Audi calls its bold new EV the Concept C, but people are seeing the next-gen TT—minus the turbocharged powertrain. It shares strikingly similar aesthetic elements with the bulbous, distinctively silhouetted sports car, which was produced from 1998 through 2023. According to Audi, the design was most directly inspired by the 1936 Type C grand prix car from Auto Union—the marque comprised of Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer that preceded Audi as its known today—as well as the 2004 A6.
The Concept C features a strong shoulder line, a first-for-Audi electronically retracted hardtop that comes apart in two pieces, horizontal slats at the rear, and a Titanium paint coat that’s evocative of a silvery hue offered on gen-1 TTs. Inside is a 10.4-inch foldable display, haptic controls on the steering wheel and center console, anodized aluminum controls, and monochromatic “tone-on-tone” finish that doesn’t stray far from the exterior paint.
Though no production plans have been announced, the Concept C boasts a little more potential for fruition than a typical eye-catching rendering. As Road & Track points out, what became the TT started as a closely linked TT concept that debuted three years before production fired up in 1995. Similarly, the Le Mans Quattro concept became the R8 supercar. Audi itself says, “The… Concept C marks the beginning of a new design philosophy and thus a defining moment for the four rings. It previews a future production model and will shape further models beyond that.” If you had to be on what the future of Audi will look like, it’s safe to put your money on the Concept C.
