With its new all-electric two-seater sports car, Audi is aiming for a tipping point in EV adoption by 2030 by fusing bold heritage with minimalist design.

As the manufacturer navigates a market shattered by tariffs and dreary worldwide electric-vehicle (EV) sales, Audi AG's new concept car made its debut in Milan earlier this month. With its sleek, futuristic form that resembles metal melting into a single block of titanium, the Audi Concept C is a two-seat, all-electric sports vehicle with a hard-top cover that retracts into a targa-style shape.

This is our route. According to Gernot Döllner, CEO of Audi, "this vehicle will carry us to the next century." He also stated that he anticipates that by 2030, the company will reach a tipping point between its full battery EVs and its worldwide sales of combustion engines and hybrids.

The car's minimalist design and lack of extras are a jab at what officials referred to as certain outdated, overly complex Audis.

It features a low, flat hood and a black grille that is vertical, with jagged air ducts on either side that resemble daggers. Its monolithic shape is completed with blade-like 21-inch wheels, a closed rear end with blocky, broad shoulders, and three horizontal slats that flow down from the roof. It is similar to the Audi R8 and TT but longer and broader than previous iterations, measuring around 177 inches in length and 77 inches in width.

However, Audi officials were eager to identify some of the brand's ancestors. Massimo Frascella, the former head of design at Jaguar Land Rover Automotive plc, oversaw the design team, which was heavily influenced by the little TT.

According to Frascella, who joined Audi in 2024, "the TT was more than just a car to him; it was a message: You don't need to shout to be heard." Excess is not necessary to create a message.

The inside is delightfully tactile thanks to a few anodized aluminum buttons and naturally woven flooring and seat coverings. The exterior's tone served as the inspiration for the monochromatic grey color scheme. Invisible audio speakers are concealed beneath the door paneling's fabric, and a 10.4-inch central touch screen on the minimalist dashboard can be folded out of view when not in use.