Audi TT successor will be electric and ’emotional’

So Audi’s popular coupe is getting a sequel after all. Unfortunately, the future plans no longer include the iconic five-cylinder. In fact, the next TT will be an “emotional” EV.

Due to all sorts of economic and political reasons, more and more fun cars are losing out. For example, it was announced today that Hyundai is going to pull out the N division. We see a similar process at the basic premium brand of the Volkswagen Group.

After all, in a short time Audi shot down two important sports sedans: the R8 as well as the TT. Despite a shared platform with virtually all of VAG’s midsize models, the latter could not avoid a phase-out. In November 2023, the affordable sports coupe bid farewell after 25 years. There was no word about a successor at the time.

Empty sheet of paper

To Autocar, however, Audi has backtracked on the decision to leave the space left open by the TT. Audi technical development spokesman Daniel Schuster is now hinting at a spiritual successor to the model. That car will, of course, be all-electric to meet the brand’s CO2-neutral ambitions, and should therefore find a place in the new model lineup. Just putting down an ID.3 Coupe is not on the table, Schuster said:

“We take a blank sheet of paper to see what the right icon is. It’s not just about looking at what we have now and saying ‘it would be cool to make it electric.’ It’s really about what would be a great addition to the offering. You have to have a basic portfolio that’s well put together. And then the car has to fit within that portfolio and the Audi brand. This is quite a unique task.”

Silence is the new noise

The last generation of the TT was characterized by the unique sound of the blown five-cylinder. That engine was only available in absolute topper TT RS, but also gave the lesser gods in the range the necessary cachet. Audi Sport chief Rolf Michl acknowledges the five-cylinder’s influence, but does not want to use the sound to give the upcoming EV a leg up. After all, the electric “TT” should start to be emotional by itself. Besides, absolute silence is the new huge noise:

“It will be different, but emotional. We will not use the five-cylinder sound because the TT was a unique concept that fit perfectly in that time. Therefore, we have to find something else for the future. Honestly, we had a few prototypes where we mimicked the five-cylinder sound and it didn’t fit at all. So there has to be an orientation for the customer but it has to be very specific. Silence is the new noise.”

The all-electric, spiritual successor to the TT should start appearing within the next five to 10 years. After all, Audi first needs to build up that existing portfolio of EVs. By 2033, all of the brand’s models must be plugged in. Only then can the new TT take its place.