- The C concept seems remarkably close to a vehicle ready for production
- Porsche’s electrical foundations could feed it
- The global design language inaugurates a new direction for the brand
Can you hear that? It is the sound of a million jaws that strike the ground, while Audi reveals the concept C to the general public.
Tidy lines, a low and sporty aggressive position, a beautifully refined interior and real wings mirrors! The concept is both a striking overview of what a future replacement of Audi TT and a daring intention for the next ten years of the German brand could look like.
Although the press release does not reference, the new concept is the work of Massimo Frascella and its talented team of designers. Having taken the reigns last summer, Frascella clearly wants to make her mark.
The Radical Roadster presents the brand’s new “face” of the brand, which is free from badges and elements of openly oversized grille like, Ahem, some Germanic rivals. Audi says that the C concept embodies “athletic minimalism with purity of form, precision and solidity”. I say it looks great.
More importantly, the two -door coupe with a folding fantasy fabric roof gives us our best look to what a future TT replacement looks like. Rumors would be on sale in 2027, it was suggested to share the same electric performance car platform as the next Porsche Boxster and Cayman electric models, both delayed and pushed back several times.
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Above this, it also indicates a new design direction for the brand, with this striking “vertical” face, itself inspired by some of the oldest Audi racing cars, which should appear on other models in the coming years.
Inside, there is an anodized aluminum dashboard, with physical commands in dial-form of Audi on the direction which deals with driving parameters. Digital twin displays constitute the infotainment offer and there is a haptic band to access air-re-con and other features. Wool and other natural fabrics replace old -fashioned leather and other traditional opulence markers.
This must make its public appearance at the IAA mobility fair in Munich next week, where it is sure to look just as well in the flesh.
Yeah! Simplicity is again desirable
After the retirement of the TT and then the R8 with the engine of the V10, Audi lacked a sports car at the head of the range, relying rather on the RS versions of its range to continue its high performance heritage.
The C concept, which, according to Massimo Frascella, is “an overview of a production car – almost literally”, according to Autocar, signals a potential return to a dedicated range of sports cars.
The Audi TT will take place in history as one of the sports coupes with two most successful seats of all time, offering incredibly simplistic looks and a player engaged without breaking the bank. The R8 was also revolutionary and always turned heads today.
Unfortunately, the sports cars segment has taken beats and with the introduction of electrification and handbags tightening at all levels, many manufacturers have moved away from high performance things.
In addition, the design of cars becomes more and more complex and difficult, because many brands are trying to meet the tastes of several markets.
The elegant, simple but striking concept of Audi could change all of this and with a careful implementation of an electrical or hybrid new generation powertrain, this could ensure that we are once again taking advantage of the gender definition on our roads.
