Geneva Motor Show: Audi confirms it will debut all-new TT coupe
Audi has announced it will debut the next-generation TT at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, but with a little imagination, you can see what it looks like now.
Though the German automaker recently released teaser sketches of the actual car ahead of its March 4 unveiling, Audi previously displayed much of the car’s design at January’s Detroit Auto Show.
It was there that the all-road shooting brake concept was displayed. The two-door hatchback thingie has the same front and rear end as the production TT that will debut. Just imagine the TT’s low-slung coupe profile wedged in between.
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This will be the third-generation of Audi’s compact sports coupe, a model that first debuted in 1998 and was redesigned for 2007. Audi is mum on what will power the new model, though it’s likely it will have a similar engine lineup as the current model.
That version starts at around $40,000 and has a 2.0-liter, 211-horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, and Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system. A more powerful TTS iteration tunes this engine for an additional 54 horsepower and adds goodies like an adjustable magnetic suspension system.
Both TT models come in coupe and convertible styles, though the third generation TT convertible will likely debut later.
The new TT will also have what Audi calls a “virtual cockpit,” also previewed on the all-road concept in Detroit. This setup does away with the traditional stack of buttons and screens in the center of the dashboard, leaving only knobs for the climate integrated right into the vents they control.
The rest of the infotainment switchgear and displays are consolidated onto a fully digital and customizable screen in place of the instrument panel behind the steering wheel. A similar design will start finding its way into future Audi products as they roll out. Don’t be surprised to find other automakers adopting similar setups in an effort to clean up the appearance of the cabin and reduce driver distractions.
Audi’s new TT coupe will join its S3 convertible on the stand in Geneva. Other high-dollar brands scheduled to debut new hardware on March 4 are Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz and Bentley.
