The Audi TT could live on in the brand's electrified future, according to board member for technical development Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler.
Asked if the two-seater could fall victim to line-up consolidation in an effort to meet WLTP regulations and improve profitability, he stated that the board has been "fighting for it".
Audi plans to introduce 12 electric models before 2030, but it's hopeful that the range will include a viable model in each segment.
"We want it", said Rothenpieler of the Porsche 718 rival, which has been the subject of "emotional discussions" taking place in recent Audi boardroom meetings.
Prospects for the long-running sports car have long been in question, hampered by ongoing issues over profitability in the relatively low-volume segment.
Autocar has previously reported that Audi was understood to be re-evaluating the TT's future, which was confirmed by company CEO Bram Schot at the recent Geneva motor show.
When asked whether the TT will continue, he said: “That’s a very good question. I think there’s a future for an [Audi] icon but I don’t know if it’s a TT. My heart bleeds when you ask that question!"
He added: “I’ve got some things cooking which could replace TT, though not necessarily directly.”
Sources have told Autocar that a future TT could take the shape of a four-door liftback.
Schot flagged the ongoing investment demands of electrification, mobility and technology as reasons for the re-evaluation.
He explained that since taking over as CEO last year, he has reduced complexity in the Audi line-up by 27% through simplifying variants and engine line-ups but said there is more to do.
“Audi has to be really prominent in future, but electrification has to be financed. I cannot afford to be in every country, in every segment,” Schot said.
A facelifted Audi TT will arrive in showrooms next month and is expected to stay on sale until 2022.
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Fashion
The point of cars like the TT is that they're by-and-large a fashion statement. The original TT did so well because it looked like nothing else. The fact that it wasn't great to drive was out-weighed by the ease of owning one and the statement it made. Sadly, Audi's ethos of gradual evolution, which might work for your everyday saloons and hatchbacks, wasn't going to work with the TT. The second one just seemed like a pale imitation of the first, and then the current one is even less of a progression. People don't want to keep making the same statement in this market, they want to move on. Essentially, the TT needed to be reinvented for the second generation to stay ahead, and I bet a lot of the potential market ended up in Evoques, which again made a strong statement first time round (but is also being evolved, I believe to its detriment).
Supply and demand
Car manufacturers will always respond to supply and demand in order to maximise profit. Any models that help by being iconic or innovative will be part of their thoughts but not necessarily produced.
Best thing to do
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