Right from the day it made its debut, in 1998, the Audi TT took the sports coupé segment by storm. And it sharpened the brand's profile in the process. Now the second generation of this successful model is making its debut in Australia. The new TT Coupé embodies sheer dynamism – in its design, in its engine output and in its performance.

The exterior design

The first generation of the TT has become a milestone in automotive design, an icon. The design adhered to pure geometric lines, embodying a functional purity and austerity harking back to the Bauhaus style of the 1920s. The core motifs were the circle and the curves of the roof line, front and rear end. This timeless architecture guaranteed that the Audi TT was an eminently recognisable presence out on the roads and simultaneously gave the development of the entire brand decisive momentum.

Audi has retained and stylishly enhanced this genetic code. On the new TT the geometric shapes merge fluidly into a uniform whole. A low, narrow greenhouse is supported by slim pillars sitting on broad, powerful shoulders. The base body beneath is compact in looks, conveying a feeling of confidence and strength. The convex and concave curves of its surfaces lend it the character of an athletic sculpture straining forward.

The front end has gained greater expressiveness and resolve. The single-frame radiator grille serves as its defining element. The large air inlets hint at the potential of the engines and the sharply cut, sloping headlights emphasise the mature appearance of the car. The rear end, characteristic of the TT, conveys power and dynamism through its wide wheel arches. The lights generate a three-dimensional effect thanks to their visual depth. The powerful exhaust tailpipes, the wide diffuser and the centred rear fog light echo the world of motor sport.

When the new Audi TT is stationary, its electrically operated rear spoiler is visible only as an unobtrusive lip. When the car reaches a speed of 120 km/h, the spoiler is extended in a two-dimensional curve motion, thereby improving the downforce on the rear axle. When the car's speed drops below 80 km/h again, the spoiler automatically retracts. The underbody design also helps to reduce lift.

The interior

The original TT was itself one of the few coupés on the market to offer genuine sports car design in its interior. In the new model, too, the fluid dynamism of the exterior is echoed in the interior.

A sweeping line provides a transition between the interior trim of the door and the instrument panel. It embodies the classic circles motif of the TT in a number of ways, such as in the three centre air vents. All lines converge in the instrument cluster, with its two large scales for speed and revs. New features include a large digital speedometer in the display of the driver information system.

The new standard-spec sports steering wheel fits snugly in the hands. Its solid rim, trimmed in high-grade Nappa leather, is flattened at the bottom, similarly to the Audi RS 4 and the Le Mans quattro sports car study. The driver's and front passenger's sports seats are fitted even lower down than in the predecessor model, providing a truly sporty seating position allied to firm side restraint. Like the steering column, they can of course be adjusted longitudinally and in height, offering a perfect sporty seated position for every driver.

The body

The new Audi TT, like its predecessor, is initially available as a 2 + 2-seater coupé; a roadster model is scheduled for introduction next year. The dynamic impression that the coupe provides stems from its modified proportions. The TT coupé is 137 mm longer and 78 mm wider than its predecessor, but only 6 mm higher. It is now 4,178 mm long, 1,842 mm wide and 1,352 mm high. The wheelbase is 2,468 mm.

The interior, too, has benefited from this increase in size: it has grown by 75 mm in length to 1,577 mm, by 29 mm in front shoulder width to 1,352 mm and by 23 mm in rear shoulder width to 1,206 mm. In the basic configuration, the luggage compartment beneath the large lid accommodates 290 litres of luggage.

It grows to 700 litres when the rear seat backs are folded down and its length of 1.70 metres is ample for two golf bags. With these practical characteristics, the TT Coupé sets standards in its class.

The body of the new TT is constructed in lightweight ASF design. The three letters stand for Audi Space Frame – the ground-breaking aluminium technology developed by the company in the early 1990s for the first A8 series. The ASF combines aluminium and steel for the first time. Aluminium accounts for 69 percent of the weight of the body. Fully galvanised steel components are located principally at the rear of the floor panel. The doors and luggage compartment lid are also made of steel. This ensures that the axle loads are distributed evenly, thus considerably improving the handling of the vehicle.

The bodyshell of the TT weighs 206 kg, 140 kg of which is aluminium and 66 kg steel; were it built entirely of steel, it would be 48 percent heavier. Its low weight is one of the key factors behind the impressive road behaviour of the new TT Coupé. The unladen weight of the TT 2.0 TFSI is just 1,260 kilogrammes – placing it at the forefront of this performance class. And the 3.2 quattro weighs only 1,410 kg.

The new-style ASF on the Audi TT features properties that are truly worthy of a genuine sports car. Its static torsional rigidity has been improved by around 50 percent over its predecessor. In terms of crash safety, too, the new TT is utterly uncompromising.

The drivetrain

The new Audi TT is powered by two transversely installed petrol engines – a four-cylinder turbo and a V6. Both units provide it with high levels of power and performance. Their performance enables the TT Coupé to perform impressively on the road.

The S tronic dual-clutch gearbox and quattro drive for the V6 – both of them exclusive technologies in the sports coupé segment – transmits the engine's power into propulsion with magnificent effect.

The four-cylinder turbo engine, with the abbreviation TFSI, develops its power from a swept volume of 1,984 cm3. An international jury of experts voted it "Engine of the Year" for two years in succession, in 2005 and 2006 – praise indeed for its innovative technological package. The TFSI combines the Audi-developed petrol direct injection technology FSI, which has impressively demonstrated its superiority in the R8 racing car, with a turbocharger – a perfect combination.

The four-valve engine responds spontaneously to the throttle and is ultra-refined. It puts 280 Nm of torque onto the crankshaft even at engine speeds as low as 1,800 rpm and is able to keep this high level of torque constant up to 5,000 rpm. The nominal power output of 147 kW is delivered between 5,100 and 6,000 rpm. The 2.0 TFSI accelerates the Audi TT Coupé to 100 km/h in just 6.4 seconds (in the version featuring the S tronic dual-clutch gearbox) and on to a top speed of 240 km/h. It uses an average of just 7.7 litres of fuel per 100 km.

Even more power is on tap from the V6 engine, with its 3,189 cm3 capacity. It develops a maximum torque of 320 Nm between 2,500 and 3,000 revs and at 6,300 revs delivers a power output of 184 kW. The characteristic features of the long-stroke unit are the continuous adjustment of all four camshafts – by 52 degrees on the intake side and 42 degrees on the exhaust side – and the extremely narrow cylinder angle of just 15 degrees.

On the road, the 3.2-litre V6 unit reveals itself to be high-torque and high-revving. It produces a fascinatingly sonorous response at every engine speed, emphasising above all the intake sound. The TT 3.2 quattro sprints from a standing start to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds (with S tronic). Its top speed is 250 km/h (governed) and its average fuel consumption 9.4 litres per 100 km.

The standard-spec transmission (for 2.0 TFSI) is a six-speed manual gearbox in a weight-saving magnesium casing. A technical highlight, and a unique feature in its class for the TT, is the optional S tronic dual-clutch gearbox. The system's dual-clutch technology enables it to change gear in just 0.2 seconds, producing no discernible interruption to the power flow. In manual mode, the driver does the gear-changing, either by tapping the selector lever or by pulling one of the shift paddles mounted behind the steering wheel, like on a racing car.

The four-cylinder TT is a front-wheel-drive model, while the V6 features permanent four-wheel drive. Its quattro drive system operates with an electronically controlled and hydraulically actuated multi-plate clutch. In order to improve the distribution of axle loads, the clutch is placed at the rear of the TT. The mechanical construction and control efficiency of the unit have been further enhanced relative to the predecessor model. In normal conditions, the clutch directs 85 percent of the torque to the front wheels, but in extreme circumstances it is able to transmit as much as 100 percent of the forces to one of the two axles.

The chassis

The sports suspension on the new TT Coupé also helps to deliver top-class dynamics. This is thanks in part to its elaborate layout, as well as its 9 mm lower centre of gravity. The Audi dynamic suspension layout has been redeveloped and retuned. The emphasis here has been placed on the wider track, the larger wheel cross-sections with diameters ranging from 16 to 19 inches and the extensive elastokinematic measures.

The front suspension is pivoted on an aluminium subframe. It has a wide track of 1,572 millimetres. The steering comprises a rack-and-pinion assembly that supplies its electromechanical servo assistance as a function of road speed. The steering is characterised by direct transmission and a high degree of precision.

A new feature compared with the torsion-beam design of the predecessor is the four-link rear suspension with a track of 1,558 mm. In this instance, the coil springs and shock absorbers are separate. The trailing links absorb the propulsive and braking forces. As an aid to ride comfort, their configuration is relatively soft.

The three wishbones per wheel, on the other hand, are connected rigidly in order to introduce the transverse forces into the body precisely.

The TT 2.0 TFSI features 17-inch alloy wheels, fitted with 245/45 R 17 tyres as standard. The 3.2 quattro features 18-inch alloy wheels, fitted with 255/35 R 18 tyres. All Audi TT models are fitted with newly developed disc brakes on every wheel.

The new brake pads develop particularly high friction coefficients, thereby improving brake responsiveness and performance. The newly developed ESP electronic stabilisation programme is designed to maintain a dynamic driving style – it promotes the TT's self-steering behaviour, which is in the range of neutral to slightly understeering. This sporty characteristic delivers thrilling agility, maximum driving fun and magnificent handling.

The high-tech damping system Audi magnetic ride is available as an option – an innovative technology that resolves the age-old conflict between comfort and driving dynamics. The shock absorber pistons on the TT do not contain conventional oil, but a magneto-rheological fluid in which microscopically small magnetic particles are enclosed. When a voltage is applied to them, they alter the damping characteristics within milliseconds.

This adaptive system simultaneously maintains astonishingly high levels of ride comfort and thoroughly sporty dynamism with perfect roll stabilisation, according to the specific driving scenario and the preferences of the driver. The driver can choose between the basic programmes "Normal" and "Sport" at a switch. None of the TT's competitors offers a similarly advanced technological concept.

Three variants are available at launch in Australia including;