Forget The New Tesla Roadster

The Audi Concept C “exemplifies a new design philosophy” at the struggling German luxury brand.
It echoes a number of classic Audi sports cars, including the R8, TT, Rosemeyer concept and the iconic Auto Union Type C racing car, which may have inspired its name.
Details about its powertrain were not released, but it’s believed to be a counterpart to the new electric Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster.

This can feel like a distant memory today, but there was once a time when there were two players in the car design game: Audi, and everybody else.

Car design is always subjective, of course. But in my humble opinion, Audi had a run of cars from about the mid-to-late 1990s to the early 2010s that were pretty much unmatched in the looks department. The first couple of A4 sedans, the second-generation A6, the original TT, the first R8, the A7… home runs, all of them.

It’s a different story at Audi today, unfortunately. Take the new Audi Q6 E-Tron: it’s a first-rate electric vehicle, but visually, it’s busy and complex yet somehow indistinctive too. The sedan treatment for the A6 E-Tron is a little better, but I wouldn’t call that car a looker, either.

Photo by: Audi

That situation seems like it may be changing soon. Meet the Audi Concept C, which ushers in a newer, better era for Audi design. And most likely, it shows us what we could expect from an upcoming EV sports car effort.

Photo by: Audi

“With a design that focuses on clarity, Audi is taking a bold step towards a reduced and timeless aesthetic that will continue to differentiate the company in times of increased competition,” the automaker said in a news release. Chief Creative Officer Massimo Frascella, who joined the brand last year, calls the idea “radical simplicity.”

Photo by: Audi

I’d say the plan is off to a good start. Gone is the fussiness we’ve seen from other modern Audis, replaced by a sleekness that calls back to the original TT, the R8 and unused designs like the Rosemeyer concept. Audi also said it echoes the Auto Union Type C, an iconic racer from the early Grand Prix era. Meanwhile, the front end more resembles the new China-only Audi E5 Sportback, which I don’t think is a bad thing at all; I’ve seen that car in person and it’s quite stunning.

Photo by: Audi

One especially notable feature—or rather omission—is the lack of a rear window. Aping cars like the Polestar 4, the Concept C has no glass behind the driver. Presumably, cameras take its place, although the targa-style roof panel appears to be retractable.

Photo by: Audi

All of this leads us to what we think this thing previews: Audi’s counterpart to the upcoming electric Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster. In its news release, Audi makes no mention of what could power a production version of the Concept C. But look at this thing: no physical gear controls, no apparent tailpipes… if I had to put money on it, it’s an EV.

And since it’s clearly not some R8-level supercar successor, and a gas car platform like the old TT feels unlikely, this is the obvious choice—and something we know Audi has been working on anyway. Plus, building this platform across two Volkswagen Group brands will help spread costs around, just as the company has done for the Porsche Taycan and Audi E-Tron GT.

And both of those are absolutely first-rate electric performance cars. If a production version of this Concept C has even a decent fraction of their power, we’re in for something very fun. Plus, if it is due for production, it could arrive before the bordering-on-vaporware Tesla Roadster does. And it won’t even need rocket thrusters to be up for a good time.

Is this a return to form for Audi’s design team? Let us know what you think in the comments.