In the 90's, Audi presented a remarkable concept car.
It even went into production as the TT in 1998.
It was a new, round coupé, unlike anything else in the business.
The 2nd generation was a bit larger and manlier, but mostly the same.
Now, the 3rd generation has made an even smaller step forward.
If you see it passing by, you'd think it's a facelifted model.
A shame, because Audi says a lot has changed underneath.
Most changes are inside. Though the rear seats and boot are still small.
The dashboard is quite a bit different. The satnav is in front of you.
It includes all kinds of information. All on this 12.3 inch screen.
It's all digital. A bit of a risk, as it needs to work as fast as it should.
Now Audi works with NVIDIA, which makes GPU's and supplied one for this.
The rev-counter is rendered in 60 frames per second. Quite quick.
Initially, you keep moving your head. But after 15 minutes, you're used to it.
But your co-driver will have a hard time changing radio channels.
It's new, a bit of a gimmick, but it works. Nice to see something new.
The chassis is all-new, though based on the MQB platform from VAG.
The dimensions are mostly the same, the wheelbase has increased.
So the car feels more relaxed and controlled compared to the 2nd one.
Our car has large wheels and non-adaptive sport suspension, so it's quite stiff.
Comfort isn't always that great on these rough Spanish roads.
But the twisting bits make driving this new TT a lot of fun.
The front is more agile, the rear feels lighter. Corners are easier to take.
The car is more willing to play with you than its predecessor.
It makes it more dynamic. The 'progressive' steering doesn't work natural though.
You may think you're steering into a corner properly, but then it changes.
That is a downer, but overall this car is more dynamic than before.
Engine-wise, the options start up high with 184 PS in this 2.0 TDI.
It has 380 Nm, which is a lot. It pulls well between 2000 and 4000 rpm.
It's not a proper sports car, though this diesel's performance is fine.
0-100 kph takes 7.1 seconds and it's quite quick overall.
The drivetrain is nice, not that noisy and the gearbox works smoothly.
Not all that exciting and the S-line sports suspension is a bit of a mismatch.
In practice, it works well though. Or pick one of two petrol engines.
A 230 PS 2.0 TFSI, like the Golf GTI Performance Pack.
And the TTS, offering a 310 PS 2.0 TFSI, which will follow later on.
All in all, it's a capable and sporty coupe, but for a price, too.
It starts at 46000 euros in the Netherlands, which is a lot.
Standard equipment includes 17 inch alloys, Xenon and that nice display.
But there are a lot of options, too. Not to mention the quicker one: the TTS.
Stay tuned at AutoWeek to learn more!
+ Advanced interior, nice diesel
- S-line is quite firm, conservative looks