Front 3/4 view of the Audi Concept CLast year, reports started to emerge that development of Porsche's next-generation electric 718 Boxster and Cayman wasn't going so well. Earlier this month, it started to sound like Porsche may scrap the EV program entirely. Yet it seems that Audi's version of the electric two-door sports car, the targa-roofed Concept C, will hit the market even if Porsche's version is canceled. This comes from a story in German outlet Donaukurier, which reported that Audi CEO Gernot Döllner sent an internal memo guaranteeing the car's release. The C-Sport, as Audi internally calls the upcoming car, will hit the market whether or not it has a Porsche platform-mate to split costs with. If Audi gets to reap the benefits of all Porsche's development spending, without actually having to compete in the market against an electric Boxster and Cayman, it could be an easy win for the company. Perhaps even the car Audi needs right nowRear 3/4 view of the Audi Concept CIn fact, an unopposed Concept C could be a boon to Audi's entire brand. The nameplate has felt adrift over the past few years, without a firm differentiator to make it stand out from the rest of the Volkswagen pack — sure, there's Audi's motto of "progress through technology," but the brand hasn't really had any tech to itself that its sister brands don't get to share. An all-electric performance car as a halo could be a move towards cementing Audi as the true tech marque within the Volkswagen Group. Not the tech of interior lighting or custom wallpapers for your center screen, but electric performance. Of course, it remains to be seen whether Döllner's words will ring true. Audi isn't planning to ship the Concept C in production form until next year, and that's all the time in the world for things to change — new tariffs, a pop in the AI bubble, anything could derail Audi's electric performance dreams. But, if there's already one running and driving car in the world, maybe Audi's closer to producing the Concept C than we might imagine. I, for one, hope to see it on the roads someday. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox, and add us as a preferred search source on Google.
