At the core is a “highly emotional sports car” that Audi refers to as the “TT Moment 2.0” behind the scenes
Audi isn’t in top form right now. The brand saw global sales drop by 11.8% in 2024 to 1.67 million vehicles, and the first half of 2025 hasn’t offered much relief—deliveries fell another 5.9% to 783,000 units through June. Still, Audi hopes a wave of new models like the Q3, Q5, A5, and A6 will help reverse the trend and attract buyers away from rivals BMW and Mercedes, both of which are currently ahead in the premium sales race.
CEO Gernot Döllner isn’t sugarcoating the situation. In an interview with Bild, he admitted, “I don’t want to beat around the bush—we need to get back on track now.” After a long stretch without major product launches, he believes the worst is behind: “I think we are passing through the lowest point.”
Döllner says Audi is entering a new chapter. A bold concept car set to debut this fall will serve as an “identity builder” for the brand—internally dubbed “TT Moment 2.0.” Inspired by the impact of the original TT in the late ’90s and early 2010s, this all-electric sports car won’t be a revival of the TT or R8, but rather “something in between”—a sleek, emotional concept with a production version expected within two years.
Importantly, Audi isn’t giving up on combustion power just yet. The brand has already pushed back its EV-only goal from 2032 to the mid-2030s.
The concept is scheduled to debut in September at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich, showcasing a new design language, advanced technology, and refined hardware. Döllner hopes it will signal a turning point for Audi.
He’s not the only one acknowledging past missteps. Earlier this year, Oscar da Silva Martins, Head of Product and Technology Communications, told and known automotive media that Audi’s quality had slipped: “We have certainly been better in terms of quality in the past, but we will get there again.”
Bild also quoted a Volkswagen Group board member describing Audi as the group’s “crisis case,” saying its products are currently “okay – average.” While many expected the Grandsphere concept to evolve into the next A8, that appears unlikely. A true flagship replacement remains in question.
Meanwhile, in China, a separate entity under the newly formed AUDI brand—distinct from Audi proper—is launching electric vehicles without the iconic Four Rings. Its first model, the E5 Sportback, features a large “AUDI” script and will be followed by more China-exclusive EVs.
