Audi TT could return as Boxster EV twin
Despite being killed off, affordable roadster and coupe could now return based on next-gen Porsche 718 Cayman platformComments from Audi CEO Gernot Döllner have sparked rumours that an Audi TT comeback could be on the cards, with an all-electric sports car heavily based on the inbound next-gen Porsche 718 Cayman.
According to Autocar, when asked about the possibility of a new Audi-badged sports car, Döllner replied: “For sure. That’s part of the brand’s DNA, and we have to find the right way, timing wise, to integrate it into our portfolio.”
Clarifying his comments, the Audi boss then added that he 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.”
Audi is already rumoured to be well on the way to developing a third-generation replacement for its Audi R8 supercar that will be based on the Lamborghini Temerario. When asked what sort of powertrain would be used for a sports car, Döllner said he remained “open-minded” in regards to a hybrid, but that a pure-electric sports car made more sense.
“I would say in the long-term, in the sports car segment, there will be a place for fully electric sports cars,” he said, adding: “Not for the track, but for crossing the Alps and having fun on a country road – there’s nothing to say against an electric car. You have a coffee break, the cars recharge and everything is perfect.”
That last statement opens the door wide for the Audi TT comeback, with some suggesting the next TT will be a reclothed version of the all-new battery-powered Porsche Boxster and Cayman. The Porsche pair are in the final stages of development ahead of their launch in coming months.
If so, the Audi will share the Porsche roadster and coupe’s bespoke EV architecture, which could potentially stack the batteries mid-ship for a lower driving position and driving dynamics that mirror the old mid-engine 718 Boxster.
Despite the teasing, the Audi boss provided neither more details nor a timeline for the all-electric sports car.
Instead, in the interview the Audi CEO said that despite an earlier pledge that it would be an EV-only brand by 2032, that it would reevaluate the combustion engine’s future.
“For all global regions, we are going to take a look at the life of combustion engines,” he said.
“2032 was the date we had communicated, but we have to reassess those dates and deadlines.”
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