The TT is Dead. Long Live the Electric TT.
Audi killed the TT in November 2023. No tears, no farewell tour, just the quiet execution of a sports car that once defined design boldness.
Now the rumors are swirling. Not about another gas-burning TT—that book is closed—but something with batteries and the same badge.
The Electric Resurrection
Spy photos don’t lie. Audi is testing something TT-shaped with a distinct lack of exhaust pipes.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner calls the TT “an icon” and insists sports cars remain part of Audi’s DNA. Translation: they’re not abandoning the segment, just the combustion engine.
The math checks out. Audi plans to go fully electric by 2033. A new gas TT would barely have time to complete a product cycle.
What we’re looking at is a concept debut at the IAA Munich Motor Show this September, with production vehicles hitting roads after 2027.
Sharing Genes with Porsche
The electric TT won’t be a compromised conversion. It’s getting Volkswagen Group’s purpose-built SSP platform—the same architecture destined for Porsche’s electric Boxster and Cayman.
Think of it as the affordable cousin to Porsche’s upcoming EV sports cars. Same bones, different suit, smaller price tag.
Performance targets make the old TT RS look positively relaxed:
- 0-60 mph: Potentially 3.0 seconds (the gas TT RS needed 3.6 seconds)
- Top speed: Around 180 mph for the hottest variant
- Platform: SSP architecture with 800V electrical system
Some sources claim it might use the MQB platform with hybrid options, but that contradicts Audi’s electric-first strategy and the SSP platform’s technical advantages.
When Icons Go Electric
The TT’s transformation mirrors the broader industry shift. BMW’s Z4 and Porsche’s 718 lineup are both headed toward electrification.
The original TT revolutionized design language. This electric successor needs to do the same for performance feel.
The question isn’t whether Audi can build a fast electric sports car—that’s the easy part. The question is whether it can build one that makes drivers forget they’re missing a manual gearbox and exhaust note.
If Audi can capture the essence of the TT while embracing the instant torque and lower center of gravity that electrification offers, they might just create something worthy of the badge.
But make no mistake—this won’t be your father’s TT. It’ll be faster, quieter, and altogether different. Whether that’s progress or sacrilege depends entirely on your relationship with internal combustion.
