Audi’s Concept C broke cover in September last year with all the makings of a potential TT rival, previewing the brand’s new design language on a two-door sports car – a formula we’ve seen before.
The carmaker is yet to officially confirm whether it would enter production, though from the get-go it was suggested that if this did occur, its underpinnings would be shared with those under Porsche’s upcoming electric 718 (Cayman and Boxster) twins.
That plan appeared to hit something of a stumbling block, with Bloomberg earlier this month citing insider sources who said new Porsche CEO Leiters was considering scrapping the 718 Cayman and Boxster EVs, due to continued delays and rising costs.
This put the future of the Audi Concept C’s production iteration into doubt, however a new report from Germany suggests it’s on the way – even if Porsche doesn’t follow suit.
Donaukurier reports an internal memo has been sent from Audi CEO Gernot Döllner to the four-ringed brand’s employees, saying the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) which is still set to underpin the 718 EVs will remain available to Audi.
“The delivery of the platform by Porsche is not in question,” Döllner wrote, according to additional reporting by Autocar.
The executive reportedly added the two brands are “proceeding in good collaboration between Team Porsche and Team Audi”.
While the Concept C production car is meant to be based on the PPE architecture, previous iterations of the TT were twinned with the Volkswagen Golf and its derivatives.
The Golf too is set to go electric in the coming years but on a different platform aimed at mass market models, rather than the performance-focused PPE.
Previous reports suggested the PPE’s weakness for the 718 EVs would be the underfloor location of its battery pack, however Autocar reports the Concept C prototype had its battery moved to sit behind the driver, allowing the front seats to be placed lower down.
As the Porsche 718 EVs are also reportedly being prepared to become plug-in hybrids, it’s possible this technology could later find its way into the Concept C, though Audi has been firm on its EV future in recent times.
“I know of no better technology than the electric car for making progress in reducing CO2 emissions in transport in the coming years,” Döllner told German business publication WirtschaftsWoche in September.
“But even apart from climate protection, the electric car is simply the better technology.”
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