Like so many of its rivals, Audi offers a growing array of crossovers in the US market. The Q2 isn't currently one of them, which is a bit of a shame – especially considering this performance version that Audi's just released for the European market.

Based on Ingolstadt's smallest crossover, the new SQ2 packs a mightier punch into what essentially amounts to a ruggedized hot hatch. 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, to be specific, from a 2.0-loiter turbo four, channeled to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

That's said to be enough to send the new SQ2 scurrying to 62 in 4.8 seconds before reaching its customarily regulated top speed of 155 mph. Those output and performance figures put it right on point with the new BMW X2 M35i (which packs 302 hp and hits 60 in 4.9), though a bit behind the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 (375 hp, 4.3 seconds). That'd be up to a potentially more potent RS Q2, should such a machine ever be built.

As it stands, the new Audi SQ2 also features a retuned suspension that drops the ride height by 20 mm, among other enhancements.

The steering's also been recalibrated, and the drivetrain can now send all of its power to the rear wheels. It's been visually enhanced to convey its performance orientation, and it's slippier too, with a drag coefficient of 0.34.

Audi's already opened the order books in Germany, where prices start at €44,500. That's approaching twice the price of the base Q2 (which starts domestically at €23,900). Whether the SQ2 and the Q2 on which it's based will ever make the transatlantic journey to US showrooms, we don't know. But with this level of performance on tap, we can certainly hope.