“We have decided not to produce the A1 anymore and there will not even be a model that will succeed Q2”. Markus Duesmann, the CEO of Audi, one of the brands of the Volkswagen group, made official in an interview with the German economic financial newspaper “Handelsblatt” the future goodbye to the two cars that represent access to the range.
That the fate of the two models was sealed was clear, even if it is the first time that the “de profundis” has been extended to the compact SUV Q2, launched in 2016. The A1, on the market since 2010, had already been on the “list for some time. Black”.
The reasons for the future deletion from the list are mainly three. The first is the increasingly precise division of roles within the group: the smaller cars will be the responsibility of generalist brands such as Volkswagen, Skoda and Seat. The second is that Audi wants to increase margins and inevitably they are more useful on bigger cars. The third is the gradual abandonment of “conventional” platforms and the electric conversion: as early as 2026 Audi will no longer market new models powered by thermal engines.
The manager, who did not indicate precise deadlines, confirmed once more the clear evolution of the market and the direction taken by the manufacturers: margins are more important than volumes.
“As a premium brand – summed up Duesmann – we will limit our range downwards and extend it upwards”.
Q2 is freshly restyled (2021) and it can therefore be assumed that it will remain on the market for at least another three years, although a lot will depend on demand and market trends. In 2025 the new and spacious (as was anticipated) zero-emission flagship from Ingolstadt will arrive, whose platform will also be used by other noble brands of the group such as Porsche and Bentley.
Italy represents an important outlet for the two models: motorists from the beautiful country prefer more compact cars partly because of the space and partly because they are the ones that they can afford. Last year, a quarter of the volumes of the national branch (just under 56,000 registrations) depended on the A1 and Q2.
Audi’s choice to prioritize the most profitable segments follows that of its other premium rivals: both BMW and Mercedes have decided to focus even more on those customers who want and can afford something special.
