- Audi CEO says C-Sport EV remains secure amid rumors.
- Coupe shares core tech with Porsche’s EV sports cars.
- Concept C also previews Audi’s new design language.
Audi’s upcoming all-electric sports car isn’t dead, despite the noise surrounding it. That’s the message CEO Gernot Döllner wants employees, and the wider automotive world, to hear. It couldn’t come at a better time either as rumors suggested that Porsche’s plans for the 718 EV could’ve derailed Audi in a huge way.
More: Porsche Just Admitted It Blew It With The Macan
It’s no secret that Porsche is reconsidering its lineup. After the brand acknowledged that ditching the gas-powered Macan was a mistake, rumor had it that the electrified 718 could end up on the chopping block before it ever made it to production. For Audi, that could’ve spelled a serious and very expensive problem, as it’s leveraging the same platform for whatever the Concept C will become.
Speculation intensified after Michael Leiters replaced Oliver Blume as Porsche CEO on 1 January 2026, with Bloomberg reporting that the electric 718 twins were under review as part of broader cost-cutting efforts. Another report also noted that the VW Group is exploring ways to reduce expenses by roughly 20 percent across all brands.
Internal Reassurance From Audi Leadership
According to a report from German outlet Donaukurier, Döllner sent an internal letter to staff reassuring them that the EV coupe remains secure. The model, expected to arrive in 2027, has been positioned as Audi’s spiritual successor to the TT and is one of the brand’s most important upcoming halo vehicles.
Referred to internally as the C-Sport, the production version is set to share major components with Porsche’s electric 718, including its underpinnings and drivetrain technology.
Döllner stressed that Porsche’s platform delivery “is not in question,” adding that cooperation between the two brands remains strong. If true, and we have no reason to believe that it isn’t, it would surely provide a lot of comfort to workers at the brand. The C Concept is more than just another EV sports car. It represents a new design direction for Audi and is going to serve as the new flagship.
A Sports Car Layout With Rear Battery Placement
It is also based on a heavily modified version of the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, with its battery repositioned behind the driver rather than under the floor to enable a lower seating position and a more traditional sports car layout.
While executives haven’t confirmed whether the TT name will return, the car is clearly aimed at filling the void left by Audi’s iconic coupe, offering a more emotional and design-driven car at a time when much of the lineup is shifting toward SUVs and high-volume EVs.
A Design Statement For The Brand
The project carries added weight internally as the first Audi developed under design chief Massimo Frascella, previewing a new design lineage that includes a revised front grille set to influence future models.
That said, rumors around Porsche and its electric 718 will likely continue. Of course, its new CEO could also speak out in favor of the program. At least Audi fans can take solace in knowing a production version of the C Concept is still in the works for a debut next year.
