The two -door car is a shrinking niche. Just ask BMW. It is about to pull the plug on the Z4 without planning a direct successor. The 4 Series Coupé and the convertible may not be long for this world. Nevertheless, there is a glimmer of hope for those looking for a fun car. Come 2028, we could get an i4 coupé. Not another five-door buoyancy, which is marketed as a “Gran Coupé”, but a real coupé, Codenamed NA2.
Audi has already interpreted the TT and R8, but it also laid the foundation for a Coupé comeback. With the concept C, the BMW rival also hides a roadster in sight. The coupé turns into an open top sports car by electrically folding its Targa-like panels for unlimited headroom. Munich could answer with an i4 convertible (Na3), although like the i4 Coupé, it was not officially confirmed for production.
For Audi, the new concept is more than a preview of a sports car that comes later in this decade. It is also a window in a fresh design language. Similar to BMW with the new class, Audi starts with “less is more”. Get the busy outside lines and overcrowded dashboards. In their place, smooth surfaces inside and outside try to revive the elegant simplicity of the original TT.
The concept C attracts a parallel to the upright kidney grills of BMW to certain models and also takes on a vertical grille. This design selection has a legacy behind it that ends in 1936 with the racing car of the Auto Union Type C. According to Audi, Audi sews closer to our time, the front-end treatment also nods the A6 from 2004, a rival of the E60 5 series from BMW.
Future Four Rings models will also take on a quad light motif at both ends. However, the production version of the concept C is probably not so clean. Expect the right door handles and many sensors, but otherwise the styling should stay true to the show car. A function that we would like to see is the retractable infotainment screen.
With the measurement of 10.4 inches, the touch display is properly in the dashboard if they are not used. Some older Audis also offered a hiding place, but that’s long gone. In view of the widespread criticism of transforming too many functions into touchscreens, we are glad that the physical switchgear see the steering wheel and the center console. In the meantime, BMW goes in the other direction. His upcoming iDrive X has the rotary button between the seats, although some conventional controls remain.
Audi is a connection about technical specifications and only confirms that the concept is purely electrical. There are no plans for a combustion engine, whether in front of or behind the seats. However, concept C has medium-sized proportions that are more reminiscent of the R8 than the TT front engine. With regard to the size, it seems to be raised between the two to hits and questions about a possible connection to Porsche’s upcoming Electric Boxster and Cayman.
The competition is always healthy and we can’t wait to see how BMW and Mercedes react. In a sea of bulky frosovers and SUVs, the enthusiasts would welcome a revival of coupés with a low class with two seats, even if they are electrical …
