Ingolstadt, Germany—
The Audi TT has been one of the most influential automotive designs of the last ten years, but after four years on the market, a freshening was in order. Audi wisely left the car's striking looks alone, concentrating instead on the powertrain, where we find a V-6 engine (the TT's first) and a clever dual-clutch manual transmission with automatic-shift capability.
The new, range-topping, engine is a narrow-angle, 3.2-liter V-6, whose 247 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque handily trump the high-output, 1.8-liter turbocharged four's 225 horsepower and 207 pound-feet. Of course, the V-6's power delivery is also much more linear. Audi claims the new engine will propel the TT from 0 to 62 mph in 6.4 seconds.
The TT 3.2 has upgraded brakes, firmer springs and dampers, fatter anti-roll bars, a free-flow exhaust system, larger air intakes, a more prominent rear spoiler, restyled aluminum wheels, and standard Quattro all-wheel drive, but the car's most intriguing feature is its new six-speed Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG). Forget BMW's Sequential Manual Gearbox, Maserati's Cambiocorsa transmission, and Ferrari's F1 box.... Read full article