The third generation of the Audi TT, which started out as a futuristic concept in 1995 and was rushed into production after an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response. Audi’s first TT distanced itself from the wedge-shape angularity of its contemporaries, and its circular-themed and aluminum-trimmed interior broke new ground as well.
The car firmly established Audi at the forefront of automotive design. The second-generation TT, launched in 2006, became bigger and less polarizing.
The 2015 TT will stay close to the original design—closer, in fact, than Audi's design staff had intended. At the personal request of Volkswagen Group CEO Ferdinand Piëch, the new model will continue with the TT’s instantly recognizable rear-end shape.
For more than a decade, the TT has become a cornerstone of Audi's portfolio. It’s an affordable sports car that draws younger buyers to the brand and lends credibility to Audi’s claims to leadership in performance, lightweight technology, and design. The second-gen TT became larger and softer than the original, falling in line with its more touring-minded competition in the BMW Z4 and the Mercedes-Benz SLK-class; Audi expects that the new TT will reassert itself as a proper sports car and the head of that class.
Audi will sell three versions of the TT stateside: The standard model will be powered by a 220-hp, 2.0-liter turbo four; the TTS will be propelled by the same engine but tuned to produce 300 horsepower; and the TT RS will continue to use the walking-dead turbocharged inline five-cylinder making 380 horses. Quattro all-wheel drive will be standard on the TTS and TT RS, and should be the norm on the standard model, too, but it’s possible Audi could offer a base front-drive model. TT and TTS models will be available with a choice of a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, while the TT RS will swap its six-speed manual for a new dual-clutch automatic.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The new Audi TT should hit showroom floors in late 2014 as a 2015 model. Pricing will edge ever closer to the $45,000 mark, up from the current car’s base price of $43,795.
Competition: BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK-class, Porsche Boxster.
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