Paris 2014: Audi introduces TT Roadster and Sportback

Audi expanded the appeal of its design icon, the TT coupe, with two new variants. The TT roadster was expected, inevitable even, given the previous generation TT’s development. The big surprise was the Sportback variant, introduced at the Paris Motor Show in near-production concept form.

 

Audi is merging two of its styling concepts, the TT with its purity of form and the Sportback, which has introduced premium hatchbacks into the range, with the A5 and A7 Sportback. The swoopy lines of the new TT Sportback house five doors. There’s room inside for four passengers.

 

Powering the TT Sportback is a high-output version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine generating 400hp. Power is channeled through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to the quattro all-wheel drive system. It can zip to 100kph in 3.9 seconds.

 

The new Audi grille is flanked by LED headlamps with laser-assisted vision, allowing the driver to see several hundred meters ahead at night. Short overhangs, prominent semi-circular wheel arches, and distinctive fuel filler cap are styling cues carried over from the TT coupe.

 

The instrument panel uses a virtual instrument display, with a 12.3-inch screen in place of conventional instruments. The display changes to present the driver with the most relevant information—performance or navigation, for example.

 

The TT Sportback is based on Volkswagen’s new modular transverse matrix, developed at a significant cost and expected to make the groups products more competitive. The front section and passenger compartment are made from steel, while the structure, outer skin, and doors are made from aluminum.