- Audi says the design drives people into the showroom.
- The Concept C features a new styling approach.
- The production version will arrive in the next two years.
The Concept C hits the reset button on Audi design at a time when the company’s sales are plummeting. Demand fell by 2.9 percent last year compared to 2024, which is also not a good year, as deliveries plummeted by 11.8 percent compared to 2023. Changing the appearance of a car could have a significant impact on demand, as the company claims that design remains the brand’s biggest sales driver.
Audi board member Marco Schubert told Australian magazine Car Expert that vehicle appearance continues to be a significant driver of sales: “For us, design is still the main reason customers buy our cars.” The new approach envisaged by the Concept C carries the slogan “Radical Next” which seems appropriate considering the shift to a completely new philosophy.
Schubert believes that Audi’s new design identity will help differentiate it from its competitors by implementing “simplification in terms of exterior design, a very clear design, which is truly extraordinary, which is different from the competition.” Ideally, Four Rings would like to recapture the magic of the original TT, a car that no longer exists, but which had a long-term impact on sales and brand image.
Photo by: Audi
BMW’s Neue Klasse revival also aims to soften the exterior, although the similarities to Audi don’t continue inside. Although Munich currently only relies on screens, Ingolstadt is bringing them back (a number of) physical control. Additionally, Audi has promised to return to using higher quality materials after admitting the interior isn’t as good as it used to be.
The Concept C is still several years away from production. This will lead the way for a new era of Audi models, meaning the next-generation Q7 and Q9 coming later this year will be based on the old versions. Additionally, the entry-level electric car, which is said to revive the unique spirit of the A2, also falls into the old way of designing vehicles.
Pictured here, the concept offers an accurate preview of what’s to come in the production model. Massimo Frascella has revealed that the road-going version will retain around 87 percent of the Concept C’s design. Separately, company officials said the final product will not revive the TT or R8 names. Expect to see it in late 2027 or early 2028.
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Source: Audi
Motorcycle Pickup1: Audi continues to praise the C Concept and what it brings in design and quality to the entire lineup, so they can better deliver on their promises. Meanwhile, the company continues to lag behind BMW and Mercedes, so it seems like the right time to make changes to try to recover the ground it has lost.
Ultimately, electric sports cars won’t have much of an impact on volumes. But, like the TT, it could attract interest and drive more people into the showroom. Think of Concept C as a scrolling ad. We’re very curious to see how the design pioneered by the targa electric vehicle will adapt to other body styles, especially volume-focused SUVs.
