Audi reveals new 'TT'

<div class="padt10"> <h4 class="header4">Audi reveals new 'TT'</h4> <p class="header4"> <p class="header4"> <p class="header4">This is effectively the all-new Audi TT for late 2006. At least, it is if you ignore the long roofline and mentally substitute either the TT coupe's fastback, or a roadster soft-top. That said, Audi is seriously considering this Shooting Brake as a third bodystyle for the future, because there's a lot more rear-seat headroom and boot space (in fact, a TT roadster is a pure two-seater). As you can see, the front end is more aggressive thanks to Audi's single-frame grille, and the sheet metal has more decorative lines and concave surfaces. Designer Jorge Diez told us it's 'more emotional and has more flavour' than before, but it's also a lot less gemoetrically pure. Inside, there's a strong emphasis on circular dials and aluminium trim as with the current car, and it feels a lot more plush. But again, the design purity has given way to more complexity. <p class="header4"> The new TT should be a lot more fun to drive, because it switches from old-generation to current Golf suspension. Quattro 4WD is retained, and adaptive dampers make their first appearance in a TT. The wheels are 19-inchers, but that size will definitely be just an option on the real car. The show car uses the top engine in the production line-up - the 250bhp V6 and DSG transmission from the Golf R32. Tasty. Gadgets limited to the show car include LED headlamps (Diez told us they look like illuminated pineapples, but that's obviously designer-talk) and a PDA that docks in the dash. It has Bluetooth and handwriting recognition, so you can enter navigation destinations by writing on the tablet. Available at: http://www.topgear.com/content/news/stories/186/ <p class="header4">Autoweek's coverage is available here: http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_tokyo/gallerys/brake%20gallery/pages/01.htm </div> Edited by - mpollard on 10/20/2005 10:44:46 AM Edited by - mpollard on 10/20/2005 10:47:44 AM

At a web site where most of us admire the styling of the Cayman S as the personification of beauty, how can someone post a photo of a car that IMHO is so dramatically ugly? Putting performance options on a box does not a make a car attractive to me. But then again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I just wish I had not seen it on this site. Sort of the way I wish I had not seen some of the obese women one finds on a nude beach. :>) I have lived through an era of boxes with no styling, thinking that designers are finally beginning to hear "It's the styling, stupid", and then stuff like this pop up. God help us.

I actually like the car pictured!......much better than any Z4 out there.......almost looks like an S3. If Audi was sending an RS3 to the states I would be in line for one.

Like I said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I don't mean to offend anyone. After all, many think the scion xB and the Hummer are beautiful. I just think that unless one is very eclectic, I find it hard to believe that most of us on this site would go for a design so divorced from a curvey, sexy Cayman S.

This information is provided as a service to Cayman fanatics so they can be better informed should they encounter an Audi TT fanatic. The Audi TT, like the MB SLK & Z4 Coup, are considered to be in the same market as the Cayman - by Porsche. These competing vehicles have one thing in common; they share a platform with a conventional sedan. As such, we know that they are no match for a Cayman S on a road with curves. The Cayman S is born great, no sedan genes here,and makes few trade-offs for performance, the fact that it is uniquely beautiful is a plus. By its design and engineering, the Cayman S can be included in the exotic car category, especially when one looks at the slalom numbers and lateral Gs that this vehicle will generate. The competition could be considered hot rods, by comparison. The more good coupes available out there the better, it should improve the breed in the long run including the Cayman. What will be interesting to watch, now that Porsche owns 20% of Volkswagen - including Audi, is how Porsche, Audio, Volkswagen will slice the market for their vehicles. As it is now, they already slice it pretty thin. Edited by - mpollard on 10/20/2005 11:04:03 AM

It looks much, much better in these pics than it did in the magazine images published recently. And those alloys are really nice (same as the 19's on the forthcoming Audi RS4). Mind you, I'm not sure where they're going to mount the front numberplate given the size of the grille - guessing they'll put a bar aross the middle rather than go down the offset route a la Alfa/Mitsu EVOs. Shame about the interior, just looks far too ordinary and generic. The current TT interior is truly special. I will certainly get a Haldex 4WD or quattro Audi or VW at some point as my sensible accompaniment to the Cayman. I have a deposit down on a Mk V VW Golf R32 but I'm not sure whether my finances stretch far enough at the moment :-(

Doesn't it seem more Japanese than European in style and character???

I agree with DaveC. This car has a very Japanese sports sedanlook to it. And I don't mind agreeing that this TT one UGLY puppy. The current TT has pleasing lines. I owned one for a while and it was fun to drive, if a bit underpowered. I <u>do</u> remember seeing phots a couple of months ago of an entirely different Audi sports car that looks like a true competitor to the Cayman. As I recall, it was a two-seater withsomething approaching 400 hp. And it had that combination of sweet lines and implied competence that we've come to admire in the Cayman. Did anyone else see that article?

...if you remove the hatch off the rear and put the curvy TT roof back on it (which they will) this new mkII TT will look amazing and will surely perform especially for that sort of money (£20k less than CaymanS). It won't be in the same league as the Porsche whether Boxster(S), Cayman(S) or any other but it will trounce everything in it's path at that price range. Audi are only showing this model to gain reactions and feedback on the actual TT future (2006) design. I like it. Dean

agree with V6TT, its a fantastic hot hatch, & when the coupe comes out for 25k it will knock the rest for six.........this will be our 2nd car

being a fan of audi, i dont see the likeness to this car and the tt. if you said that this car was the new a3 i would agree. i love the new rs4 and considered driving one. but that and this is another website!.

Just me or does anyone else think it looks like a BMW 1 Series on steroids

Exterior looks ugly!

I think it is perhaps where the current A3 should have been, but Audi obviously did not have the bottle at the time