Audi Shuns Sports Car Cancellation Rumors

Audi’s lineup could certainly use more spice. With no TT or R8 in the portfolio, a dedicated sports car is sorely missing. Ingolstadt doesn’t even sell a coupe or a convertible these days, having waved goodbye to the two-door A5 models some time ago. There is, however, a light at the end of the tunnel, as the Concept C previews a stunning new performance model. But just six months after its debut, rumors suggest it could be canceled.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Porsche may pull the plug on the electric 718 due to high development costs and engineering hurdles. Now, German business newspaper Handelsblatt (subscription required) alleges that if the Boxster and Cayman EVs don’t happen, the Concept C’s future could be thrown into doubt.

We reached out to Audi for comment, and spokesperson Daniel Schuster labeled the report as pure speculation and declined to comment further on the matter. Previously, Audi had told us the Concept C would be based on an electric platform shared within the Volkswagen Group.

It’s reasonable to assume the vehicle will be closely linked to the electric Porsche 718 models. Doing so would not only speed up development but also drive down costs through economies of scale. These cars are inevitably low-volume products given their niche status, so every penny spent during the engineering phase matters.

Handelsblatt claims that if Porsche abandons the Boxster and Cayman EVs, Audi would face a tough decision: either cancel the Concept C as well or buy the platform from Zuffenhausen and continue development on its own. That move would allegedly cost a “nine-figure” sum, which seems hard to justify for a sports car, let alone an electric one.

The production-ready Concept C will indeed be fully electric. Some time ago, Audi spokesperson Daniel Schuster told Engine1 the two-seater would be an EV-only affair, with no plans for a combustion-engine variant. As much as we’d love to see an inline-five or a V6 behind the seats, that’s not in the cards.

We also learned it would be offered exclusively with an electrically retractable targa top, just as shown in the concept last September. As a result, a fixed-roof coupe is not in development. This marks a different approach from Porsche, as spy shots have revealed that both the Boxster and Cayman will receive the EV treatment.

Motor1’s Take: The Concept C is too important for Audi to cancel. While the company can’t realistically expect high sales volumes, this is precisely the kind of car that draws customers into showrooms to buy something else. It could become the next TT or R8, although its chances of success would arguably be higher with combustion engines.

The Concept C is more than just a halo car. It also signals a fresh design direction and a return to form when it comes to high-quality interiors. Axing the project seems unlikely, as doing so would undermine Audi’s efforts to elevate its brand after several lackluster years.

For now, the production version is still expected to arrive by the end of next year. However, if Porsche ultimately cancels the electric Boxster and Cayman, Audi could face new hurdles that might push the Concept C’s launch beyond 2027.