The Audi TT was launched to the South African market this week, and I attended its launch in Mpumalanga.The TT has sold 515 000 units globally, with 4 811 finding their way to South Africa.

The TT is a special car for me as I can recall going to Europe pre-millennium and seeing a pretty Audi coupe. I didn’t know what it was and was blown away by its compact and sporty looks. Fast forward to 2015 and I’ve just emerged from a breathtaking drive in the third incarnation of the Audi TT.

Design

Styling wise, this is a sleeker and sharper design when compared to the older model. Gone are the curves and in their place is a sharply angled sports coupe which has subtle yet aggressive touches all round. Starting with the redesigned headlights with square daytime running lights and imposing grille and ending with a pair of exhausts and an integrated spoiler which rises at speed, the new Audi TT is a smart-looking coupe. Most importantly, the new Audi TT is 50kg lighter than the outgoing model.

Engine and Interior

In terms of engines at launch, we drove both the quattro and front-wheel drive equipped models which come with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder. With 169kW and 370Nm on tap, the new Audi TT offers brisk performance. Expect 0-100kph to come up in a claimed 5.9 seconds for the front-wheel drive version, while the quattro does the same sprint in a quicker 5.3 seconds.

Both cars have the fabulous six-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission. Both cars have a top speed of 250kph. Fuel economy is impressive with the front-wheel drive consuming just 6.3L/100km, while its all-wheel drive sibling is a little thirstier at 6.8L/100km.

If the looks don’t do anything for you, then the interior will change your life. Its a completely digital affair, with not a single analogue dial or gauge in sight. The rev counter, satnav, infotainment and speedometer have been cleverly integrated into the dashboard using one exceptionally high quality screen. Supplied by graphics specialists Nvidia, this screen boasts a superb display and the information is clear and legible.

Audi calls this interface Virtual Cockpit and I am properly impressed by what it can do. If there was one way to appeal to a younger digital generation, this is it!

The Drive

The route for the launch of the new Audi TT took us on the sweeping roads of Mpumalanga. Despite the occasional pothole, the road surface is generally good and the sporty TT was up for some dynamic driving. This is an enthusiast’s dream as the car is responsive, has wonderful acceleration and the handling is precise. The new Audi TT doesn’t need to be pushed to the limit to get the best of it either.

It’s a car which flatters the over eager driver and responds well to educated inputs. Coupled with the distinctive S tronic gearshift popping sound, the car can easily shake its hairdresser image. This is a sportscar through and through, and its simply marvelous.

If you had to ask me to pick, I’d go for the front-wheel drive version as its cheaper and also around 75kg lighter than its all-wheel drive sibling. Price wise, the new Audi TT goes head to head against the BMW Z4 and the Mercedes-Benz SLK where it undercuts them in terms of price. I suppose you could also consider the BMW 2-Series coupe as a rival too.

Audi TT Price in South Africa

There are two models available for now. There will be a hotter TTS with 210 kW and 380 Nmfollowing in July 2015. The mighty TT RS is about a year and a half away, and there’s talk of a manual 1.80-litre turbo entry level model. At this stage the Audi TT convertible is unconfirmed. The car comes standard with the 5 year/100 000km Audi Freeway Plan.

Audi TT Coupe 2.0T FSI S tronic R558 000

Audi TT Coupe 2.0T FSI S tronic quattro R642 000