Audi’s New Sports Generation: Wild Design, and Germany Just Shocked the World

The Audi Concept C is set to become a production sports car by 2027, but it won’t be called the TT. Company chief Gernot Döllner confirmed the model will debut with features such as a virtual gearbox and a simulated five-cylinder soundtrack.

Unveiled last week at the Munich Motor Show, the Concept C is Audi’s vision of the brand’s future design language. Döllner described the show car as “something between the TT and the R8,” both of which have been discontinued.

The new model is closely tied to the upcoming all-electric Porsche 718, which is currently in development.

Speaking to Top Gear, Döllner said: “This is a fully functional concept, road-legal, and you’ll be driving it soon.”

“It’s not a TT successor—it won’t carry that name. We developed the concept so quickly that we didn’t even have time to find a name, so we just called it Concept C. Honestly, it could have started with an ‘R’ or been something completely different. Sometimes it’s easier to build a car than to name it,” he added.

The Audi boss also confirmed that the production model will feature a virtual gearbox.

“We’ve discovered that a virtual transmission and sound really add something special to driving an EV. Even on a racetrack, I’m quicker with a car equipped with a virtual gearbox. We’re developing it, and I think we’ll have it. The company is completely open to exploring innovations in this area,” he told reporters.

Audi may also bring back the five-cylinder engine sound virtually. When asked about the future of the RS3’s combustion engine, Döllner admitted it would soon be phased out, as Audi won’t update it to meet Euro 7 emissions standards. But he hinted: “It may come back—virtually.”