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56-740: The Audi A2 (internally designated Typ 8Z ) is a lightweight compact MPV -styled supermini car , with a five- door hatchback body style and four or five seats, produced by the German manufacturer Audi from November 1999 (for the 2000 model year) to August 2005. Based on the Audi Al 2 concept car first shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1997, the A2 was notable for being constructed from aluminium , which in combination with its efficient engines made it highly fuel efficient. Sales were disappointing, and

112-518: A diesel engine , automatic gearbox, stop-start system, less power and narrower tyres. Due to its construction, the average A2 weighs 830 kg. The last A2s to be produced were built in August 2005. The A2 was a surprise when it debuted only two years after the original Al 2 study. Many initial reviews, including those from What Car? and Autocar in the UK commented on the design. "The best thing about

168-543: A " mass market " vehicle. Previous efforts at using the Audi Space Frame were limited to the rather more expensive Audi A8 . As a guide to the mass involved, the entire shell weighs so little that two people can easily pick it up, and the side panel over the doors including the A- and D-pillars weighs approximately 2 kg (4 lb). A 2002 model A2 with standard equipment has a mass of 895 kg (1,973 lb). The A2 has

224-568: A European phenomenon, although they are also built and sold in many Latin American, African, and Asian markets. As of 2016 , the only compact MPV sold widely in the United States was the Ford C-Max . The flexibility of the interior seating is a common theme amongst compact MPVs. Many models have seats that can be individually folded or easily removed, and the upright seating positions maximises use of

280-506: A broad market with higher quality products, often designed by high profile designers, with unique or prestige points of differentiation and offered at reasonable prices. Premium brands offer an alternative to luxury goods. The concept of a ‘mass market’ is relatively modern. Prior to the Industrial Revolution , a market referred to a physical place (i.e., a marketplace ). However, by the late 18th century, people could participate in

336-468: A contributor. TV shows are made to appeal to whoever wants to tune in and to however many people that attention brings. There has been a significant fall off in the number of viewers that the biggest TV shows are pulling in as opposed to 25 or so years prior. This decrease is largely attributed to the presence of social media and self-published apps and streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, etc. "Oprah, at her height, had 48 million viewers per week . Now,

392-469: A deep understanding of consumer purchasing habits . Consumer behaviour in emerging mass markets is quite unlike that observed elsewhere. Mass market needs revolve around basic necessities and functional products. Although regional differences are evident, some commonalities have been noted: consumers are extremely price-conscious; prefer unbranded goods, buy in smaller quantities, only buy sufficient amounts as required for immediate use and often exhibit

448-539: A fixed rear seat cushion. The tested fuel economy was 2.88 L/100 km. The second version was a D3 version which was still capable of 3.0 L/100 km. This version had options for air conditioning, a winter package, and a comfort package, but was not available in all markets. Both versions had thinner glass, lighter seats, and 14" magnesium alloy wheels . The standard tyre fitment was 145/80 R14 T76 Bridgestone Ecopias or Continental Winter Tyres using very flat wheel covers to minimize turbulence . The engine block

504-424: A greater desire for choice, customisation and product differentiation. This has led to some companies, shifting away from serving a single mass market towards serving a number of smaller markets or segments . However, the size of these segments remains relatively large. Multinationals such as Campbell's and Coca-Cola enjoy enormous reach across global markets. Whereas, Coke, for example, was once only available in

560-413: A key business decision is which of the two income segments to target – a small but wealthy elite ( niche market ) or a large but relatively poor mass market. The resources and capabilities required to compete in emerging economies are quite different to those used in developed markets. In particular, companies need extensive local knowledge, including a rich understanding of local distribution networks and

616-637: A large interior space for the exterior dimensions, including a boot with 390 litres (13.8 cu ft) of space when the rear seats are in place. This is significantly larger than the luggage space of the next model in Audi's range, the Audi A3 . Due to the "sandwich"-type construction, similar again to that of the Renault Espace or the Mercedes A-Class, the floorpan has an upper and a lower portion. The space in

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672-424: A limited weight (less than an adult's weight). The third row of seating is usually optional, and is not available on all models of compact MPVs. Most compact MPVs do not have sliding doors as compared to the large-sized Multi-purpose vehicle , being more similar to the older (and concurrent) station wagons . Predecessors to the compact MPV segment are the 1977 AMC Concept 80 AM Van, the 1978 Lancia Megagamma and

728-430: A lot at sensible costs. Some examples of mass retailers are big-box stores such as Target, Sam's Club, and Best Buy, as well as brands like Levi Strauss and Gap, and e-retailers like Amazon. In terms of mass market vs luxury retailers, luxury retailers sell their products to specific consumers. Their target market is for wealthy consumers who purchase upscale products frequently, products that tend to be unobtainable for

784-439: A mass market as: a market of as many people as possible, not just people with a lot of money or particular needs or interests [or] a product that is intended to be sold to as many people as possible, not just to people with a lot of money or particular interests. A mass market, also known as undifferentiated market, is a large group of current and/or prospective customers, where individual members share similar needs. The size of

840-784: A mass market depends on the product category. Mass marketers typically aim at between 50 and 100 percent of the total market potential. For example, the laundry detergent, Tide, reportedly had a 65% in-store market share (in the US) by developing a “good for everybody” product and targeting a broad middle-class market. By the 1980s, Coca-Cola commanded almost 70% share of the US market Mass market products and brands offer lower acceptable quality, are mass-produced, widely distributed and typically rely on mass media to create high levels of market awareness and ultimately market penetration. A premium brand, in contrast, combines elements of luxury and mass market, appealing to

896-433: A minivan that was "shrunk in the dryer." Although not classified at the time as MPVs, but variously described as space-efficient small people movers, functional high station wagons, or small vans. Examples of models – that consumers in the U.S. seemed to avoid because of "resistance to obvious utility" – include the "mini-minivan" 3-door hatchback wagons with a sliding side door on only the passenger side that were marketed as

952-454: A preference for local retail outlets where they can buy a single item, such as a bar of soap, from broken packs. Multinationals such as Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive have successfully tapped into emerging mass markets, while others have struggled. Kellogg 's foray into India failed to establish market acceptance for cereal as an alternative breakfast food. Unilever's laundry detergent, Ala, achieved market success in southern Brazil, but

1008-636: A single flavour and bottle size, it is now offered in multitude of different flavours, different sized bottles and with varying sugar- no-sugar options. As growth in developed markets begins to slow, multinational corporations are looking towards emerging markets for new growth and scale economies . Markets in parts of Asia , Africa , South America and Eastern Europe , with their rapid population growth, youthful populations, growing economies, rising standards of living and emergent middle-class present companies with significant long-term opportunities. For companies desirous of entering emerging markets,

1064-400: A sophisticated new product such as an MP3 player, might firstly target early adopters in upper income groups and subsequently simplify the offer and reduce prices in order to gain acceptance by a larger proportion of the potential market. In developed economies, mass marketing is becoming less common as an approach. However, it remains a vital part of marketing in developed economies well into

1120-476: Is located inside the boot, under the floor. The A2's interior was very upmarket in comparison with other superminis . In both the UK and Europe, there were several choices of seat material and colour, comprising the standard Cirrus cloth, optional Matrix cloth, optional Alcantara / leather , or full pearl Nappa leather seat coverings. Sport models received sport seats with electrically adjustable lumbar support as standard in jacquard satin cloth. The front of

1176-436: Is no market differentiation and no product differentiation . . The term, 'mass market’, emerged in the 19th century and had its origins in social, political and economic transformations occurring across the developed world throughout the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries. Population growth combined with rising wages, higher standards of living, concentrated populations, increasing urbanisation, increased social mobility and

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1232-474: Is tagged by Audi as an 'Audi Space Frame' design. The outer panels of the body have little or no structural function – similarities exist with the original Renault Espace – and the space frame bears the forces working on the car. The frame uses casts and extrusions which are laser welded together to make the space frame. Improvements in shell stability, durability and stiffness, lower weight, and more interior space are results of its construction. "The A2, on

1288-455: Is the most obvious indicator of the age of any particular A2. It was changed to matte black for the "color.storm" colour schemes, and for model year 2004 it acquired fake grille slats. However it can be changed easily, so it should not be taken as a reliable age indicator. Very little else was changed externally during the life of the car. Colours and wheels designs were changed mildly during the production run. The only other external indicator of

1344-411: Is to provide standardised products to the largest number of customers at minimum acceptable quality points and at lowest possible prices. To achieve this, companies design no-frills products, employ long production runs and rely on low margins and volume sales in order to maintain low unit costs. In the mass market, players must compete with other high-volume producers. As a consequence, the product with

1400-681: The Eagle Summit Wagon, Mitsubishi Expo , and Plymouth Colt Vista. Some claim that the 1996 Renault Scénic is credited with creating the compact MPV segment. The 1999 Opel/Vauxhall/Chevrolet Zafira was the first compact MPV with seven seats. The five highest selling compact MPVs in Europe in 2018 were the Renault Scénic , Volkswagen Touran , Citroën C4 Picasso , BMW 2 Series Active Tourer / Gran Tourer and Mercedes-Benz B-Class . Mass market Scholars have noted that defining

1456-671: The start/stop function , a feature that was new to European cars at the time. A total of 6450 1.2 TDI models were built. The following internal combustion engines were available: At the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2011, Audi exhibited an entirely electric concept car , the A2 concept , previewing an expected new A2 production model. The superstructure made largely from aluminium, additional parts in Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polymer, and other construction techniques restrain

1512-515: The 1.2 TDI model can be as low as just over 2 litres per 100 kilometres (140 mpg ‑imp ; 120 mpg ‑US ). This version of the Audi A2 won the "Nordic Eco Run" fuel economy race in 2003, with a consumption of 2.62 L/100 km (107.8 mpg ‑imp ; 89.8 mpg ‑US ). Even the normal versions with petrol engines are capable of 5 L/100 km (56.5 mpg ‑imp ; 47.0 mpg ‑US ). The A2

1568-582: The 17th century, raw materials, manufactured goods and foodstuffs were being transported around the globe. However, for mass market accessibility, effective domestic transportation and communication systems, such as the railways and the telegraph, were essential preconditions. Scholars point to the second half of the 19th century as a forming a 'revolution in distribution’ with innovations in transportation, storage and packaging enabling rapid, efficient movement of goods across vast distances. Mass production techniques, facilitated by technological developments, enabled

1624-516: The 1982 Lada X-1 concept cars. Early production models of compact MPVs include, the 1982 Nissan Prairie and the 1991 Mitsubishi RVR (marketed as "Space Runner" in Europe and "Expo LRV" in the United States). Others include the "well-reviewed but slow-selling" 1984–87 Honda Civic Wagon and the 1982-1988 Tercel Wagon. The Nissan Axxess had limited space behind its second row seats, but featured rear sliding doors on both sides making it like

1680-430: The 21st century. Mass marketing is primarily used in commodity markets (e.g., sugar, salt, fruit and vegetables, etc.); very small markets (where segmentation would result in segments too small to be profitable); for products and brands satisfying universal needs (e.g., pens, pencils, newspapers) and in less competitive markets. As markets in the US and Europe have become increasingly fragmented, consumers are exhibiting

1736-479: The A2 electric concept was not a developmental prototype with a test program, but a one-off concept car to be shown at auto shows. (59 kW Continuous) (160 Nm Continuous) 1.5 hours (400 V) Compact MPV Compact MPV (an abbreviation for Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle ) is a vehicle size class for the middle size of MPVs. The Compact MPV size class sits between the mini MPV and large MPV ( minivan ) size classes. Compact MPVs remain predominantly

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1792-431: The A2 is that it isn’t merely a design exercise. Yes, it’s a great car to look at, sit in and touch, but it’s also a riot to drive". The avant-garde styling did not, however, win favour with some potential customers. Audi was reported to be disappointed with the level of sales. The final production was only 176,377 units, in comparison to rival Mercedes-Benz 's A-Class sales of 1 million. The overriding theme in

1848-400: The A2 that may foretell the future: the sealed hood". Actually, the bonnet is easily removed, being held in place by two twist-lock catches. The bonnet, weighing 8 kg, then comes away from the car altogether, unlike the usual hinged flip-up arrangement on most other cars. Due to the service hatch, the bonnet does not need to be removed frequently for access to the engine. The service hatch

1904-455: The age of the car is the windscreen wiper . Very early models have a traditional blade, but starting in model year 2002, newer cars have a "flex" version ("Aerotwin" from Bosch, model 760). In October 2010, an A2 converted to electric power by Lekker Energie and DBM Energy completed an early morning 600-kilometre (370 mi) drive from Munich to Berlin on a single charge. Upon arrival, Rainer Bruederle , Germany's Economics Minister, called

1960-445: The car included an unusual design feature called the "Serviceklappe" in German – this translates to "service hatch" or "service panel". On early cars, this was a glossy black panel at the lower edge of the bonnet, where the radiator grille would normally be sited. Behind it are the filling points for oil and windshield washer fluid, and the dipstick . The bonnet was widely rumoured to be sealed – Car and Driver wrote: "...feature of

2016-462: The car was taken out of production in 2005. The A2 was produced at Audi's "aluminium" Neckarsulm plant in Germany on a special line purpose-built for it. It was the first five-door vehicle on sale in Europe with an average fuel consumption less than 3 litres per 100 kilometres (94.2 mpg ‑imp ; 78.4 mpg ‑US ), although these figures only applied to the special "3L" version with

2072-435: The car were available in Germany during its production run. The D4 version, which used only 3 L/100 km (94 mpg ‑imp ; 78 mpg ‑US ), was "standard." It had no power steering , air conditioning or other extras, with the only optional extra being body coloured door handles and wing mirrors. There were no optional extras because optional equipment adds weight and therefore reduces economy. It had

2128-418: The cards as a form of savings and also made calls at night when rates were lower, thereby boosting off peak usage volumes. A mass-market retailer is an organization that reasonably sells enormous amounts of products that appeal to a wide assortment of buyers. Mass-market retailers are not really known for selling sturdy, top notch stock or for having uncommon client assistance, yet they do meet customers' needs

2184-565: The design and engineering of the A2 was summarized by the then Audi UK product manager in an interview after the car won a design award in 2001 as "create a small Audi, not a cheap Audi", and the creative brief is said to have been "Transport four people from Stuttgart to Milan on a single tank of petrol". The A2 is built with a considerable amount of aluminium and aluminium alloy , making it weigh significantly less than cars of this size, and use much less fuel than cars with traditional steel monocoques . Under certain circumstances, consumption for

2240-427: The head of DBM. The Audi A2 1.2 TDI had the lowest drag coefficient of any car in the world at the time of its launch. It was also one of the most economical and least polluting, only emitting 81 g/km (German emission standard D4) to 86 g/km (D3 emission standard) CO 2 emissions. The Audi A2 3L reuses the engine and special gearbox developed for the equally efficient Volkswagen Lupo 1.2 TDI 3L . Two versions of

2296-506: The headlights and tail lights. In June 2012, the UK 's Car Magazine reported that Audi had put the electric A2 project on hold indefinitely, following disappointing European sales of other EVs, like the Nissan Leaf & Mitsubishi i-MiEV , and a projected retail price of over €40,000. It was reported that, according to the director of e-mobility and sustainability strategy at Audi of America,

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2352-504: The interior space. The seating arrangement is usually either two rows (for a total of five seats) or three rows (for a total of seven seats), with the second row having three seats and the other row(s) having two seats. Some compact MPVs also three seats in both the front and rear rows, and are therefore referred to as six-seaters. Where a third row of seats is present, the seats are often smaller and intended for children or short distance travel only. In some cars, these seats can only carry

2408-437: The lowest price, given comparable acceptable quality, will enjoy a market advantage. This tends to lead to a focus on prices which means that companies must relentlessly pursuit of cost savings across every aspect of business operations – simplified product design, streamlined supply chains and minimum tolerable service quality. In developed nations, marketers regularly create a mass market for goods and services. For example,

2464-401: The market without physically attending a marketplace. By the 20th century, the concept could be used to describe a process ( mass production / mass marketing ), a group of consumers as well as a physical place. The process, mass marketing , involves the pursuit of an entire market or a large proportion of the market with a single product and a single marketing program. In mass marketing, there

2520-413: The middle is used to house various components, such as the fuel tank and the engine's electronics. The rear passengers also benefit, as their foot space reaches into this sandwich space, creating a comfortable seating position even for tall rear seat passengers. This is in direct contrast to the comfort available on the rear bench of an A-Class. To improve the weight distribution of the vehicle, its battery

2576-462: The other hand, was designed as an aluminum car and the spaceframe has been optimized by parts consolidation, using large, cost-effective castings instead of aluminum stampings". Unfortunately, the cost of working with aluminium, particularly with small production runs, meant that the A2 was more expensive than other cars in its sector, competing with the A-class and losing. Much of the high production cost

2632-414: The precise nature of the mass market is problematic. This difficulty arises, at least in part, from scholarly attention being given to the process of mass marketing rather than the mass market, per se. In addition, the concept of a mass market means different things in different contexts and has evolved over time, adding yet another layer of complexity. The ‘'Cambridge Business English Dictionary defines

2688-576: The production of low-cost, standardised products designed to appeal to a broad cross-section of the market. By the 20th century, new distribution systems gradually supplanted the peddlers , hawkers and small, independent retailers that had characterised pre-industrial supply channels. As the century progressed, improvements in the supply chain gave rise to a plethora of innovative mass market retailers – from department stores through to franchises and chain stores . Notable early examples of mass marketers include: The primary aim of mass marketing

2744-499: The regular consumer. Some examples of luxury retailers include Barney's, Tiffany's, Saks & Fifth etc. “Technology has enabled consumers to skip over these mass-market models. Amazon and Google allow them to quickly and easily search out specific products that speak to them.” People are not associating or committing to a certain brand, rather, whatever is more convenient for them when looking at quality, price, and availability. When looking at mass market, we can include television as

2800-403: The rise of a middle-class fuelled a rise in demand for goods and services. To meet this demand, industry was restructured: manufacturers needed new production, distribution and merchandising systems to satisfy the growing demand for affordable goods and services. As certain historians have noted, the supply-side 'industrial revolution’ was accompanied by a demand-side 'consumer revolution’. By

2856-505: The test drive a "world record." The car was said to still have 18% of its charge remaining on arrival in Berlin and the average speed was reported as being 90 km/h (56 mph). The "kolibri" batteries used in the design are so compact that the vehicle retains its four seats and boot space. A production version would be possible. "The technology could be implemented today. It is up to industry to use this potential," commented Mirko Hannemann,

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2912-410: The weight to only 1,150 kg. A lithium-ion battery placed between the floor holds 24 kWh of usable charge. An electric motor is transversely mounted at the front of the vehicle, the electric motor delivers through the front wheels and uses a single-speed transmission. The vehicle will also incorporate shift-by-wire, brake-by-wire and steer-by-wire contactless technology, and LED matrix technology for

2968-421: Was also made from a light alloy, so even though it was a diesel, it weighed just 100 kg (220 lb). The car had an automated manual transmission with a Tiptronic mode on the selector. The car also had an ECO mode. When engaged it limited the power to 41 bhp (31 kW; 42 PS) (excluding kick down) and programmed the transmission to change up at the most economical point. ECO mode also activated

3024-399: Was also notable for being the first Audi model since the 1970s Audi 50 (type 86) and Audi 100 (type 43) not to be offered with its 'trademark' quattro four-wheel drive option. The A2 has a coefficient of drag of between 0.25 and 0.29, depending on the specific version. The A2 still uses a contemporary unibody construction, with significant elements of space frame principles, and it

3080-536: Was due to so many parts not being "off the shelf" and being specifically optimized for the A2. From Autobild in 2003: "The A2 is not one of the models with the highest return on investment". The same article quotes the sales figures for 2002 as being 20,000 in Germany against 80,000 for the A-Class and "...lots of money for a car that is only 3.8m long." Audi was the first manufacturer to try to incorporate lightweight building concepts using aluminium and associated alloys into

3136-401: Was unable to gain a foothold in the northeast, where women continue to wash laundry in streams and have a preference for bar soap. In Paraguay, the telecommunications operator, Tigo, was initially reluctant to reduce the minimum recharge rate for phone cards. However, its sales volume tripled when it allowed users to recharge for just a few centavos. The company learned that customers were using

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