In the expanding universe of Audi cars, the TT has the distinction of being the purest sports car. Sure, the R8 is the super car, and the RS models give you plenty of thrills. But in terms of the platonic ideal of two doors, a fit body and two streaks of burnt rubber leading toward the mountains or the beach, the TT is it.
A new video review from XCAR offers us an initial look at the third-generation 2015 TT, albeit a European model. Recorded in the rain and wind of Scotland, the TT looks terrific shooting around with nary a squealing wheel. As the reviewer notes, the TT already has quite a history since its 1998 introduction. If it’s going to remain competitive, this newest version had better be good.
Because looks have always been the TT’s strongest point, we have to start by noting the exterior. The original TT was so unbelievable curvy that it hardly resembled the staid, boxlike configurations of normal cars at all. The 2015 retains some of that curvature, but the Audi of today is all about sharp lines and crisp, geometric panes. We think the new TT looks more like the current R8 than the old TT, which is not a bad thing.
Inside, you can see why Audi has a reputation for making some of the sharpest interiors in the industry. Everything is stitched, molded, and bound together with tight precision. There’s a ruthless efficiency to the new TT’s interior, which shows in the form-follows-function integration of the air vents with their controls, and the giant 13-inch virtual cockpit screen, a vivid high-color display that replaces the instrument panel.
In the virtual cockpit, the analog needles and gauges of yesteryear are binned in favor of fluid pixels that display everything: speedometer, tachometer, maps, directions, fuel, engine statistics, stereo systems, everything. It’s a system that will undoubtedly take some getting used to, but given that most people use smartphones, it shouldn’t take all that long.
We’ll have to wait a bit longer until we can offer our own firsthand impressions. Until then, enjoy the video and check back here or on our social media accounts for new information.