Audi is not yet ready to move away from the sports car. In front of the IAA, the Ingolstadt brand reveals an electrical reinterpretation of the TT. This new model is closely related to the Porsche Boxster of the next generation and is still almost three years away from series production.
The term to revive the TT or R8 has been floating around within Audi for some time. The challenge was never the design or technology, but the commercial reality. Sports coupes and roadsters with low volume are rarely profitable on today’s market. This is one reason why models such as the BMW Z4, Toyota Supra, Mercedes SLC and even Porsches 718 Cayman and Boxster have left the market or soon do so.
Now Audi is trying to change the story. The concept C, which was presented shortly before the Munich automotive exhibition, presents an electrical sports car with two seats with a folding roof that turns it from Coupé to Targa at the push of a button. This is intended as a spiritual successor to both the TT and the R8 and fills the emptiness left by both icons as soon as they end production.
Technically speaking, it is expected to share a lot with the upcoming Porsche 718, although Porsche has already delayed its start. This means that we probably don’t see the new Audi or Porsche twins before the second half of 2027. Most would still choose a powerful petrol engine over a silent EV, especially in a convertible or Targa format.
This is the difficult task for Audi. The minimalist, elegant silhouette of the concept C marks a clear deviation from earlier concept car inspired by Quattro, which looked promising but never made it into production. The densely drawn waist and subtle bike boxes can indicate a layout driven behind with a single electric motor. This could be okay for Porsche because the 911 offers all-wheel drive helo. But it is more difficult to imagine an Audi sports car without a Quattro traction.
Audi insists that concept C is not just a design study for the next TT. It is a declaration of intent for the future styling of the brand. The upright radiator grilling, which is referred to internally as a “vertical frame”, and the slim lighting units will become familiar with salons, lands and crossovers. The minimalist topic continues inside. Traditional details are avoided and materials such as warm leather were replaced by clean seat shells with hard surfaces designed from Volvo or Polestar.
Digital displays are now a matter of course, and the central screen with a central 10.4-inch screen can be seen in the concept is probably more of a showpiece than a production feature. The low seating position is made possible by the battery, which is mounted behind the cabin, and not under the floor.
It is a layout that fits a real sports car, but it could come at the expense of the comfort or practicality of long -distance distances. It remains unclear whether this element survives in production.
Ultimately, however, it is most important that this concept signals serious intentions. Audi has revealed countless striking studies in recent years, of which only a few have been achieved in showrooms. Concept C finally has the chance that something fat and electrical reality will finally be.
