MQB-based Audi Q2 will be shown at Geneva

All eyes will be on Audi at this year’s Geneva Motor Show after their newest “Q” family member, the Audi Q2, was announced.  The brand new Q2 badge will complement a radically designed crossover SUV which will target a younger market than Audi has ever previously succeeded to reach.

The Audi Q2 will share the same MQB platform as the immensely popular Audi A3 and will only be available as a five-door vehicle after sources suggested that the idea of a three-door Q2 was dropped. The Q2 will be the first product from Audi’s new design boss, Marc Lichte, who replaced Wolfgang Egger in 2013. Lichte signified his presence and worth in 2014 with the stunning Audi Prologue Concept.

The Q2’s youth-focused design has allowed designers to break free of Audi’s usual design constraints (As seen on the new Q7 and A4). The model’s most distinguishing attributes will be the huge chamfered cut-out along its waistline on each side, a forward-stretching cabin and large rear shoulders.

The Audi Q2 will also give owners freedom with regard to customization, allowing everything from interior to roof colour to be personalised, as well as the possibility of an aluminium or carbon fibre finish on the C-pillars.

A source close to Audi says: “We tried to characterise the Q2 as an urban street feature, not just a car. The customer can build the character of their own cars.” The interior of the Q2 will use an abundance of colour unseen in any recent Audi, and will feature an eclectic range of trims and materials in the cabin.

Unlike other Audi vehicles, the design of the Q2 will favour hard-wearing materials over softer, luxurious materials. The basis of this decision comes from research stating that younger buyers will be less considerate about how they use their cars. A source said: “We want to capture a particularly young clientele. The Audi Q2 is very different from SUVs such as the Q7. It’s a bolder design, and everything’s accentuated more than you’d normally expect from us.”

The compact Q2 will carry over a lot of existing technology from existing Audi vehicles, which means that it won’t necessarily become the technical flagship for Audi. However, the Q2 will be unrivalled when it comes to connectivity.

There is no confirmation as to whether an SQ2 or RS Q2 will see production, but we can be sure that standard models will be powered by four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. This means that we will see 1.0-litre, 1.4-litre and 2.0-litre petrol turbo variants, as well as a range of 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre TDI diesel variants. Front-wheel drive will come as standard on entry-level models, while top-spec Q2’s will get Quattro all-wheel drive. There’s no talk of a hybrid Q2 yet, but this is inevitable at a later date.

The Audi Q2 is expected to reach South African showrooms toward the end of July after making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.