Audi’s long-dead A2 is officially coming back this fall, and unlike the original aluminum oddball, this one’s aiming squarely at the mainstream crowd and is fully electric. But despite its sensible mission, Audi’s latest teaser footage hints the compact crossover SUV might still know how to have some fun sideways. 

The company confirmed the A2 e-tron will debut later this year as a new entry-level EV family built at Audi’s Ingolstadt headquarters in Germany. It’ll effectively replace both the combustion-powered A1 hatchback and Q2 crossover while opening the door to cheaper electric Audis for younger buyers.

Related: Audi’s Paperwork Confirmed The Return Of The A6 Allroad Before Audi Did

Audi’s announcement doesn’t reveal much beyond production details and testing locations, but the accompanying video tells a more interesting story. Footage shows the camouflaged A2 happily oversteering around snowy Scandinavian test routes, suggesting engineers haven’t forgotten driving enjoyment while chasing efficiency and aerodynamic bragging rights.

That playful balance probably comes down partly to the platform underneath. Unlike Volkswagen Group’s latest small EVs, such as the ID. Polo and Skoda Epiq, which are based on the newest front-wheel-drive MEB architecture, the A2 sticks with the older rear-drive-capable MEB setup already underpinning cars like the VW ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-tron.

RWD Standard, AWD Optional

That means entry-level models should remain rear-wheel drive, while dual-motor all-wheel-drive versions will likely follow later. It also means the A2 won’t benefit from the faster-charging 800-volt systems arriving elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group empire, since this platform still relies on 400-volt electrical architecture.

Still, Audi clearly believes the package makes sense for buyers who care more about practicality, design, and price than ultra-fast charging times. The company says the A2’s sloping roofline delivers impressive aerodynamic efficiency, something engineers continue refining inside Audi’s Ingolstadt wind tunnel at speeds reaching 186 mph (300 kmh).

The slippery shape deliberately references the original 1999 A2, one of Audi’s weirdest and most fascinating production cars. That pioneering hatch combined futuristic styling with lightweight aluminum construction and astonishing fuel economy, but it was expensive for its size, and buyers never really embraced it.

This reboot feels far less risky. Compact electric crossovers are exactly what Europe wants right now, and Audi’s hoping familiar retro-inspired styling combined with attainable pricing could finally make the A2 badge a commercial success instead of merely a cult favorite.

Audi/SH Proshots

Ford’s European business has spent recent years shrinking faster than an Ozempic’d waistline. Now the company’s planning a comeback, and apparently the answer involves “rally-bred” styling and handling, Broncos, a Fiesta revival, and a direct fight against fast-growing Chinese automakers like BYD flooding Europe with affordable EVs and hybrids.

The company this week confirmed plans to launch five new passenger vehicles across Europe by 2029, including a Bronco SUV that riffs on the look and attitude of the US version, while being entirely unrelated. A single teaser image showed the Euro Bronco on the far left looking suitably tall and square. It will be built by Ford in its Valencia plant in Spain from 2028, offering a mixture of powertrain types.

Related: Ford’s CEO Said His Own Cars Were Boring, But What He’s Teasing Next Isn’t

Before buyers can get their hands on the Bronco, though, Ford will launch a new small electric hatch that’s almost certain to revive the Fiesta name. It’ll be based on the AmpR Small platform and running gear from the Renault 5, and will be joined by a related electric crossover that’s effectively Ford’s answer to the Renault 4, and a replacement for today’s Puma Gen-e. Both will be built by Renault.

Two additional crossovers using multi-energy platforms are also in development and will hit showrooms by 2029. It’s believed that one will replace the petrol-powered Puma, while the bigger one will take over from today’s Kuga. The automaker didn’t detail the powertrains, but mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrids look likely. And finally, Europe is also getting its hands on the tough, work-ready Ranger Super Duty that’s already available in Australia.

Ford Can’t Win A Price War

So why the big push? A decade ago, Ford ranked among Europe’s biggest automakers. Today, it’s slipped badly after axing household names like the Fiesta and Focus while betting heavily on VW-based electric SUVs and crossovers such as the Explorer and Capri. Meanwhile, brands like BYD have stormed into Europe with aggressively priced EVs and rapidly rising sales.

Rather than trying to outfox China on pricing, which it knows it could never do, Ford’s strategy appears focused on personality – something CEO Jim Farley has already talked about. The company says every new passenger model will feature “rally-bred” character inspired by decades of World Rally Championship success with icons including the Escort RS Cosworth, Focus WRC, and Fiesta WRC.

Ford Europe boss Jim Baumbick told Autocar magazine the company wants to deliver unmistakably Ford driving dynamics, even when using partner platforms from companies like Renault. “We don’t just want to compete, we’re here to play to win,” he said.

The company’s also openly questioning Europe’s aggressive EV mandates.

“We don’t build vehicles to meet regulatory mandates; we build them for people,” Baumbick said. “The fastest route to zero emissions is the one customers will actually take. We can accelerate emissions reductions today with hybrid technologies that let customers drive electric whenever they can.”

Whether rally nostalgia alone can reverse Ford’s European slide remains unclear. But doing nothing isn’t an option, and making the most of your heritage – something Chinese buyers don’t have – seems like a good one.

Ford, Nissan

Renault’s retro-flavored 4 E-Tech has already borrowed plenty of design ideas from the original Renault 4, but now it’s reviving one of the old car’s coolest features too. Meet the new Plein Sud version, which swaps the standard roof for a giant electrically operated folding canvas setup.

The fabric opening stretches 800 by 920 mm (31.5 x 36.2 inches) and folds back electrically in multiple stages, giving both front and rear passengers a proper open-air feel. Renault says it’s the only fully electric B-segment SUV currently offering this kind of setup.

Related: Radical Espace Reboot Leads Renault’s 36-Car Plan To Fight China’s Threat

The roof itself is a pretty clear nod to the original Renault 4’s simple manually retractable fabric roof from the 1960s. But this one is a whole lot smarter. Not only is it fully electric, but you can open it by asking the Reno voice assistant if you’re feeling too lazy to press a button.

Underneath, nothing about the Renault 5 E-Tech‘s SUV brother changes mechanically. Buyers still get the familiar 148 hp (150 PS / 110 kW) front-mounted motor and 52 kWh battery pack delivering up to 242 miles (389 km) of WLTP range. That’s only slightly lower than the fixed-roof version, which manages up to 249 miles (400 km), proving the folding roof’s hasn’t hurt efficiency too badly.

Cheaper Than A Beach Holiday

The Plein Sud arrives in mid-spec Techno+ and top of the line Iconic+ trims, and costs £1,500 ($2,000) more than equivalent fixed-roof models. Prices start at £27,445 ($37,412) in the UK after applying the government’s £3,750 ($5,111) Electric Car Grant. In France, prices start at €31,110 ($36,684) after incentives.

Early access ordering opens immediately for Renault’s R Pass holders, basically customers who previously paid for priority reservation access to skip ahead in the queue. Everyone else can place orders from May 14.

Aside from the roof, Renault’s also rolled out updated safety tech across the 4 E-Tech range to comply with Europe’s latest regulations. New systems include driver fatigue monitoring and an emergency stop function capable of safely slowing the vehicle if the driver becomes unresponsive.

Renault

Renault’s retro-flavored 4 E-Tech has already borrowed plenty of design ideas from the original Renault 4, but now it’s reviving one of the old car’s coolest features too. Meet the new Plein Sud version, which swaps the standard roof for a giant electrically operated folding canvas setup.

The fabric opening stretches 800 by 920 mm (31.5 x 36.2 inches) and folds back electrically in multiple stages, giving both front and rear passengers a proper open-air feel. Renault says it’s the only fully electric B-segment SUV currently offering this kind of setup.

Related: Radical Espace Reboot Leads Renault’s 36-Car Plan To Fight China’s Threat

The roof itself is a pretty clear nod to the original Renault 4’s simple manually retractable fabric roof from the 1960s. But this one is a whole lot smarter. Not only is it fully electric, but you can open it by asking the Reno voice assistant if you’re feeling too lazy to press a button.

Underneath, nothing about the Renault 5 E-Tech‘s SUV brother changes mechanically. Buyers still get the familiar 148 hp (150 PS / 110 kW) front-mounted motor and 52 kWh battery pack delivering up to 242 miles (389 km) of WLTP range. That’s only slightly lower than the fixed-roof version, which manages up to 249 miles (400 km), proving the folding roof’s hasn’t hurt efficiency too badly.

Cheaper Than A Beach Holiday

The Plein Sud arrives in mid-spec Techno+ and top of the line Iconic+ trims, and costs £1,500 ($2,000) more than equivalent fixed-roof models. Prices start at £27,445 ($37,412) in the UK after applying the government’s £3,750 ($5,111) Electric Car Grant. In France, prices start at €31,110 ($36,684) after incentives.

Early access ordering opens immediately for Renault’s R Pass holders, basically customers who previously paid for priority reservation access to skip ahead in the queue. Everyone else can place orders from May 14.

Aside from the roof, Renault’s also rolled out updated safety tech across the 4 E-Tech range to comply with Europe’s latest regulations. New systems include driver fatigue monitoring and an emergency stop function capable of safely slowing the vehicle if the driver becomes unresponsive.

Renault

BMW’s Neue Klasse offensive is picking up pace, and having this week been impressed by the price and EPA range of the iX3, we’re now getting a closer, though unofficial look at its coupe brother, which could stretch a full charge even further.

Like its boxier sibling, the iX4 adopts BMW’s new visor-style face that’s becoming a defining Neue Klasse trait. The same design language is also heading to the upcoming electric i3 sedan, helping tie the next generation of BMW cars together visually.

More: BMW’s New iX3 50 Is Cheaper And More Powerful Than Its Own Gas X3 M50

But beyond the nose, the iX4 starts doing its own thing. The roofline drops lower and flows into a fastback rear end, giving the crossover a sleeker silhouette than the standard iX3. It definitely looks sportier, though very tall rear passengers might not be celebrating the compromised headroom or smaller trunk.

The latest spy shots also reveal colored brake calipers hiding behind the wheels, strongly hinting this prototype wears M Sport trim, or is an M Performance variant. The basic M Sport package of interior and exterior trim is $2,500 on the new iX3 that arrives in US showrooms this fall, but upping the spend to $4,000 gets you the Professional version that adds colored M brakes and the Iconic Glow illuminated grille.

Inside, expect the same tech-heavy minimalist cabin already previewed by the iX3 and since rolled out to the facelifted 7-Series. That means a big 17.9-inch infotainment display, BMW’s pillar-to-pillar Panoramic iDrive setup, a futuristic four-spoke steering wheel, and an updated head-up display system.

40 And 50 Powertrains Planned

Underneath, the iX4 should mirror the iX3 lineup almost exactly. Earlier leaks tied to BMW’s accidentally published US product plans suggested America will get both 40 and 50 variants of the iX3 in rear and all-wheel drive configurations. It’d make little sense for BMW not to offer matching iX4 versions, though it looks like BMW will restrict the electric coupe to all-wheel drive.

That means entry-level models could use the European-spec iX3 40 setup featuring an 82.6 kWh battery and a 316 hp (235 kW / 320 PS) motor. Higher-end 50 xDrive versions should pack dual motors producing 463 hp (345 kW / 469 PS). Both versions will be capable of charging at 400 kW.

BMW recently confirmed the iX3 50 xDrive for America with a surprisingly low $62,850 starting price (including $1,350 destination) and an impressive EPA-rated 434 miles (699 km) of range. Since the iX4 slices through the air more cleanly, it could potentially travel even farther between charges, though expect pricing to climb past the $65,000 mark.