Audi TT, one of the most iconic cars of Audi will soon bid goodbye and give way to Audi's new electric car model which according to CEO Bram Schot will be an "emotive and exciting model." The current third generation, released in 2014, will be the last to be produced and will be replaced by a 100% electric car. The name or release date of the new model is still unknown.
Audi made some strong statements at the 130th shareholders meeting in Europe as they announce their plans by 2025 to offer nothing less than 30 different electrified car models, 20 of which will be fully electric. This is line with the transformation that the market has been experiencing in recent years, driven not only by consumer demand but largely by increasingly restrictive emission policies by governments and combustion powered cars getting more expensive.
This move will involve the death of some of Audi's current cars, including the iconic Audi TT. Schot has stated that, with the MEB and PPE platforms in between, the idea is to offer the deepest electric car among the 'premium' brands.
The End of Audi TT
The Audi TT is a sports car that puts the brand back in the spotlight, which has been present in dozens of films and attracted the attention of car lovers across the world. It quickly gains popularity on its first launch, registering 36,836 units sold in Europe alone, This is all because of its retro-inspired styling that was designed to remind the "rounded shapes of pre-war race cars and post-war sedans of Auto Union" as well as being one of the high-speed sports cars at that time.
In recent years the situation has plummeted, and the succeeding generation of Audi TT lost popularity. In 2018, only 9,943 units were sold in Europe, and in the first four months of 2019, only 30 units were sold, which made the brand rethink the strategy for the TT.
Still, Audi is also aware of the TT's fanbase. They have to offer a product as close to the outgoing Audi TT to try to reach their current audience. In that sense, Schot affirms that the electric replacement of the Audi TT will be "exciting and emotive."
Audi A8 And Audi R8 Could Be Axed Next
The end of Audi TT could not be the only one. Iconic models such as the Audi A8 or the Audi R8 was also mentioned and could be the saying goodbye next.
One of the executives in the meeting asked if there's a need to make a combustion next generation for the Audi R* and if that still fits Audi's future vision. Schot did not respond, leaving in the air that the car equipped with an aspirated V10 of 610 HP may cease to exist soon.
Similarly, it was also clarified that the next generation of the Audi A8, the most luxurious car of the firm, could be 100% electric but Audi is still "unsure" on what to do about the model.
Other models of the brand were also included in the announcement wherein Schot made it clear that the new Q3 Sportback arrives in July and, contrary to the retirement of the Audi TT will increase the number of sports under the Q3 Sportback for the entire line of A and Q.
