Audi Concept C Is the Brand’s Next Sports Car Headed for Production

Audi has been running light on sizzle since the TT and R8 took their final bows. That changes with the new Concept C, a low-slung two seater that previews a production model slated for 2027 and, according to Audi, will reach showrooms with only minor changes. Think door handles, integrated sensors, and the usual road ready tweaks, not a full redesign.

More than a design study, Concept C is a statement of intent. Under Chief Creative Officer Massimo Frascella, Audi is pushing a new design language built around clarity and restraint. You see it in the face: a tall, upright grille that frames the Four Rings and a crisp four element light signature. Surfaces are taut, lines are confident, and the whole car reads more like precision tooling than rolling sculpture.

The proportions land closer to the old R8 than the TT. Audi quotes 178.0 inches in length and 78.0 inches in width, with a 101.1 inch wheelbase and a roofline that sits just over 50 inches. There is no conventional rear window. Instead, a trio of horizontal slats clean up airflow and hide a central brake light. The party trick is a powered two piece hardtop that tucks away neatly, turning the coupe into an open roadster without resorting to a fabric roof.

Under the skin, Concept C is unapologetically electric. The show car is rear drive, with the brand leaving the door open for an all wheel drive variant. An 800 volt electrical architecture hints at ultra quick DC charging, while 21 inch two tone wheels and a target curb weight of roughly 3,700 pounds suggest a focus on agility rather than brute size. Audi has not published power or range targets yet, but the hardware direction points to performance you can use every day.

Inside, Audi leans into what it calls shy tech. Real metal knobs and switches sit where your hands expect them, and the steering wheel wears a metal badge instead of plastic. A 10.4 inch infotainment screen rises from the dash when you need it and disappears entirely when you do not, restoring a clean, analog view forward. Materials skew upscale and purposeful, with a mix that feels modern without chasing trends.

If the silhouette gives you a sense of déjà vu, that is intentional. Concept C nods to brand hallmarks like the TT and R8 while also channeling classics such as the 1991 Avus and the Rosemeyer concept. The stance and aero details even echo prewar Auto Union racers, translated for an EV era. It reads like Audi’s greatest hits album, remastered for 2027.

There is a strategic layer here too. Audi is ramping up its performance credibility with a factory Formula 1 program in 2026, and a production sports car with real theater fits that narrative. At the same time, the brand has been simplifying design across its lineup, ditching gimmicks like fake exhaust outlets and publicly promising better cabin execution. Concept C threads those goals by pairing bold, simple forms with tactile controls and meaningful tech.

One open question is platform sharing. It would not be surprising to see component commonality with Porsche’s next 718 family as the industry consolidates EV architectures. Timelines on Stuttgart’s side have reportedly shifted, but the broad direction remains the same, and Audi’s coupe roadster brief sits in a similar space. The key difference will likely be tuning and character, with Porsche chasing scalpel sharp engagement and Audi leaning into everyday liveability and long haul refinement.

Where does it land in the range and the market. Expect pricing to bridge the gap the TT and R8 left behind, with trims that scale from a well equipped base car to a hotter variant with dual motors. Rivals will include the next wave of compact EV sports cars along with high spec grand tourers that are already trading cylinders for cells. If Audi keeps the production car faithful to this concept, it will also pull buyers who are tired of fussy styling and touchscreen everything.

Bottom line, Concept C is the jolt Audi needed. It restores a proper sports car to the lineup, introduces a cleaner design vocabulary, and does it with details that feel engineered rather than embellished. If the production car delivers the same clarity of purpose, Ingolstadt will finally have a halo that looks and feels like the next chapter, not a remix of the last one.

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