Iconic Audi Sports Car Could Make Triumphant Return

Audi’s boss knows the company needs a sports car. An almost-halo to help drive customers to its more practical offerings. Now that both the TT and R8 are dead, it doesn’t have one.

2023 Audi TT Coupe

Base Trim Engine

2.0L Turbo Inline-4 Gas

Base Trim Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Transmission

7-Speed Automatic

Base Trim Horsepower

228 hp

Base Trim Torque

258 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm

Which means it needs a new one. While the CEO wouldn’t go into even hints about expanding the Audi product line, he did say that the original Audi TT was very important to the company. And that the new head of design at Audi is also a big fan of the inverted bathtub coupe.
CEO Calls Sports Cars Part Of Brand DNA

The company’s 2024 earnings presentation wasn’t exactly an exciting one. Sales are down and the company is starting a restructuring that includes 7,500 job cuts. But Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said that a sports car is « part of the brand’s DNA, and we have to find the right way, timing-wise, to integrate it into our portfolio, » Autocar reports.

This Is The New Crossover Audi Desperately Needs To Be Successful

The upcoming Q3 Sportback is looking good. It needs to BE good.

According to the report, Döllner has a « broad view on where Audi should be and where Audi is heading – and thinking in that direction, sports cars are an integral part of such a set-up. » He discussed the importance of the original Quattro for the brand, but it was the TT that captured the interest of the discussion.

« I’ve discussed that car so much with Massimo . That was an inspirational car for his whole career. When he was a young designer at Giugiaro, he took a day off when the TT was launched in Italy, went to the Audi dealer in Milan and sat in the showroom for a day just looking at the car. »

Inspired By Doesn’t Mean A Direct Copy

Döllner clarified that a new model wouldn’t mean a retro version of an old one. « You can’t copy your past, » he said. Adding « these copies of successful cars of the past are definitely the wrong way. » Interestingly, Lamborghini feels the same way.
This year marks the first time that Audi hasn’t had a two-door sports car since 1980. But it can’t be the priority when Audi is seeing falling sales and electrification issues. It first has to launch its next-generation of vehicles with new versions of many of its most important vehicles arriving this year.

1:18

Video: Audi’s Big Luxury SUV Wants To Fight M And AMG

The Audi SQ9 is ready to mix space with speed.

« The transition takes all our energy right now, and that definitely starts in the core segments, » he said. « That’s where we have to make Audi robust as the first step. »
Its corporate rival Porsche’s struggle with electrification could be the ideal partner for Audi. Imagine a new TT based on the electric architecture set to underpin the next 718 Boxster and Cayman. A sports car with an exterior design and maybe even a cabin based on the ideas of the original TT. The automotive world needs more baseball glove stitching in saddle leather seats.

Source: Autocar