Audi's third generation TT captures the tech zeitgeist
The first TT coupé delighted aesthetes. Unveiled in 1998, it was a viscerally exhilarating design with architectural expressions of form and line. At a time when cars were increasingly commoditised, bland products, Audi's new compact sports car was a wonderful piece of contemporary automotive design that helped elevate the marque to a whole new level.
Today, Audi's world is quite different. In 1998 the company was just beginning its march into the premium sector with only 17 models in its portfolio. Now Audi boasts close to 50 and rising, with sales of close to 1.3 million cars this year. Perhaps risk taking isn't so necessary. To this end, the third generation TT isn't as exciting as the original model. However, it follows a similar visual narrative and certainly has the same considered approach.
We tested the TT in Scotland, where the landscape and roads have the kind of poetry that make most cars shine. The wild drama and autumnal palette act as the perfect canvas for the clean and precise surfaces of the new TT.
The original model was characterised by its low, seemingly 'added-on' roof and wheel arches where the circular shapes formed a powerful contrast with the blunt horizontal lines along the flanks. Here these elements are echoed but tamed to be much more subtle. The fuel lid remains defiantly round; the exhaust pipes are large and circular.
This third generation car is more compact but with a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs, providing a bit more boot space but still tiny rear seats. As with all recent Audis, it is exquisite in its execution too, the mainly lightweight aluminium body is impressively sculpted and lovingly detailed.
Crucially, the TT is now more closely linked to Audi's ultimate sports car, the R8, through its low positioned wide single-frame grille and distinctive light design which makes it visually much more of a sports car.
The story gets exciting when you enter the cabin - this clean clutter-free environment captures the tech zeitgeist. The highlight is what Audi is calling the 'virtual cockpit'. Here the usual central screen has been replaced with a 12.3-inch fully digital LCD display - the Google Earth satellite navigation is so unusually high in resolution that we can almost count the leaves on the trees - and ergonomically placed directly in the driver's view.
The screen can be personalised under 'infotainment' and 'classic' interfaces using handy wheel-mounted buttons or the central MMI knob that is also touch sensitive, with full smartphone connectivity available to stream your playlist, and listen to, on the optional Bang & Olufsen 12-speaker, 680-watt sound system.
The TT is also great fun to drive on these empty, seemingly endless roads. One of the issues with the original car was its lack of sportsmanship - it is after all categorised as a sports car. To combat this, Audi engineers have benchmarked the Cayman at sister brand Porsche to improve this lightweight car's Nürburgring times. They have also added a range of petrol and diesels, with the pinnacle RS model completing the family in March - so there will be a TT to suit any aesthete with an appetite for speed.
When the first TT was introduced, Audi didn't have the R8 sports car and the little coupe had to perform a dual role as the firm's design and engineering ambassador. Now the TT can relax a little, be more of a niche product that is still about good design, possibly less about shifting the paradigm, yet with its definite quality of conception, proportion and detail, it remains a beautiful example of modern automotive design.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
-
Remembering Richard Serra (1938-2024), American art’s man of steel
American artist Richard Serra, whose vast sculptures transformed landscapes around the world, has died aged 85
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Architectural gardens around the world to soothe the soul
From small domestic gardens, to nature reserves, urban interventions and local parks, here are some of the finest green projects that place nature at their heart
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Corfu hotel Domes Miramare redefines beachfront bliss
Make like Jackie O at Corfu hotel Domes Miramare, a property with contemporary luxury and echoes of 1960s glamour in spades
By Bridget Downing Published
-
Farewell to the Audi TT, a design icon that evolved with the automotive landscape
For over 25 years, the Audi TT has been synonymous with the brand, a modern machine that initially favoured style over sport. The final editions are very different beasts to the original
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Audi RS6 Avant GT is an estate car that thinks it belongs on the track
With the Audi RS6 Avant GT limited-edition supercar, Audi Sport has gone all-out to create the ultimate hyper-estate
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Year in review: the top 10 cars of 2023, as selected by Wallpaper’s Jonathan Bell
What were the best four-wheeled offerings of 2023? Transport editor Jonathan Bell takes us through the year’s most intriguing automobiles
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Audi e-tron GT quattro still pushes all the right buttons. But what happens next?
Life behind the wheel of Audi’s elegant electric GT, plus a short history of the company’s e-tron series, from concept through to production
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Peugeot’s sparky 308 gets hybrid power and handsome lines
The Peugeot 308 proves that mass-market design needn’t be dull, blending hybrid power with sharp lines and excellent detailing
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
BMW Motorrad brings out the big guns for its newest cruisers
BMW Motorrad R 18 Bagger and Transcontinental set the tone for high-voltage cruising with a brand collaboration with speaker specialist Marshall
By George Chapman Last updated
-
Dacia’s new Manifesto concept is a true outdoor utility vehicle
Utilitarian auto brand Dacia sets a bold new agenda with its Manifesto, a concept car pitched at the active outdoor market
By Jonathan Bell Last updated
-
The sun sets on traditional supercars at California’s Monterey Car Week
Monterey Car Week, the world’s most prestigious car gathering, is showcasing ever-more extravagant special editions, coachbuilt cars and all-new electric concepts. Here are seven key machines from 2022
By Rory FH Smith Last updated