Usually, Audi doesn't take too long after debuting a new model to trot out a higher-output S variant. However, that wasn't the case with the Q2 subcompact crossover. We had to wait quite some time following its debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show for the SQ2 to finally appear.

Even though it debuted just before the 2018 Paris Motor Show, the Audi SQ2 made its public debut at the show. Following in the footsteps of, well, every single Audi S model before it, the SQ2 bumps up the aggression by way of a more potent powertrain and some enhancements in the looks department.

It doesn't take very long to pick up on the visual changes the SQ2 brings to the table. The SQ2's grille is darker and stronger, thanks to pronounced vertical slats. The front bumper's air intakes look more aggressive and are connected with a splitter running the width of the front end. In traditional Audi S fashion, the exhaust has been swapped out for a new set o' pipes with four round tailpipes. The larger brake calipers have Audi S logos on them, too, because why not? The car sits just under an inch lower than the regular Q2, as well.

The interior sports a standard combination of leather and cloth with loads of contrast stitching and -- you guessed it -- more Audi S logos. Sportier seats are standard, as is a sportier steering wheel.

The real meat 'n' potatoes of the SQ2 is under the hood, though. There, you'll find a 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 gas engine. It puts out 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Power heads to all four wheels (natch) by way of a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It'll shuffle its way to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds, which is pretty darn quick for a little thing like this. With the car set to its efficiency mode, the dual-clutch transmission can decouple the engine from the wheels under coasting, and the stop-start system can kick in as early as 4 mph for a smidge more fuel efficiency.

Being a new Audi, there's plenty of tech in the Q2. The infotainment screen can be as large as 8.3 inches, and Audi's Virtual Cockpit replaces the gauge cluster with a 12.3-inch configurable display. There's a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and an optional Bang & Olufsen sound system with 14 speaker and 705 watts. On the safety front, automatic emergency braking is standard, and it can be optioned with full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and blind spot monitoring.

Sadly, the SQ2 won't be available in the US, since we don't get the regular Q2 either. But, if you happen to be moving to Europe, the SQ2 begins deliveries early next year.

One of the lesser-known models in Audi's vast range, the Q2 was launched in 2016 before getting a mid-cycle facelift about four years later. It won't live to see a second generation as the German luxury brand has other priorities, specifically focusing on bigger cars with higher profit margins. For this reason, the A1 supermini will also bow out after the current generation runs its course.

The announcement about axing its smallest crossover was made earlier this week by Audi CEO Markus Duesmann in an interview with Handelsblatt (subscription required): "We have decided not to build the A1 anymore, and there will be no successor model from the Q2 either. We have also realigned Audi as a premium brand. We will limit our model range at the bottom and expand it at the top."

We should point out the Q2 is not only built at home in Ingolstadt, but also in China where it goes by the name of Q2L to reflect its longer wheelbase for greater rear legroom. In addition, the baby crossover sold in the People's Republic comes in an E-Tron flavor with all-electric propulsion. The zero-emissions model is only sold locally and has a 38-kWh battery pack good for 165 miles (265 kilometers) of range based on the local NEDC test cycle.

Elsewhere, Audi's entry-level Q model is offered in a potent SQ2 specification with standard Quattro and a 2.0-liter gasoline engine producing 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet (400 Newton-meters) of torque sent via a dual-clutch, seven-speed automatic transmission. The performance version is essentially a more luxurious version of the Volkswagen T-Roc R, which was facelifted in November 2021.

The A1 and Q2 will be retired after the current-generation models when the A3 will effectively become the entry point into Audi's global lineup. Further down the line, the company will launch its last new vehicle equipped with a combustion engine in 2026 before ending production of ICE cars in 2033. However, the assembly of gasoline-fueled vehicles could continue for a few more years in China, depending on demand.

Meanwhile, the lineup will grow to include the Q6 E-Tron due to be unveiled before the end of the year as Audi's first product based on the PPE platform co-developed with Porsche. In China, a Volkswagen Atlas-based SUV is said to arrive in 2022 with the rather confusing Q6 moniker. Also coming this year is the facelifted E-Tron, believed to change its name to Q8 E-Tron to better reflect its positioning in the range.