GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: 2015 Audi TT

Audi hopes its third-generation TT, which will land in Australia in the first quarter of 2015, will captivate drivers with more emotional design, sharper dynamics and more techno-wizardry than ever.

Making its debut amid the glitz and glamour of the Volkswagen Group's preview event the night before the Geneva motor show, the MkIII Audi TT is faster, lighter, smarter and bristling with loads of new tech toys.

The German brand has made wholesale changes to the car's structure, which should make it a more agile machine.

Improvements to the quattro all-wheel drive system and the addition of Audi’s magnetic ride suspension system, both of which feature adjustable settings, should also give it wider appeal.

Power and torque outputs have risen, with a trio of engines -- one diesel, two petrol, all turbo -- pumping out between 135kW and 228kW through the front wheels or via quattro all wheel drive. Six-speed manual and six-speed dual-clutch automatic S tronic gearboxes will be offered.

However, despite across-the-board improvements, customers won't have to pay more for the new four-seater coupe.

Audi Australia senior product communications executive Shaun Cleary told motoring.com.au "A price rise is unlikely".

That means a starting price of around $75,000 for automatic TT models and just under $100,000 for the TT-S.

"Since the second-gen TT launched in 2006, the Audi TT has outsold its competitors, so we would expect that a similar price position to the current model will be a very competitive place in this market," said Cleary.

Apart from the more masculine exterior design, the new TT's virtual cockpit is what will really turn heads -- figuratively and literally. In a world obsessed with smart phones and active technologies, it could become the next must-have gadget for well-heeled techno-savvy consumers.

First shown at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and pitched as a key difference compared to its rivals (think BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK), the Audi virtual cockpit replaces traditional analogue instrument dials in the TT with a large, high-resolution 1440x540mm LCD screen.

So powerful is the new virtual cockpit it even gets its own graphics processor, an Nvidia T30 Tegra 3 chipset. Audi reckons the snazzy processor makes everything look super-crisp and "sets new standards" via "dynamic animations and precise graphics".

Drivers can choose the 'classic' view, which displays the speedometer and rev counter, or the 'infotainment' mode, which shrinks the virtual instruments to allow more screen space for things like the satellite-navigation map.

Rev-heads will appreciate that TT-S models also get a third 'sports' mode, which is dominated by a massive tachometer. However Audi has made no mention of a heads-up display.

Mr Cleary confirmed the virtual cockpit will be available to Australian customers, but that "we will confirm later in what capacity, whether it's standard or optional on different models".

Almost all car functions can now be controlled via the steering wheel -- but only when the top-spec MMI system is fitted. This will further reduce the need the take one's hands off the wheel.

It gets better too. Intuitive voice recognition means drivers can simply state "Take me to South Melbourne" or "I want to speak to Rebecca" to set navigation routes and make hands-free calls.

"The Audi TT is the epitome of an authentic design icon and a top-performance driving machine," said Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi's head of technical development.

"With the new generation, we are making this technology even easier for the driver to experience – just as they would expect from a real sports car," he said.

Although Audi has kept the interior design simple and ultra-minimalistic overall, the cabin still has an undeniably sporty look, thanks in large part to the stylised 'turbine' metallic air-vent accents throughout.

The exterior is arguably sexier too.

The all-new TT model is based on the same MQB platform as the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf, and boasts completely new exterior panels -- but you wouldn't know it at first glance. The angular styling is a 'safe' design, in that it is instantly recognisable as an Audi TT.

Although best described as evolutionary, the new model does have a more technical look than its predecessor, with distinctive LED-infused headlight clusters and a sharper, larger and more aggressive single-frame grille dominating the front-end.

The car's silhouette tips its hat to the original Audi TT circa 1998, and smaller touches like the TT-embossed capless fuel filler will be noticed by aficionados.

Dimensions are similar to the outgoing model, the new TT measuring 4180mm long, 1832mm wide and 1353mm tall. Only the wheelbase has changed significantly -- up 37mm to 2505mm.

Xenon headlights are standard in the new TT, and fancy new Matrix LED headlight technology will also be offered, which makes use of LED high beams.

TT-S models and vehicles equipped with the optional S line exterior package sit 10mm lower to the ground and get ultra-large lateral air intakes integrated into the front bumper, drawing attention to its wide, low stance and adding an athletic edge.

Telltale quad exhaust outlets also make the cut on the rip-snorting TT-S, and feature controllable flaps for lustier acoustics.

The range-topping TT-S (at least until the TT RS arrives) is powered by a high-output 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine that churns out 228kW/380Nm. It has an electronically governed top speed of 250km/h, a self-deploying rear wing and quattro AWD. It rockets to 100km/h in just 4.7 seconds.

S tronic six-speed auto models come with launch control for good measure.

The lower output 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine bangs out 169kW/370Nm and accelerates the standard TT to 100km/h in six seconds flat with a six-speed manual and front-wheel drive.

Drop in the S tronic twin-clutch gearbox and quattro AWD, and the 0-100km/h sprint takes just 5.3 seconds. Top speed is 250km/h and fuel consumption is 6.8L/100km on average.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel Audi TT cranks out 135kW/380Nm, accelerates to 100km/h in 7.2 seconds and has a top speed of 235km/h. While it's the slowest model on offer, it's also the most efficient, with claimed fuel consumption of just 4.2L/100km. Not bad for a sports car. 

Audi says Australian customers can expect engines similar to the current line-up, and Cleary hints that more engine types could be offered in future: "We’ll use the opportunity that the new model presents to evaluate the full range of engine options".

Some of the improvements in fuel consumption and straight-line speed stem from the new TT's lighter weight, not just improvements in engine and gearbox tech. Tipping the scales at 1230kg, the new TT is about 50kg lighter than its predecessor, thanks to the increased use of aluminium. The roof, bonnet, doors, bootlid and side sections are all aluminium.

An iconic car for the brand, the 2+2-seat TT car was originally shown as a concept in at the 1995 Frankfurt motor show. It was designed by a pair of budding young designers, J Mays and Peter Schreyer, who are now in charge of design at two major global car companies, Ford and Hyundai/Kia.

The third generation TT design has evolved in a subtle, conservative way while adding a touch of machismo. That it pays homage to the original TT car is neat touch, and with claimed improvements to dynamics, performance and efficiency, not to mention a new experience behind the wheel, the new TT looks promising.