Geneva Auto Show: Audi Unveils Revamped TT
The third generation of the iconic sports car adds power, sharper lines and a "virtual cockpit" that digitizes most controls.
In a move to revive the fortunes of one of its iconic designs, Audi took the wraps off the 2016 Audi TT Coupe at the International Geneva Auto Show Thursday.
A hit with the public and car cognoscenti for its arresting clean-sheet styling when it was introduced in 1998, the TT lost some of its mojo when it entered its second decade of production little changed, despite a 2008 facelift.
With sales declining, Audi authorized a reboot and the results, at Geneva, show a TT whose original DNA is very much intact but with some aggressive alterations, especially in the cabin.
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The new TT retains the signature sloping roofline from the 1998 original but introduces a more assertive grille and front end emphasizing strong horizontal lines paired with flattened head- and tailights and faceted sheet metal.
The biggest change is the in cabin, which has been redesigned around a" virtual cockpit" concept utilizing a 12.3-inch display that centralizes controls for almost all the car's functions--including audio, navigation, entertainment and climate, as well as the speedometer and tachometer, on a single screen behind the steering wheel. Supplemental digital controls for air conditioning are located above the circular vents, a signature from the original design.
The new TT will be offered in two variations. The base model will comprise a 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine rated at 230 hp; the TTS will feature a more powerful version of the same engine.
Audi said the new TT will to go on sale in 2015.
