share on BufferThe TT Sportback Concept joins the five-door A5 and A7 Sportback models, adding to the mix the sporty lines and distinctive silhouette of the TT coupé.
Compared to its coupe counterpart this five-door, four seat variant is 29 cm longer (4.47 meters), 6cm wider (1.89 meters) and 3 cm lower (1.38 meters), while the wheelbase is 12 cm longer at 2.63 meters.
While the front has maintained the main design of the new TT, the rear end adopts a different layout, with angular shaped horizontal tail lights that in combination with the design of the tail exhaust area contribute to underline its width.
The high-performance powertrain is equipped with a by a 400 PS 2.0 liter TFSI engine – with a turbocharger that has maximum relative boost pressure of 1.8 bar – coupled with a seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission and the quattro permanent all‑wheel drive system.
All this enables impressive performance figures, with a 0-100 km/h time of 3.9 seconds.
Below we report the design details from Audi’s press release.
Exterior design
The five-door Audi TT Sportback concept is 4.47 metres long, 1.89 metres wide, and 1.38 metres high, and is built around a wheelbase of 2.63 metres. Compared with the new production TT, it is 29 centimetres longer, 6 centimetres wider, 3 centimetres lower and has a 12 centimetre longer wheelbase.
The design makes use of the Audi TT’s formal idiom to develop a new sporty and elongated sculpture that is highly taut.
The distinctive horizontal lines at the front end of the new Audi TT Sportback concept reinforce the broad and purposeful stance. Bearing the quattro badge on its lower edge, the Singleframe grille is flatter and wider than on the two‑door coupe and features a honeycomb grille insert with a dark aluminium look.
The lateral borders of the Singleframe grille are continued across the bonnet as swage lines. Typically for Audi, the design forms a coherent whole, with all the lines and surfaces of the show car being linked to one another in a logical manner.
The front of the Audi TT Sportback concept has another characteristic feature in the form of the large, striking air inlets. Framed by pronounced edges, the air inlets have the look of individual structures and feature honeycomb inserts that fill their interior. A third, flat inlet underneath the Singleframe grille connects them to each other. The blade that gives the Singleframe grille structure sharpens the look of the show car whilst boosting the aerodynamics.
Another typical TT design feature are the newly designed headlights with separators that demonstrate a unique daytime running light signature. On the Audi TT Sportback concept, the high-beam spot is provided by laser technology – in each headlight, a module comprising four powerful diodes generates a beam of light that illuminates several hundred metres.
The laser spot, which is activated at speeds of 37mph and above, supplements the LED high beam. For the driver, this is a significant boost to visibility and safety; a camera is used to detect and shield other road users from the light projection.
The lighting concept is rounded out by the indicator with a dynamic sweeping function that is also used in the LED rear lights. It comprises a series of individual diodes that light up one after the other from the inside to the outside, indicating the direction selected by the driver.
The side view of the four-seater show car is a particularly striking indication of the close relationship between it and the production TT. The Audi TT Sportback concept sits powerfully on the road and features short overhangs. The wide semicircles of the wheel arches, each of which protrudes by 3 centimetres, have a superimposed look. The front semicircle defines the edge of the bonnet, which runs as a sharp tornado line across the doors and to the rear end.
The trim of the side sill, which connects the wheel arches to one another, also adds to the broad and muscular appearance. In classic sports car style, the exterior mirrors and their angular housings are positioned on the door top shoulders. The right side part houses the circular filler cap, another classic TT icon.
The strong shoulders of the powerful vehicle body support a low greenhouse that is elongated towards the rear. This is in keeping with the Sportback line as implemented by Audi in its A5 and A7 model series. The flat C‑pillar flows elegantly into the shoulder, and the rear has a compact and sleek look. The highly rounded corners of the rear window are a homage to the original TT.
The rear of the Audi TT Sportback concept is also focused and sculptural, with five horizontal lines emphasising its width. The one-piece rear lights – which also include vertical separators inspired by the R18 – form independent structures. These are linked to one another by the handle edge of the luggage compartment, which constitutes a powerfully contoured continuous trim. The surface that bears the number plate is located in the shadow of the spoiler lip. The two large elliptical tailpipes of the exhaust system are embedded in the diffuser and linked by a trim.
Interior
The driver and the passengers enter the Audi TT Sportback concept through doors with frameless window panes. The interior fits around them with the precision of a bespoke suit. In the interior, the sporting overtones of the Audi TT meet the functionality of a four‑door saloon. This is underlined by slimline applications on the dashboard and doors, as well as a long centre console which continues through the entire interior. Handworked seams run along the centre console and top shoulder from the front through to the luggage compartment. The headlining also features an elegant contour that accentuates the length of the interior. The super sport seats with the integrated head restraints are sharply contoured and highly adjustable.
There is space for two people in the rear in individual seats with integrated head restraints. They are separated by functional storage compartments and a comfortable armrest. The backrests can be folded down so that large objects can also be stowed in the luggage compartment beneath the tailgate.
The sinewy, taut lines created by the Audi designers in the interior of the show car are closely oriented to those of the production TT. When viewed from the top, the instrument panel resembles the wing of an airplane and the five round air vents are reminiscent of jet engines. The controls for the seat heating, air recirculation, temperature, distribution and strength of the air flow are located on their axes. The omission of the classic air conditioning control panel and the MMI monitor has made it possible to design the instrument panel within a sleek and light architecture that is fully focused on the driver.
The Audi virtual cockpit, the digital instrument cluster, replaces the conventional physical displays and the central MMI monitor. The driver can switch to the 12.3‑inch display at multiple levels in order to view graphics of exceptional clarity. The system is operated via the multifunction steering wheel or the MMI terminal. The touchpad located on the round rotary push-button is used to enter characters and also processes multiple finger gestures – the driver can zoom in on the map as they would on a smartphone.
The sophistication of the exterior is mirrored in the cabin, which is defined by the use of high-quality materials. The instrument panel and the upper area of the door trims are dark granite grey in colour. The door armrests, the centre console and the seats see the use of a new soft leather in parchment beige – this is processed for a particularly near-natural look and has a silky sheen. The door top shoulder is upholstered in Alcantara, parchment beige. The seat upholstery features a diamond pattern. The side bolsters of the seats are trimmed with special accent strips in dark grey leather that are fixed with red thread using a special stitching technique.
The instrument panel and the door trims contain decorative surfaces with a dark aluminium look. Further accents in this look are provided by the clasps on the sides of the seats and the trim rings on the air vents. The colour and material concept is rounded out by black floor mats made from the rubberised material that also covers the floor of the luggage compartment.
Drivetrain
The 2.0 TFSI engine in the Audi TT Sportback concept generates captivating performance data: It generates 400PS at 6,400 rpm, with a specific output of 200PS per litre of displacement. The four-cylinder engine puts 450 Nm (331.9 lb-ft) of torque on the crankshaft between 2,400 and 6,000 rpm, with over 300 Nm (221.3 lb-ft) already available at just 1,900 rpm, yet it is also good for up to 40.3mpg. This equates to CO2 emissions of 162 grams per kilometre.
As a member of the Audi EA 888 engine family, there is a comprehensive package of high-end technology on board for the turbocharged direct-injection unit. The camshaft adjustment on the intake and exhaust sides and the Audi valvelift system, which varies the stroke of the exhaust valves in two stages, ensure good filling of the combustion chambers. At part load, indirect injection complements the FSI direct injection. The exhaust manifold embedded in the cylinder head is an important component of the thermal management. The flow of coolant is managed by a powerful rotary slide module.
In order to generate the high power output, the 2.0 TFSI unit has undergone extensive modifications, including the integration of special aluminium pistons with an integrated cooling channel and a crankshaft made from ultra-high-strength forged steel. The crankcase consists of a new, high-strength casting alloy and the cylinder head has been designed for the increased gas flow rate. The turbocharger has also been redeveloped and builds up a maximum relative boost pressure of 1.8 bar. It contains a mixed flow turbine wheel that is noted for its particularly fast start-up performance.
The turbocharged direct-injection engine rockets the Audi TT Sportback concept from 0 to 62mph in 3.9 seconds, demonstrating excellent response characteristics and running at 7,200 rpm up to the maximum rated speed. The sonorous sound is made even more resonant as the load and engine speed increase.
The force of the engine flows into a compact seven-speed S tronic with a three-shaft layout that performs direct gear changes in a few hundredths of a second. The driver can let the dual-clutch transmission operate in two automatic programs or take control using the paddles on the steering wheel.
Power is delivered to the road via quattro permanent all‑wheel drive. For optimal weight distribution, the hydraulically actuated and electronically controlled multi-plate clutch is located on the rear axle. The quattro drive actively controls the distribution of torque between the axles in milliseconds, thus adding to the car’s agile handling.
Chassis
The suspension also reflects the technological expertise behind the Audi TT Sportback concept. The front suspension is based on a McPherson system; aluminium components reduce the weight of the unsprung chassis masses. The four-link rear suspension can process the longitudinal and transverse forces separately.
The large wheels have a 21-inch diameter and a tyre format of 255/30. The four brake discs in 18‑inch format feature a weight-saving wave design.
The Electronic Stabilisation Control (ESC) adds the final touch to the handling. A sub-function of the ESC is enabled at the cornering threshold – through minimal application of the brakes at the wheels on the inside of the bend, which have a reduced load, the wheel-selective torque control diverts the drive torque to the wheels on the outside of the bend. For the driver, this means a further boost in terms of neutrality, stability and traction.
Body
The body plays a leading role in the lightweight construction concept of the Audi TT Sportback concept on the basis of the modular transverse matrix (MQB). The entire front section is made from steel. The passenger compartment floor comprises high-strength, hot-shaped steel components which, thanks to their outstanding strength properties, feature thin walls and are correspondingly light. The passenger compartment and all outer skin and attachment parts are made of semi-finished aluminium in the form of cast nodes, extruded profiles and sheet metal.
With its composite concept, the body represents the latest evolution of the Audi Space Frame (ASF). Its hybrid construction ensures that the show car has a low centre of gravity – ideal for more committed driving.
– End –
Picture caption
Audi TT expands its repertoire – The five-door, four-seat Audi TT Sportback concept makes its debut at the Paris Motor Show this week, complete with a 400PS version of the 2.0 TFSI engine giving sub-four-second acceleration and 40mpg efficiency.
Note to Editors
In 2013 Audi achieved best ever worldwide sales of 1,575,500 cars, an 8.3 per cent improvement over 2012. Sales in the UK increased by 14.9 per cent year-on-year to 142,020 cars, establishing another record and elevating the brand to the lead position in sales terms in the premium sector for the first time. To maintain this strong performance the brand plans to invest around €22 billion – mainly in new products and sustainable technologies – between now and 2018. Audi lives up to its corporate responsibility and has strategically established the principle of sustainability for its products and processes. The long-term goal is CO2-neutral mobility. This philosophy also applies to the brand’s sports car racing activities, in which Audi made history in 2012 by winning the Le Mans 24-hour race using pioneering hybrid diesel technology in the R18 e-tron quattro. It went on to repeat the performance in the 2013 and 2014 races, taking the total number of Audi victories there to 13.
Comments