New Audi TT

Audi’s third generation coupe is completely new in every department says Tom Scanlan

A casual glance might not register this: the difference between this car and the outgoing model is certainly not as marked as was the difference between the first and second generation cars. The most obvious visual cue is the much-revised front end, with the Audi rings now removed from within the grille up onto the bonnet. Dimensions are very similar.

Beneath the skin, sixteen years since the very first TT has made a huge difference, as it should.

Prices start at £29,770 for the 2.0 TDI Ultra and the extra-sporty 310PS TTS (0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds) will start at £38,900. Without options, that is…and whoever managed to buy an Audi without options? The test cars driven for wheels-alive had optional extras on them varying from more than £3000 to as much as £10,000. These included no less than £175 for a centre armrest – no more than a box with a lid, after all!

Having got that off our chest, the cars themselves were all excellent to drive. The biggest seller will probably be the ‘basic’ TDI. This 184 PS machine gets to 62 mph in just 7.1 seconds via a superb six-speed manual gearbox. The 230PS petrol cars are more than a second faster, but the mid-range urge of the diesel engine once again proves to be the most significant part of the power input and will surely be more than enough for most owners.

The steering is outstandingly good, with handling equally impressive, although, on public roads, this could not be explored to the real limits. Our emergency brake test, again, showed a faultless performance with no hint of any deviation from a straight line, even though the car was on an uneven surface.

The TT’s ride was first-class, too, and some challenging twists and turns, not to mention severe undulations were all taken with aplomb. The first two cars experienced, the TDI and the 2.0 TFSI petrol were only two-wheel-drive and so this was particularly impressive. The Quattro TFSI, armed with Audi’s S-Tronic six-speed gearbox, is a fine car by any standard and, given fatter wallet, would be hard to resist. This very latest Quattro system can now put the full 100% of power to the appropriate end when necessary.

Both types of engine gave off nice sounds and were not over-the-top in that regard.

Possibly at least as enticing as the car’s actual performance to would-be customers will be Audi’s all-new virtual instrument panel. Within a neat binnacle can be displayed two versions of the main instruments (speedometer and rev-counter) with the satellite navigation map set between them; press the ‘view’ button on the steering wheel and the two instruments reduce in size and the route map gets enlarged. It’s clever and fun. A further really neat feature is the new design of the heater/demister outlets; these have the relevant control for more heat, stronger fan, seat-heating and so on in their centres, rather than in the central console.

Simple and begs the question, why haven’t they done this before?

The interiors are as Audi-smart and well-finished as ever and greatly contribute to making the cars a nice place to be.

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Key points are the improvements in both performance and emission reductions on all versions and the latest from Audi in the areas of infotainment and driver aids. The diesel test car’s official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 67.3 mpg; on our run in mixed traffic conditions, the trip computer indicated 47.8 mpg. Emissions in this model are 110 g/km and Audi tells us that the overall cost per mile of running the diesel Ultra should be around 34 pence per mile.

Oh, and Audi claims that their new TT beats their rivals BMW Z4, Porsche Cayman and Mercedes-Benz SLK in pretty well any area they care to mention.