Audi today unveiled the roadster version of its all-new TT sports car. As with its coupe counterpart, the 3.2-litre V6 power unit generates 250 horsepower and is coupled to the quattro drive system as standard. A 2.0 TFSI engine blends turbocharging with direct injection technology and delivers 200 horsepower to the front wheels. Both model variants can be ordered with the innovative S tronic dual-clutch gearbox as an alternative to the standard six-speed manual shift.

Audi says it made a conscious decision to keep a manually operated cloth roof for the new TT Roadster. The soft top concept "fits in perfectly with the philosophy of puristic open-top motoring and also offers a number of benefits over a folding steel hard top," the automaker said. Audi says the new roof keeps weight to a minimum and lowers the center of gravity.

To achieve a desirable weight balance, steel components are located principally at the rear of the body – the bulkhead behind the passenger compartment, for example, is made from steel. The side sills consist of extruded aluminium sections containing numerous reinforcing ribs. The A-pillars have been strengthened too and a high-strength steel tube integrated into the frame of the windscreen. Torsional strength has been more than doubled, making for a stiffer and more responsive ride.

posted on 10.18.2006 10:00 By Simona Alina

Walter de Silva, design chief of the Audi brand group, picked up an impressive four prizes at the Auto Bild Design Award ceremony. The Audi TT, the Audi Q7 and the Audi Shooting Brake concept car were victorious in their respective classes. The TT sports coupé celebrated a double success, also being voted the most beautiful car of the past twelve months by the readers of Auto Bild.

There was a choice of 146 cars in seven classes to vote for, along with the overall winner. The Audi models prevailed against some top-calibre competition. The Audi TT took victory in the sports-car and coupé category, the Audi Q7 high-performance SUV in the off-road and SUV class, while the Audi Shooting Brake won through against the other studies and concept cars.

The Audi Q7 has been well received not only by Auto Bild readers, but also by customers. The production capacities for the first Audi SUV model have been increased owing to great demand.

The Shooting Brake Concept provides a further innovative interpretation of the current Audi formal idiom, blending the powerful dynamism of a sports car with a new sense of spaciousness and greater functionality.

The new TT, which has been at dealerships since September, posed a particular challenge to Walter de Silva and his team. Its predecessor is acknowledged as a design icon. The motto of the Audi designers when redesigning the second generation of the TT was “evolution not revolution”, and the TT should be recognisable as such from the start.

On the new TT, the geometric shapes merge fluidly into a uniform whole. A low, narrow greenhouse is supported by slim pillars sitting on broad, powerful shoulders. The base body beneath is compact in appearance, conveying a feeling of confidence and strength. The convex and concave curves of its surfaces lend it the character of an athletic sculpture straining forward.

The front end is more expressive and assertive in appearance. The single-frame radiator grille serves as its defining element. The large air inlets hint at the potential of the engines, and the sharply cut, sloping headlights emphasise the mature appearance of the car. The rear end, characteristic of the TT, conveys power and dynamism through its wide wheel arches. The vote of the Auto Bild readers, who voted the TT as the most beautiful car of the past 12 months, endorsed the work of the Audi designers.

With these spy shots, Auto Ex­press can bring you the best pictures yet of the German manufacturer's flagship TT, which should give Porsche's Cayman, BMW's Z4 Coupé and Mercedes' SLK55 AMG something to think about.

Featuring a more aggressive front end - created by fitting a reprofiled splitter - along with bigger wheels and brakes from Audi's RS4 model, plus a modified rear wing, there's no hiding this development mule's pace.

And under the bonnet lies a real firebreathing powerplant. The TT RS will be the first model from the firm to feature VW's TSI technology. It will use both a turbocharger and a supercharger in its 350bhp 3.6-litre TSI version of the current range-topping TT's 3.2-litre V6 FSI powerplant.

That should help the newcomer achieve a 0-60mph time of five seconds, while top speed will be limited to 155mph. To cope with the output, the model will have stiffened suspension, and a quattro four-wheel-drive system that splits power in a 40:60 bias to the rear wheels. Six-speed manual and R-Tronic semi-auto transmissions will be offered.

The flagship TT RS is expected to go on sale in late 2008, carrying a price tag of around £40,000.