If you’ve been waiting for Audi to bring some excitement back to its sports car lineup, the wait is almost over. CEO Gernot Döllner has given the all-electric Concept C the green light for full production. Expect it on the road within two years.

• The Concept C is the unofficial replacement for the Audi TT, which departed alongside the mid-engined R8 and left the brand without a two-door sports car.
• The production Concept C will be built on an updated version of the Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, the same hardware designed for the next-generation electric Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster.
• Developed under a “China speed” playbook, the car will move from initial sketch to showroom floors in just three years.

How Audi’s CEO Put the Rumors to Rest

Rumors had been swirling for months that Audi might scrap its electric sports car program entirely. Some speculated that Porsche could axe the electric 718, which would have spelled trouble for the equivalent EV bearing the Four Rings. But following its debut at the IAA Mobility show in Munich last September, CEO Gernot Döllner squashed those concerns head-on.

In an interview with Australian magazine GoAuto, Döllner made it clear the Audi Concept C sports car is still happening and would be in the market within two years. He also emphasized that every concept Audi presents from now on will carry a real production plan behind it. Last month, Döllner sent an internal letter to company employees, stating that plans for the performance EV have not been cancelled and that Audi and Porsche are “proceeding in good collaboration.”

A New Design Language Starts Here

The Audi Concept C is an all-electric two-seat sports car that introduces the brand’s new design philosophy. From every angle, the concept shows what Audi calls “radical simplicity.” That means clean lines, minimal clutter, and an emphasis on form over flash.

Inspired by the Auto Union Type C from 1936 and the third-generation Audi A6 from 2004, the design has a clear, upright form that conveys presence and identity. The new brand face features a vertical frame that reimagines the Audi look, along with a bold four-element light signature.

One of the standout features? An electrically retractable hardtop is used on an Audi roadster for the first time. It comprises two roof elements that allow the vehicle to keep a solid, sculpted shape while also giving drivers an open-top experience. This new design language will roll out across the entire Audi lineup under Chief Creative Officer Massimo Frascella, who took the role in June 2024.

The show car already had about 87 percent of the final design, according to a previous statement made by Frascella. The road-going model will barely differ from the show car, aside from the addition of door handles, sensors, and a few other minor tweaks.

What We Know About the Specs

The production version of the Concept C will share an adapted version of the PPE architecture, called PPE Sport, with Porsche’s planned electric 718 Boxster and Cayman twins. While full powertrain details haven’t been released, we do know a few things.

The Concept C packs 500 horsepower and runs on an 800-volt electrical system. It’s a rear-wheel drive, 3,726-pound two-seater hardtop/convertible roadster, and the production version will also offer a dual-motor, all-wheel drive option.

The batteries aren’t underneath your feet, like they are in most electric cars. In the Concept C they’re stacked behind the seats, which means you sit lower, like you would in a proper sports car. It should also mean near-perfect weight distribution, similar to a mid-engined car. Dimensionally, the concept measured 4,520mm long on a 2,568mm wheelbase, 1,970mm wide, and just 1,285mm high, with a quoted weight of 1,690kg.

Audi says it’ll be priced above the old TT but below the R8, which puts it squarely in the premium sports car category. The Concept C is actually bigger than the Audi R8 supercar, which measures 4,440mm long.

Why “China Speed” Matters for European Buyers

The production timeline for this car tells a bigger story about how Audi plans to do business going forward. Audi is watching China and the rapid development of the car industry there, especially with EVs. That pressure has pushed Audi to rethink its entire development process.

The key to the rapid turnaround from concept to production model is the use of “project houses.” By ditching tiered committees, Audi is housing design, engineering, procurement, and quality control teams under a single roof. This structure gives project leaders direct access to the board. Weekly meetings replace months of bureaucratic review.

It’s an unusually fast pace for a European manufacturer, made possible by project management learnings from Audi’s Chinese partner, SAIC. The goal is to prove European automakers can match that speed without sacrificing quality.

Can the Concept C Bring Audi Back to the Sports Car Conversation?

Audi has been missing from the two-door sports car game since the TT and R8 left the lineup. The Concept C marks a step in the right direction as the brand seeks to rebound after years of trailing BMW. When production does move forward, the Concept C will become Audi’s new flagship car and a source of inspiration for the whole brand.

With a 2027 timeline locked in, a fresh design philosophy, and a shared platform with Porsche, Audi appears ready to make a serious statement in the electric sports car space. For anyone who loved the TT or R8, this could be the car worth watching.