At the Paris Motor Show, Audi showed off its updated Audi TT Roadster and TTS.
Audi’s original TT was a groundbreaker when it came to design but the latest version of the roadster is in need of a little updating.
The good news for fans is that a new version will be making its debut at the Paris Motor Show in barely a week. The bad news is that a U.S. version is expected to lag behind, perhaps by as much as a full model-year.
The basic shape of the 2015 Audi TT Roadster and the sportier TTS model won’t take anyone by surprise, picking up on the car’s traditional, curvaceous shapes – though Audi claims that aerodynamic improvements now mean the TT will be the mot wind-slick model in its segment.
The two versions of the roadster will feature a fabric top that now can be operated at speeds up to 50 kph, or 31 mph – and which will need just 10 seconds to open or close. The maker skipped the hardtop approach to reduce weight and keep the sporty two-seater’s center of gravity as low to the ground as possible.
The Audi TT is getting a much needed facelift for 2015.
Inside, the 2015 Audi TT will get number of upgrades, both practical and for appearance purposes. That includes all-new digital, rather than analog gauges, which helps create what Audi is calling a virtual cockpit. The reconfigurable instrumentation allows driver’s to get a different view of vehicle functions with just the touch of a button.
The cabin layout of the new TT has already earned some prestigious kudos, winning Interior Innovation of the Year honors at the recent Automotive Interiors Expo.
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No sports car update would be complete without some improvement in performance, and the new TT, at least in European trim, will be offered with both gas and diesel engines. The oil-burner isn’t likely to make it to the States, but the 2.0-liter gas version, as currently configured, will pour out 227 horsepower through either the front wheels using a manual gearbox, or to all four wheels through a dual-clutch automatic.
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As for the TTS, it will get a 306-horsepower gas engine capable of launching to 60 in about 4.8 seconds, with a top speed of 155 mph. It will be offered only with all-wheel-drive. It will offer only the dual-clutch transmission and will be offered with an optional magnetic ride control suspension.
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A driver-selectable mode control will automatically adjust multiple settings, including throttle, suspension and transmission shifts.
The base 2015 Audi TT will go on sale almost immediately in Europe, with prices starting at the equivalent of around $48,400. The TTS edition will follow next spring. No word on timing, pricing or U.S. fuel economy numbers for now, unfortunately.