The Audi TT might not be dead after all as bosses weigh up EV comeback

The Audi TT might be in for a spectacular comeback, thanks to the brand’s new chief creative officer and a push from bosses for a sports car in the lineup.

Massimo Frascella is the new man in charge of Audi’s creative design, and he’s a big fan of the original TT. He has an impressive CV, featuring big names such as Kia, Ford and Jaguar Land Rover, but Audi has always held a special significance for him according to CEO Gernot Döllner.

Speaking about the iconic TT, Döllner explained: “I discussed that car so much with Massimo Frascella: it was an inspirational car for his whole career.” The story goes that Frascella even took a day off work in 1998 to visit an Audi dealership when the TT first launched, so he could sit and look at it.

“Now is the time to let Audi out of Massimo Frascella,” said Döllner.

A new sports car seems like the perfect opportunity for the designer to flex his creativity, with European car makers needing to lean on their heritage as a unique selling point against the influx of fresh-faced Chinese EVs. Asked about whether that would mean a comeback for the Audi TT, Döllner replied: “Yes, that's thinkable. But we have a broad view on what's possible.”

While he may sound a little on the fence, Döllner followed up by explaining that “Audi should have a sports car, for sure. That’s part of the brand DNA, and we have to find the right way, timing wise, to integrate it into our portfolio.”

The final third-generation Audi TT rolled off the production line in 2023, leaving the brand without a sports car in the lineup. There is the electric Audi e-tron GT, of course, but costing well into six-figures, it hardly encapsulates the attainable sports car ethos of the TT.

Will the new Audi TT be electric?

A desire for a new, affordable sports car and a chief designer with a penchant for the original Audi TT sounds like a good combination to us. All the while, Porsche is busy developing its new fully-electric Cayman and Boxster sports car duo, which could serve as a resource for Audi to tap into as both brands sit under the Volkswagen Group.

Electric looks to be the way forward for the new TT. Döllner said, “if you’re talking about real racing cars for the track, to me the only way until now is combustion engine or hybrid. But if it’s more for everyday use on normal roads, I would definitely see a transition to the electric era.”

Aside from the hardcore RS versions, the TT was always on the softer side of the sports car spectrum. Everyday comfort was key to its appeal, so an electric powertrain would make sense for a new model judging by Döllner’s comments.

Whether Audi decides to go down the same two-door coupe route as the old TT, or reinvent it as a four door, remains to be seen. Controversy has arisen in recent years with brands reviving old badges attached to very different cars – take the new Ford Capri, for example. It’s a line that Audi will have to tread carefully if it decides to bring back the TT badge, ensuring that it lives up to the affordable sports car nature of the old car while still being profitable in a time of uncertainty for the brand.

Speaking of, Audi’s 2024 financial results will have left some execs biting their nails. Operating profits were down 38% from the previous year, with tough economic conditions and declining sales to blame, plus the closure of the Q8 e-tron factory. An electric sports car is unlikely to rectify that situation, but it could serve as a new design halo to rejuvenate the brand.

Audi is expected to unveil a new concept car at this year’s International Auto Show in Germany. It will be Massimo Frascella’s first clean-sheet design for the brand, and could give us a few more clues about the future of the TT.

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