A2 1.6 FSI

STORY

Produced from 1999 (for the 2000 model year) to 2005, the Audi A2 was a compact, MPV-styled supermini remarkable for being built around an all-aluminium Audi Space Frame, a second-generation ASF that made its body shell weigh only about 153 kg, far less than a comparable steel structure.

That lightweight construction, combined with slippery aerodynamics and efficient engines, made the A2 extraordinarily economical: the special 1.2 TDI "3L" version was the first five-door car on sale in Europe to average under three litres per 100 km. Ahead of its time and relatively expensive to build, the A2 was not a commercial success, but it is now celebrated as a visionary showcase of lightweight, efficient engineering.