Category: Design

I don’t care whether your car runs on gas or electricity—it takes a lot to look good parked next to a Porsche 911 Turbo S. Yet here was Audi’s concept car on a stage at IAA Munich, grabbing plenty of attention in its own right. For anyone worried about whether the Audi Concept C was actually good-looking or not, I have great news: it is.

That’s exciting for a couple of reasons. For one, the Concept C definitely previews an upcoming electric sports car, and Audi’s own CEO revealed some exciting new details about it at Europe’s biggest automotive expo.

And it previews the future of Audi’s design language, which has gotten a bit fussy and overcooked yet somehow indistinctive in recent years. This design is meant to take Audi back to its 1990s and 2000s heyday, while drawing inspiration from its classic prewar racecars too.

The Concept C has certainly proven divisive, however. Go to any comment section on a news story (including ours) or YouTube video about this car and you’ll see plenty of criticism to go with any praise—more than a few folks have drawn unfavorable comparisons to the Jaguar Type 00. Given how that brand’s “relaunch” has gone, it may not be company any other car would want to share. 

But maybe our vision plan at InsideEVs is bad, because I’m not seeing it. I really like how this thing looks.

I’ll start with my impressions after seeing the Concept C in person. Interior-wise, it’s very much still a concept, but it wouldn’t take much for the rest of this two-seater to make it to production. I especially love that horizontally vented rear treatment, although I am curious if Audi has the guts to take it to production without a rear window, Polestar-style. 

And in terms of size, it’s technically a bit bigger than the last Audi R8, though it wears those dimensions well; at least visually, it seemed closer to a Nissan Z in its overall packaging. It’s low, wide and sleek, and has a kind of elegance that the R8 traded for brute force. 

No wonder, then, that it’s being hailed as a successor to the Audi TT. But Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said that isn’t the case. At the show, he told Top Gear that it will not bear that name and will instead be positioned in price between the TT and the R8. 

There’s a pretty big gulf between “Volkswagen Golf-based two-seat coupe” and “V10 supercar,” so that doesn’t help narrow it down much. But if it does indeed share a platform with the upcoming all-electric Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman as everyone suspects, I’d guess it’ll start near or around the six-figure range. Döllner also said that this car is “90% there” in terms of the design that’s actually going to production, and that moving forward, Audi won’t show off cars it doesn’t intend to make.

Moreover, Döllner confirmed that the Audi electric sports car will get a “virtual gearbox” a la the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and simulated engine sounds as well. It joins a small but growing field of performance-focused EVs that aim to replicate gas-car sensations without the emissions.

But the CEO told Top Gear the goal is to be additive: “We found that a virtual gearbox and sound really add something to driving an electric car. Even on the racetrack, I’m faster with a car with a virtual gearbox,” he said.

Sure, it’s not for everyone. But two-seat sports cars aren’t supposed to be. And we need more EV representation on that front, especially because I’ll be long dead before the Tesla Roadster finally gets here, if it ever does. I’m excited to see where Audi goes with all of this, from the car itself to how it’ll trickle down to future designs. 

And hey: People are talking about it. That’s half the battle, isn’t it?

Check out the gallery below for more live photos.

Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com

Hyundai’s latest show car fits between the Ioniq 5 and the Inster, setting its sights on the Volkswagen ID.3.

Volkswagen’s next EV act has actual buttons, improved batteries and software, and doesn’t look like a spaceship.

• Reporting from the Chinese outlet Mingjing Pro suggests China may soon ban completely hidden exterior door handles.
• Globally, hidden handles have been criticized as being finicky and possibly unreliable, but also dangerous for first responders.
• If true, Chinese and Western vehicles would have to change designs to be in compliance with the regulation.

The tech-forward Tesla Model S slipped onto the scene in 2012 with dazzling flush-mounted door handles that popped out whenever the car was unlocked. Fast forward more than a decade, and self-retracting, electronic door handles are now ubiquitous—and kind of a calling card for electric vehicles. Perhaps manufacturers wanted to replicate Tesla’s success by emulating the coolest parts of its products. 

For automakers and techno-geek customers, they’re the pinnacle of tech—a quick way for manufacturers to make a kind of ordinary car feel futuristic, while also reducing drag and improving efficiency. For some drivers though, they’re just a pain. It’s not uncommon for people to complain about the reliability and usability of the handles themselves. Recently, they’ve come under heavy criticism by some regulatory boards in different countries, as some deeply question whether they’re necessary at all.

Now, China is considering banning the use of hidden, electric door handles, the Chinese media outlet Mingjing Pro reported this week, citing anonymous auto industry sources. Is that a good thing?

This comes after May’s news that the Chinese government had issued draft rules stating that cars must have a clearly marked mechanical release on the inside, and not just an electronic button. Currently, the ban is still an unconfirmed rumor, but an unnamed automotive company R&D employee told the outlet that Chinese regulators are preparing to ban fully concealed door handles entirely, and that automakers that sell in China need to get on board as soon as possible.

The rumored solution would eliminate fully hidden exterior door handles, but semi-retractable door handles and traditional ones would be fine, so long as they have a physical, mechanical redundant release.

There are plenty of critiques to be had about concealed door handles, and they’ve been cast in a negative light in China recently. Last April in China, an Aito M7 crossover rear-ended a large truck and caught on fire, putting Huawei and Aito into the global spotlight. Some blamed Huawei’s level 2 autonomous driving assistance features for not saving the car from crashing, while others were concerned at how quickly the M7 caught on fire in the crash itself. First responders reported that the M7’s door handles failed to open, making it more difficult to rescue the occupants inside. Unfortunately, three people died in the crash. 

Now, this ban, if true, could substantially change the way cars look. Both Chinese and Western brands would have to work quickly to meet regulations. Cars like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, with its exterior door release buttons, may need to have real door handles for the exterior. The Lexus RZ350e has door handle-shaped grab handles, but they’re actually electronic releases. It too might need to change to conform to this regulation.

I am curious to see how this could affect the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6. Although those handles (optionally, on the Kia) use electronics to keep them flush to the body when the car is locked, they’re actually a mechanical release that isn’t super different from any normal car door. It’s worth noting that it’s common for U.S.-market cars with electronic interior door releases to also have a mechanical backup. 

Should the U.S. be next? Maybe so; safety concerns aside, one of the biggest sticking points for electric cars is reliability. And it’s not necessarily the motor or powertrain that are causing problems, but rather features like super complicated infotainment systems or electronic door handles. Also, critiques of hidden door handles with obscure interior releases aren’t new. In 2019, Dr. Omar Awan died when his Tesla Model S crashed and caught fire. The door handles did not present, and first responders reported that they were unable to extract Awan before the car was engulfed in flames.

I’m all for futuristic car design, but I don’t think it should come at the expense of safety. Maybe getting rid of hidden, self-presenting electronic door handles is what’s best.

Contact the author: Kevin.Williams@insideevs.com

Believed to preview an Audi counterpart to Porsche’s electric 718 Boxster and Cayman, this concept shows that Audi design is back, baby.

The pedals and steering wheel can retract, and the bodywork vibrates to remove sand.

I have to admit that I didn’t think much of the Cadillac Optiq when it first debuted, or even right up until I got some seat time in one. It’s not that General Motors isn’t making good electric vehicles; these days, it very much is, and it has the sales numbers to back this up. 

Instead, it’s just that a “new midsize electric luxury crossover” excites me about as much as the release of yet another superhero movie. Most of them are fine. A few are abysmal. But on the whole, it’s all stuff we’ve seen before. 

But every now and then, something new surprises you. And I’m pleased to say the Optiq did exactly that—starting with its refreshingly original cabin. 

Look at this! It’s blue! Aggressively blue, in fact. And that’s only part of the story: the Optiq’s cabin is filled with a charming assortment of different textures, materials, touchpoints and colored accents. 

My Optiq tester’s interior scheme is called Sky Cool Gray with Santorini Blue accents, a zero-cost upgrade from the base car’s (called Luxury 1) all-black cabin. But that’s not all: upgrade to the nicer Luxury 2 or Sport 2 trims, and you can double down with the Phantom Blue trim’s navy leather seats, dashboard and door accents.

Reader: If you buy an Optiq, resist the temptation to get the tan or all-black leather. Cadillac doesn’t make bad interiors (not anymore, anyway) and so I am sure they’re very nice. But you deserve some spice in your life. Be bold. Be interesting. Get one of the blue interiors. You will be dead someday, like all of us, and the chance to drive something interesting—and kind of weird—should not be passed up during your limited time on earth. 

Let me be clear that I mean “weird” in the nicest possible way here. The EV world needs more weird. Every car company is trying to figure out an electrified, software-driven future so desperately that they don’t take risks in other ways.

The ethos behind most EVs we test is generally “do more screen,” itself a derivative of “be more like Tesla, primarily for cost-cutting reasons.” There are certainly reasons why this happens. They aren’t always good for the consumer, however, nor do they end up being all that memorable. It’s also hard to define a brand by being exactly like the other brands.

The Optiq itself is certainly screen-forward. It has a 33-inch LED display with something called 9K resolution. The software suite will be familiar to anyone who’s driven another GM EV. But the neon blue accents? Now we’re talking. 

The dashboard trim, storage area below the center console, door cards and other bits really serve to spice up this cabin. The interesting touches go beyond the cabin; one pervasive material is the “patterned accent fabric” that’s woven from 100% recycled polyester yarn, and it’s splayed across the doors and dash too. 

And then there’s that center console. That chrome-adorned rotary-dial control knob looks almost like some interior bit from your grandfather’s Cadillac, back in the tailfin era. I don’t know how else to describe it, but it has this old-school vibe that pairs well with a modern electric car.

The whole Santorini Blue package is just fun. It reminds me of the avant-garde stuff that the French automakers used to put out, before the demands of modern technology and corporate ownership made them a lot more boring. It’s also deep in Cadillac’s DNA, as the company’s glory-days cars offered wild blue and red interiors, among other combinations. The Optiq’s blue interiors—both of them, really—seem like GM let its interior designers enjoy their jobs, and that energy is apparent throughout.

It’s certainly a nice antidote to screen-focused EV minimalism. I’ve had about all of that I can take for a bit. It’s time to bring some maximalism to this field for a change. 

We need more stuff like this. More carbon fiber and recycled materials like the BMW i3. More wacky stuff like the Genesis GV60’s Crystal Sphere. Hell, half the cars we saw in China this year were purple. Life doesn’t have to be just an endless sea of gray.

Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com

A smaller, more affordable Hyundai EV will be revealed soon for Europe. Does it have a shot anywhere else in the world?

• Mercedes-Benz is ditching the blacked-out grilles in favor of an illuminated extravaganza.
• The first new car to get the shiny new grille will be the electric GLC crossover.
• Future models will also get the redesigned grille that evokes the brand’s history.

It’s no secret that Mercedes-Benz’s egg-shaped electric cars haven’t really caught on. Despite the cars being quite good, sales have been anything but stellar, so the German automaker is starting from a clean slate with its new generation of EVs.

This includes the iconic Mercedes-Benz grille, which is also getting a makeover. Gone are the blacked-out grilles of old, and in their place we’ll see a brighter, digital reinterpretation of the classic shapes found on the classic 600 Pullman and S-Class models of old.

The first new Mercedes-Benz to get the glitzy new grille is the upcoming GLC with EQ Technology–that’s the electric version. The base version of the redesigned grille comes with a wide chromed frame, a smoked-glass-effect lattice structure and contour lighting. 

More lighting will be available for more money, though. As an option, customers will be able to order an illuminated version with a total of 942 backlit dots that can also be animated. To top it all off, the central star and its surrounding contour will also be illuminated.

For now, Mercedes-Benz has only published a photo with the fancy version of the grille, so we’ll have to wait a little longer to see what the base version looks like. In any case, the German automaker is adamant that this redesign is exactly what the doctor ordered: the car’s design language is called “Sensual Purity”, while the grille is described as “a face for the future” and “a new era of iconic design.”

“Our new iconic grille is not just a new front for the GLC; it redefines the face of our brand,” said Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer at Mercedes‑Benz Group AG. “It is the perfect fusion of lasting design codes reinterpreted for the future, making our cars instantly recognizable.”

Besides the GLC, other models will also get a version of the new grille, including combustion cars. We’ll see the new GLC in all its glory when it debuts at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, Germany, on September 7, 2025.

• The Bentley EXP 15 Concept is “a design vision for the future, transforming inspiration from heritage.”
• It has three doors, three seats and an elevated ride height—almost like an SUV.
• The unusual design will preview a production model due out in 2026.

Plenty of folks aren’t happy about the bold reboot happening at Jaguar, which involves dumping the entire lineup for an avant-garde electric coupe with a six-figure price tag and high-fashion vibes. 

Well, wait until they see what Bentley has been up to.

The storied British luxury brand, which has been owned by the Volkswagen Group since 1998, is also getting a bold new chapter that will be underpinned by a controversial design. Meet the Bentley EXP 15 Concept, which “provides hints to the design” of a future all-electric sedan due to be revealed in 2026.

This concept makes Jaguar’s EV coupe look conservative. It’s a tall setup with an almost SUV-like stance, featuring three doors, three seats and a flat, angular grille. Out back, the roof slopes into a steep coupe-like shape. The rear looks more like a Polestar than anything that’s come from the British luxury brand thus far, although I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way. 

All in all, it’s something different—at least, at first glance. Bentley would beg to differ, saying the EXP 15 Concept draws on some of its more famous historical models. 

“Accordingly, the five-meter-plus (16-foot) full-size physical exterior model has an iconic upright grille, long ‘endless’ bonnet and rearward cabin reminiscent of the 1930 Bentley Speed Six Gurney Nutting Sportsman coupe, often known as the ‘Blue Train,'” Bentley said in a news release. And it’s pictured next to a vintage Speed Six for effect.

Where it really differs from that car is in its powertrain. Bentley has confirmed that the future production Grand Tourer based on this concept will be completely electric. Details about its battery size and projected range have not been revealed yet, but Bentley says it’s built to go the distance.

“To that end, EXP 15 is conceived as having a fully-electric, all-wheel-drive powertrain with a long range and recharging speeds commensurate with the convenience customers have come to expect of a Bentley,” the automaker said. “But as a design concept, no further details are being given of its technical specification nor possible platform.” 

How mysterious. But if the future of Bentley is in this tall, three-door, three-seat grand touring EV, it’s certainly going to turn heads.

 Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com