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Audi e-tron TT Rendering Blurs the Borders Between Japan and Germany

The TT has always been the oddest model within Audi's lineup, perhaps with the sole exception of the A2—the aluminum-framed small hatchback/minivan that looked as though it was designed wider than it was supposed to be, so they went and shaved its sides with two giant blades afterward.
Audi e-tron TT rendering (NEXT-TT Concept) 6 photos
Photo: Doinnext_Cong via Instagram
Audi e-tron TT rendering (NEXT-TT Concept)Audi e-tron TT rendering (NEXT-TT Concept)Audi e-tron TT rendering (NEXT-TT Concept)Audi e-tron TT rendering (NEXT-TT Concept)Audi e-tron TT rendering (NEXT-TT Concept)
But while the A2 never got a second generation, the TT has been a constant presence within the Audi range ever since its introduction in 1998. Back then, the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer was going through a weird period with its designs, and the tiny coupe wasn't spared. Like its larger siblings, it got the same rounded corners and seamlessly integrated bumpers the other models had, and even though the styling made it look rather cuter than aggressive or sporty, the TT still managed to catch on.

The second and third generations were also pretty representative of Audi's design trends at their respective moments, which is why we're looking at this rendering with a slightly raised eyebrow. Sure, the thought of an Audi e-tron TT isn't too over the top—even though manufacturers are usually in no hurry to make small, sporty EVs since they don't bode well with the big, heavy batteries—but it looking anything like this? Have you seen the e-tron GT?

It's clear Audi is going for a much more in-your-face approach with its performance-oriented EVs, whereas this e-tron TT (or NEXT-TT, as its author calls it) concept looks like friendliness personified. It reminds us of Honda's ASIMO, the humanoid robot that's most famous for falling down the stairs during a presentation. By comparison, the e-tron GT feels more like Boston Dynamics' Atlas, the humanoid robot that can do parkour.

Cong, the artist who came up with the rendering, sees the car as a futuristic reinterpretation of the original model. It makes a lot more sense if you look at it in that key, but it also means the whole effort is reduced to a design study with no aspirations of previewing the German brand's next styling direction.

With the Honda e out, that direction is already taken anyway, so maybe switching the four-rings logo for Honda's "H" and calling it something like Honda S 800e or something would have made a lot more sense. Or, who knows, maybe somebody at Audi has been listening to "The Vapors" way too much and are thinking about "Turning Japanese".

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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