- This week, Audi revealed its Audi Concept C, a design study which offers a ‘definitive preview’ of the design direction the manufacturer’s future models will take.
- The Concept C is an all-electric two-seater sports car, likely to return later this decade in production form as the spiritual successor to the Audi TT, being offered with a fully-electric powertrain for the first time.
- Audi’s original TT was launched in 1998, and quickly became a design classic thanks to its Bauhaus inspiration. This new concept looks to pay homage to that.
Audi returns to Bauhaus design for its future EVs
According to Audi, around 90% of the design you see in this concept will make it to the eventual production model, and with that in mind, this new EV will certainly stand out amongst a growing sea of homogenous electric SUVs. The previous generation TT, and many of its compact ICE-powered rivals, were cancelled owing to dwindling sales and stricter emissions targets, but it’s clear that Audi now sees a gap in the EV market for a two-seater sports car.
The design parallels between Audi’s concept and the Jaguar EV concept are hard to miss, and the Audi Concept C also marks yet another manufacturer bringing back an old model name with design inspiration from the original model, such as the Renault 5 EV. On the interior, we can see that physical buttons are also making a return, in stark contrast to many of the touchscreen-focused EVs on sale today. The central infotainment screen can also be folded away underneath the dashboard, creating a minimalist interior that will keep the design timeless even when future technology moves on.
There is little officially confirmed about production specifications for this potential future EV, but current developments taking place within the Volkswagen Group give us a slight hint. Porsche is currently deep in the development stage of an electric platform for its 718 sports car, which is set to launch next year. This fourth-generation TT is likely to share the same platform, and the rumoured 2027 release year for Audi’s model further affirms this platform-sharing theory. We’ll also be waiting to see whether Audi keep the TT model name, or go for something entirely new to differentiate it from its predecessors.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner spoke on the brand’s new design philosophy:
“The way we design our vehicles is the way we will shape our company. Clarity is an ethos and the compass that will guide Audi through the times ahead. The phase of taking stock is over. Now is the time to look to the future and pick up speed. We are focusing on what really matters to set standards in design and quality.”
