enough that the main headlights are probably separate and mounted lower in the front fascia. The tail lights look similarly slim, and we would bet that they span the whole rear of the car. This will be a departure from the original's design, which had boxier, separate units.We can also make out a little detail in the wheels. They look quite large and seem to have a pattern that suggests a five-spoke design. We wouldn't be surprised if the wheels also feature covers to further improve aerodynamics. We'll know for sure later this year, as Audi will reveal the car in the fall, possibly at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich, Germany. Speaking of Germany, the new A2 E-Tron will be built there, specifically in Ingolstadt.Audi Why The Original Is An Icon We've already touched on a couple of the first A2's unique characteristics. It was incredibly efficient, in part due to its aerodynamics, which gave it a shape unlike anything else on the market. Audi did more than give the A2 a distinct shape, though. To make it so efficient, the company needed to make it light, too, so the entire body is made of aluminum. Certain versions of the A2 were as light as 1,885 pounds, which is less than a second-generation Lotus Elise.AudiUnsurprisingly, most of the A2 models had high-efficiency engines. The one that hit the original fuel economy target had a 1.2-liter turbodiesel three-cylinder that made just 60 horsepower. Other engines included two 1.4-liter diesel engines and a 1.4-liter gas engine. Starting in 2002, Audi even introduced a 1.6-liter gas four-cylinder, which made a solid 109 horsepower, which with such a light chassis, was probably rather entertaining.The original A2 was built from 2000 to 2005. It wasn't a massive sales success for Audi, with a total of 176,377 units finding homes. It wasn't an especially affordable vehicle, in part due to the aluminum-intensive construction. With any luck, Audi will have a better handle on providing the original A2's character and efficiency, while being more affordable and better selling.
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