Audi begins production of India-bound Q2 SUV at Ingolstadt plant, Germany
Audi will expand its Q SUV portfolio by launching the 4.1-metre long Q2 later this year. Touted as the company's smallest SUV, the Q2 was first unveiled at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. The German luxury brand has now officially started production of its youngest SUV at its Ingolstadt plant in Germany. While the Audi Q2 arrives in UK by end of this year, we expect it to arrive in India by early next year.
The Audi Q2 is based on the new MQB platform which also upderpins the new-gen Skoda Superb, Audi A3 as well as the upcoming Passat. The Q2 will be positioned below the Q3, attracting first-time buyers. The Q2 will be manufactured on the same line as the A3 and will go through the body shop, paint shop and assembly with the compact sedan. Audi states that this was done by doing sizeable modifications to the existing production line by opting for a fully automatic module store for the drivetrain and also increasing the storage capacity of drivetrain components. It also demanded new logistics planning. Audi plans to increase the production of the Q2 SUV to reach 450 units a day.
Audi's youngest SUV is an important product for the brand not only because it marks the brand's entry into a completely new segment but also is the first production car that arrives under the leadership of design head Marc Lichte, who took over in February 2014. Marc Lichte is known for the Prologue coupe concept shown in LA and the Prologue Avant concept shown in Geneva.
The Audi Q2 gets the new grille with chamfered edges. The grille has now become a signature trait for all new-age cars from the brand. It does get its set of distinct lines which makes it look different from other Q SUVs. The compact dimensions of the side profile make it look more like a crossover than a proper SUV. The highlight of the side has to be sloping roofline along with the gloss finished C-pillar. The short front and rear overhangs along with the hunched down design make the Q2 look more purposeful crossover. To the rear, the Q2 gets crisper square profiled LED lights and chrome-tipped twin exhaust pipes.
The Audi Q2 measures 4,191mm in length, 1,790mm in width and 1,508mm in height, making it 119mm shorter in length than the A3 compact sedan and 100mm in height than the Q3 SUV.
Inside, the top-spec variants will be offered with Audi's MMI navigation system paired with Audi connect module. It will also feature Audi's latest safety tech which avoids collisions as well as comes with traffic jam assistant system and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function.
In term of powertrain options, the Audi Q2 will come equipped with three TFSI and three TDI engines putting out power in the range of 116PS to 190PS. Audi will offer the S-tronic 7-speed transmission as standard across the range but will chuck the Quattro for lower variants. The Q2 will also come with Audi's Drive selector as well as damper control.
Audi's Ingolstadt plant is spread across an area of 2.7 million square metres and has an annual production capacity of 5.6 lakh units. The Audi Q2 will join the likes of Audi A3, Audi A4, Audi S4, Audi S5 Sportback and the Audi RS 5 Coup which are manufactured at the German plant. The Audi Q2 sales start from late 2016 in Europe while India launch is expected to happen sometime in 2017. The Audi Q2 is expected to be priced between Rs 22-27 lakh. We believe that Audi will have to heavily localise components of the Q2 to price it competitive in India.
Also see:
Audi Q2 convertible SUV rendered