On the Dash:
- The Concept C, a two-seat, all-electric sports car, debuts with a minimalist Bauhaus-inspired design and will enter production in 2027, targeting exclusive but attainable pricing.
- CEO Gernot Döllner said the brand expects to hit a tipping point between combustion, hybrid, and EV sales by 2030, part of a broader push toward simplification and reduced product complexity.
- The launch comes as Audi navigates Trump-era tariffs, a revamped product lineup, and global EV headwinds, with more than 20 new models introduced since 2024 and an entry-level EV planned by 2026.
Audi unveiled its Concept C electric sports car Tuesday night in Milan, introducing a minimalist design and signaling a major brand shift as the automaker faces global tariffs and softening electric vehicle demand.
The two-seat, all-electric coupe features a retractable targa-style roof and a streamlined Bauhaus-inspired body, part of Audi’s effort to simplify its lineup and reinforce its identity. Production is scheduled to begin in 2027, with global sales targeted in the low five-digit range.
The Concept C arrives as Volkswagen AG-owned Audi undergoes a wide-ranging restructuring. The company is closing a plant in Brussels, launching a new brand in China, and weighing a U.S. factory to offset the cost of President Trump’s tariffs. By the end of 2025, Audi expects to have introduced more than 20 new models, including a Q3 Sportback e-hybrid and an entry-level EV by 2026.
Design cues from past models such as the TT and R8, along with influences from Auto Union’s 1930s racers, anchor the Concept C in Audi’s history while steering the brand toward a leaner aesthetic. The interior features natural woven textiles, anodized aluminum accents, and a retractable 10.4-inch touchscreen, all set in a monochrome gray palette.
The new model reflects Audi’s strategy to reduce complexity across its portfolio. CEO Gernot Döllner said the brand will scale back steering wheel options from more than 100 to about five, underscoring its effort to simplify offerings while retaining character. Döllner added he expects Audi to reach a tipping point between combustion, hybrid, and battery-electric sales by 2030.
Pricing for the Concept C will sit between the discontinued TT, which last sold for about $50,000, and the R8, which was priced around $170,000 before its 2020 discontinuation.
Audi’s Concept C is intended not just as a new model, but as a marker of transition. With its pared-down design, exclusive positioning, and ties to brand heritage, it represents the company’s attempt to balance tradition with a developing global EV market.
