- Audi has revealed the Concept C sports car following leaked images appeared online.
- The Concept C is an all-electric two seater that will share its underpinnings with the Porsche 718 replacement.
- Contrary to expectation Audi says the Concept C isn't a replacement for the TT, instead sitting between the TT and the R8.
Following on from leaked images that appeared online yesterday, Audi has revealed its new Concept C, an all-electric two-seater sports car that will share its underpinnings with the next-gen Porsche 718 Cayman/Boxster.
The Concept C previews Audi's radical new design language (that, it has to be said, has a lot in common with Jaguar's controversial Type 00), that takes its inspiration from the 1936 Auto Union Type C with a distinctive vertical frame nose and boldly minimalist design.
The car's mid-engined style proportions come from its "central-battery" layout, giving the Concept C proportions similar to those of bth the original Audi TT and the R8. Unlike those previous sports cars, however, the Concept C features an electrically retractable hardtop - the first time for an Audi roadster - that is comprised of two roof elements which allow the vehicle to "retain a monolithic shape", while also allowing for an open-top driving experience.
The Concept C also introduces Audi's new light signature that features four horizontally arranged elements in each headlight and rear light. Audi says this design element will "define brand's visual identity during both day and night, ensuring an unmistakable presence on the road".
The interior is made up of "strong architectural surfaces and clear geometric forms" that Audi says ensure space for both occupants while subtly placing the driver at the centre.
Physical controls are manufactured from anodised aluminium to provide a "tactile experience that reflects mechanical quality", while the steering wheel features haptic elements and the interior uses "shy technology" with a foldable centre display that "is always close by, yet never dominant" and provides users with relevant information in "an intuitive way and in context" that is tailored to every situation.
While the Concept C has been widely suspected to be a replacement for the Audi TT, this doesn't seem to be the case, with Audi CEO Gernot Döllner categorically ruling out the use of the TT name for the production version, telling Autocar "The Concept C is not a successor of the TT."
"It's a different segment to the TT - it's somewhere exactly in the middle between TT and R8," he said. "We will come up with a name once the car hits the road as a serious product."
And as for what exact form the Concept C will take as a production product, Audi's new head of design, Massimo Frascella, also told Autocar the production version will look almost exactly the same as the Concept C when it launches in 2027.
"The car that you see here is a preview of a production car - almost literally." he said.
One of the boldest elements to make it into production will be new upright grille design that harks back to the earliest Audi models, as well as the Auto Union Type C racing car, as well as the C6-generation Audi A6 from 2004.
Described as "a progressive interpretation of Audi's legacy" the new face is used to more prominently showcase Audi's four-ring logo while also housing the "forward-looking technology" including ADAS cameras and sensors that will feature on next-generation models.
While the eventual production version of the Concept C is officially being positioned between the TT and R8 (both of which are now out of production), Audi is understood to be working on a third-generation of the R8 that will use a 670-plus kilowatt V8 plug-in hybrid system shared with the Lamborghini Temerario.
