MQB is more of a buzzword at Audi right now than e-tron is, even though the two are anything but mutually exclusive. Like the e-tron badge, expect to see more Audis derived from the MQB platform albeit with design differentiations that set them apart from one another. These MQB babies will increasingly come with battery packs loaded inside to help the gasoline engines take a break from emitting carbon into the atmosphere. Indian Autos Blog claims that one such MQB derivative will be a modified version of the Q2.
If you recall, that’s the same small crossover that Audi is set to introduce to the US market within the coming years. If the reports are accurate, this upcoming Q2 will be aimed squarely at the Chinese market. To appeal there, the Q2 will morph into a long-wheelbase variant by next year, extending its 4,191mm wheelbase by an unknown amount. Following that will be an all-electric model bearing “Q2 L e-tron” badges on its trunklid in accordance with the Four Rings’ naming convention for such vehicular mashups. Thanks to MQB’s flexibility, Audi can manufacturer both variants without putting a huge sum of money into a factory retooling to do so.
MQB can even lend its ingenuous method of using space efficiently to cram a battery large enough to propel the crossover for 500 km (310 miles) on a single charge. The list of Q2 Ls with a standard internal combustion engine will be long, with a 114 horsepower 1.0-liter turbocharged unit, a 147 horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged power plant, and a 187-horse 2.0-liter turbo engine being offered with the Q2 L—all from Volkswagen’s TFSI engine family. Apparently the Chinese market is still big on manuals, which means a 6-speed stick-shift will be available alongside the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic while quattro AWD will be offered only with the 2.0-liter engine.
No mention if the "global" car will be made truly global with the inclusion of a right hand-drive model for India and the UK, but for now its LHD status means a US landing is not out of the question.
