I saw Audi's new concept car in the UK – strap in for a new design era

It's been a time of significant change for Audi. Following head of design, Marc Lichte, departing to elsewhere within Volkswagen Group after a decade as lead, ex-Jaguar-Land-Rover design boss, Massimo Frascella, took the helm in 2024.

It's not taken long to witness some of the fruits of this new team's setup, with the Audi Concept C, first revealed in September, finally brought over to the UK, where I got to see it unveiled in London. While it's technically road capable, this was a strictly static design reveal.

Frascella's imprint is clear to see: it didn't take long for the internet to compare the Concept C to the Jaguar Type 00. I can see some essence of similarities, but more keenly I think the nod to Audi's TT and R8 heritage is more prominent – in an altogether different, new form.

That's key for a brand such as Audi, with a 115-year legacy and significant customer base who buy into the brand's established history; its design language has always reflected a well-known set of forms, not straying too far off piste – unlike its key German competition, with BMW in particular taking a major turn in recent years.

The Concept C is a striking new look for Audi – and it's not as far from reality as you might think. Some outlets have already been taken for a drive in the car – which, despite being a one-of-one concept, isn't just an empty shell like many car show reveals.

Indeed, it's a prime example of what new platform technology will be able to deliver. The Concept C's batteries, for example, sit behind the driver in a stacked, central position – not the floor-positioned design that's typical of most current EVs – for a balanced centre of gravity.

That stack powers the motor to drive the rear wheels here, but future Quattro four-wheel-drive variants are expected when the car comes to fruition in final form – expected sometime in 2027. It'll look different in the details, I'm sure, but precisely how much will change only time (and road-legal tickboxing) will tell.

For now, though, marvel at the Audi Concept C's form in this handful of pictures from the UK reveal. I think it's a bold new look that successfully walks the line between heritage and the future.

With Audi's competitors pulling out all the stops to stand apart in various bold, unique ways, now has to be the time for the brand's own play. It'll certainly turn heads as much as it'll divide opinion.