Looks nice on track

TouriClips recently spotted two brand new Audi TT's from 2015 model year on the Nürburgring race track.

One of them is a black TTS Coupé with a 310 HP (228 kW) 2.0-liter TFSI engine, while the other one is an undefined gray example from the TT lineup.
TouriClips says the video was made on Tuesday, the 13th of May, when it was very rainy on the track, so “the TT put down some nice 4WD powerslides”.

Looking tastefully restrained

A WCF reader has sent us his vision of the Audi TT RS likely to be introduced sometime next year.

The third generation TT just came out so it's too early in the game for Audi to talk about the range-topping RS version. However, one Audi fan decided to envision the TT wearing the body of the hotter derivative that will probably be introduced next year. Like you would expect from an Audi, the TT RS render here shows a tastefully restrained silhouette with a slightly more aggressive body which includes a front lip spoiler, lowered suspension, beefy black alloy wheels and muscular side skirts. The artists went for a black honeycomb pattern of the front grille as opposed to the TTS which has chromed horizontal lines.

Chances are the 2015 Audi TT RS will continue to be powered by the firm's reputable 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine and its output is expected to increase compared to the previous generation which offered 340 PS (250 kW) in the TT RS and 360 PS (265 kW) in the TT RS Plus. Most likely it will be somewhere in the region of 408 PS (300 kW) as suggested by Audi Australia product planner Matthew Dale when talking about the upcoming RS3.

The RS3 is expected to come out before the end of the year when we should get a proper indication concerning the TT RS' output.

Testing in Germany

A prototype of the 2015 Audi TT Roadster has been caught on camera for the first time while undergoing testing in Germany.

The third generation Audi TT Coupe was unveiled back in March at the Geneva Motor Show so naturally the team from Ingolstadt is now putting the finishing touches on its open-top sibling. The TT Roadster was spotted at home in Germany with the soft top up and down showing it will feature an antiroll bar behind the seats.

Also behind those light brown leather-wrapped seats will be a vertical wind blocker so your haircut won't be ruined when driving with the fabric roof down. The rear lid appears to be slightly longer compared to the coupe while the interior cabin will likely be carried over with minimal changes.

The TT Roadster will be available with a 4-cylinder, 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine offered in two states of tune: 230 PS & 370 Nm and 310 PS & 380 Nm in the hotter TTS. There will also be a more economical 2.0-liter turbodiesel rated at 184 PS (135 kW) and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft). Gearbox choices will include a six-speed manual and an optional six-speed S tronic sending power to the front wheels or the quattro AWD setup.

An official reveal will likely occur at the beginning of October in Paris, with sales set to start before the end of the year as a 2015MY.

Camouflage is a bit pointless

The 2015 Audi TT Roadster has return in a second batch of spy photos, this time driving with the fabric roof up on European roads.

It was only a few days ago when our spies snapped a few shots of a 2015 Audi TT Roadster prototype and now another was one was seen with the soft top conducting testing somewhere in Europe. Like any unreleased model, the prototype seen here wears a full body camouflage but it's a bit pointless taking into consideration it will look virtually the same as coupe, with the obvious exception of the fabric roof, antiroll bar and the vertical wind blocker.

Expect to find the same engine choices in the form of a turbocharged 4-cylinder 2.0-liter with 230 PS and 310 PS and a 184 PS 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbodiesel. Later during the car's lifespan, a 150 PS 1.4 TFSI and a 150 PS 2.0-liter TDI are expected to join the range. All these motors will work with a 6-speed manual / 6-speed S tronic transmission channeling power to the front wheels or to an optional quattro all-wheel drive system.

Audi probably won't wait too long to show the TT Roadster so we could see it as early as October at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, with sales to commence by late 2014.

The first two generations of Audi TTs had their fair share of critics. The very first one was deeply polarizing, though its shape has not aged as badly as one might have thought when it was launched. The second-gen kept the rounded design theme, but infused it with the new grille that was being rolled out at the time throughout the entire range.

This all-new one tries to differentiate itself from regular Audis, and its only source of inspiration, other than the previous incarnations, is the R8. You can immediately spot this by looking at the placement of the badge up front – it now sits above the grille, on the bonnet, just like the R8, and the whole front end look only really does one thing: preview the look of the upcoming mid-engined supercar (to a degree, of course…).

WhatCar? recently uploaded two videos showcasing the new TT. Both are static, and only one features a selection of their readers prodding the car, saying what they think of it.

While the exterior of the third-generation Audi TT is an evolution compared to the previous model, a real revolution took place inside, where the new digital cluster takes center stage.

Auto Express’ Owen Mildenhall demonstrates some of the features of the digital cluster in a review of the new TT, describing it as efficient and easy to use.

Overall, the cabin is deemed impressive, with the quality of materials being top-notch. Furthermore, design touches like the turbine-shaped air vents with digital temperature display in the middle really make the TT’s cabin a very pleasant place to be.

Handling is also very important when it comes to a car like the TT, and the new model doesn’t disappoint in this respect either.

It feels more agile and lighter than the previous model, it handles sharper, but it also offers a much better ride, according to the reviewer. All in all, the new TT does everything better than its predecessor, as you will find out by watching the video review posted below.

On sale later this month

Audi has introduced the TT & TT S Roadster this week at the Paris Motor Show.

The design of the vehicle closely echoes the coupes but with a retractable soft top that needs ten seconds to open or close, a procedure that can be done at speeds of up to 31 mph (50 km/h). Compared to its predecessor, the new roof is about 3 kg lighter thanks to a more extensive use of aluminum and magnesium and when it's stored in the aluminum tray it does not affect the vehicle's 280-liter cargo capacity.

Customers will have the possibility of getting the 2015 Audi TT Roadster with a four-cylinder 2.0 TFSI engine outputting 230 HP (169 kW) and 370 Nm (273 lb-ft) or a more economical 2.0 TDI with 184 HP (135 kW) and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft). Upgrade to the TT S Roadster and you get a 2.0 TFSI with 310 HP (228 kW) and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft). It's enough for a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) run in 4.9 seconds and an electronically-capped top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h).

Thanks to the switch to Volkswagen Group's MQB platform, the TT Roadster has lost a significant amount of weight which has enabled the base 2.0 TFSI with the six-speed manual to tip the scales at just 1,320 kg (2,910 lbs). At an additional cost, Audi is also offering an optional six-speed S tronic gearbox (2.0 TFSI only) and a quattro all-wheel drive arrangement (standard on the TT S Roadster).

At home in Germany, the Audi TT Roadster is scheduled to go on sale this month at a starting price of €37,900 whereas the TT S will be available at the beginning of 2015.

Audi has released a bizarre promotional video for the new TT S Roadster.

In the clip, two men are fishing and one begins complaining about this wife. As he says "I really love my wife, you know, except when she's in the passenger seat." He goes on to say "It's always too cold or too hot for her, you know what I mean?" The other gentlemen responds "No, I don't know" and then there's a flashback to him and his wife driving quietly in the new TT S Roadster.

This continues back and forth for awhile until the TT S owner says "The secret is the car, not the wife."