5 Minutes
Concept C makes a London statement
Audi brought its Concept C to the UK and set it down in one of the most public stages imaginable: beneath a 14-metre LED wall at Piccadilly Circus. The display amplified surface details, lighting signatures and user-interface logic, signalling that this is not a private design showcase but the public launch of a new direction.
Design philosophy: radical simplicity, by engineering
The Concept C is the first tangible result of Massimo Frascella's new design direction for Audi. Rather than trendy minimalism, Frascella has stripped choices back in the engineering sense: remove everything that does not matter until what remains is essential. The result is an electric roadster that carries TT DNA as structural reference, not a retro costume.
It looks the part: low, wide and taut, with controlled surfaces and athletic massing that avoids the overblown proportions of some modern sports cars. A headline change is the reinterpretation of Audi's Singleframe grille as a vertical frame, a nod to the Auto Union Type C, while the daytime running light signature uses a quartet of horizontal elements to create a distinct EV-era code for Audi. Inside, materials and controls have been pared down too: aluminium is used as a language across surfaces, physical switches return as a purposeful tactile system and the brand's so-called 'Audi click' haptic feedback is prominent, finished in a muted titanium tone rather than glossy sci-fi plastic.
Real car, real roads
This is not a purely sculptural study. Audi drove the Concept C in the Dolomites earlier this autumn to prove it is road-legal and capable. That said, Audi has kept technical specifics close to the chest: battery capacity, power output and the exact platform remain unconfirmed. Industry watchers speculate it could be based on a PPE derivative or a bespoke low-volume sports EV architecture — possibly the same kind of foundation that could influence future rivals to the Porsche 718 line.
Notable firsts
- First Audi roadster with a retractable hardtop; the silhouette remains coherent with the roof up and more assertive when the roof is down
- New vertical Singleframe and evolved DRL signature for EV Audis
- Physical, precision-engineered controls emphasising tactile quality
Where Concept C sits in Audi's lineup
Audi is explicit that the TT badge is finished, yet the design values that made the TT culturally significant — clarity of form, engineering exactness and textural honesty — are alive in the Concept C. At the Piccadilly unveiling Audi UK director José Miguel Aparicio noted how earlier models like the TT and R8 shaped the brand's cultural trajectory; the Concept C is intended to reset that trajectory for an electric era.
For the market, the Concept C is important because it signals Audi's intent to keep a focused sports car identity while making the inevitable shift to electrification. If the car moves from concept to limited production, it will occupy a premium niche: a low-volume electric roadster that appeals to enthusiast buyers who value handling, design purity and craftsmanship over mass-market EV utility.
What we still need to learn
Key performance and technical data are still unknown, so buyers and journalists will be watching for:
- Battery pack size and estimated range
- Motor configuration and power/torque figures
- Chassis architecture and likely production strategy
- Pricing and planned production volumes
Final take
Seen under the bright lights of Piccadilly, the Concept C felt like more than an exercise in nostalgia. It maps a believable path from the TT's design ethos to a future defined by electric power and engineered simplicity. Whether or not it reaches series production, the Concept C sets a clear visual and tactile template for what a modern Audi roadster can — and should — be in the EV age.
Source: autoevolution
Comments
chipflow
Feels like a smart reset for Audi, but where are the specs? Battery, power, price... theyre hiding the bits that matter. Hope it's more than a concept.
gearflip
Wow, didn't think Audi would bring a minimalist roadster to Piccadilly. Low and taut, very TT vibes. If that's real then please make it drive like it looks…
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