2002 Audi Tt Perfect Lqqk At It on 2040-cars

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2016 Audi TT [w/video]

What came first, the metrosexual or the Audi TT? While it was close, the descriptor-turned-epithet preceded the 1995 concept car by one year. However, they were both notable cultural evolutions and they happened to work together perfectly. Hugh Grant, playing the cad Will Freeman in the 2002 film About a Boy, could not have chosen a better example of character than his silver TT.
A decade later, the original TT was still important enough that when rumors of the third-generation coupe began to surface in late 2012, the most exciting fantasy was that the 2014 coupe might "recapture some of the distinctiveness and impact" of a 16-year-old car (the TT came to market in 1998). Even speculation by dedicated Audi observers thought the brand would do something novel, even if not mimicry. The obvious takeaway: no one was going to be lighting any candles for the departed second generation. All of that is why when the first leaked image slipped onto the Internet, people began to get suspicious. When the third generation took the stage at the Geneva Motor Show, we could almost hear the digital deflation over the Ethernet, our poll results notwithstanding.
Yet it's still the TT, and in spite of having seen its interior and virtual cockpit and clocked its specs, we couldn't judge it before heading to Marbella, Spain to drive it. What we found out was while it's better than the second generation, it's still very much a TT.

Audi TT Sportback Concept evolves the five-door breed

One week after a leaked sketch ran on these very pages, Audi has introduced the latest member of a "potential TT family," according to Audi board member Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg. This is the TT Sportback Concept, a five-door, 400-horsepower version of the brand's stylish sports car and at this point, it looks darn likely to herald the debut of a third body style for Audi's design icon.
Unveiled at the expansive Volkswagen group night celebration ahead of the 2014 Paris Motor Show, the TT Sportback Concept is the most evolved version of a form factor that's seen a slow striptease throughout 2014, first with the Allroad Shooting Brake Concept in Detroit and, more recently, in the Offroad Concept from the Beijing Motor Show.
For Paris, the car being shown by Audi is absent traditional concept car traits like oversized wheels, miniscule mirrors and bizarre interior treatments, giving it a far more production ready appearance than either of the previous TT-based concepts. The exterior, meanwhile, is clearly reminiscent of the third-generation car (that roofline is pure TT), although there are a number of styling decisions that remind us of the compact A3, particularly in regards to the taillights.

Horn, Hackenburg, Hatz to be fired as VW diesel scandal deepens

Volkswagen will sack three more high ranking executives, including the head of its US division, as the company's diesel scandal deepens. Reuters reported Thursday morning that the executives are: Michael Horn, who has led VW's US operations since January 1, 2014; Ulrich Hackenberg, who oversaw Audi's research and development; and Wolfgang Hatz, who was in charge of R&D for Porsche. A VW spokesman wouldn't comment in response to an Autoblog email. The moves come in the wake of longtime VW chief executive Martin Winterkorn stepping down on Wednesday. Volkswagen's board said at the time that it expected more personnel changes to follow. Volkswagen's board is scheduled to meet Friday, and Porsche CEO Matthias Muller has reportedly been named as Winterkorn's successor. The German auto giant was plunged into crisis last Friday when the EPA charged that the company manipulated software in its diesel-powered cars to pass US emissions tests. About 482,000 vehicles in the US are affected, and VW estimates 11 million around the world could have the rigged software. The revelations have prompted outcry from governments and regulatory agencies, and in the US, Volkswagen could face a fine of up to $18 billion. The departure of Horn, Hackenberg, and Hatz is a stunning downfall for three of the company's top and most visible executives. Horn had led US operations for less than two years, taking over from Jonathan Browning, who was well-respected but failed to reach VW's ambitious sales targets. Before overseeing Audi R&D, Hackenberg was hailed as a visionary for work in developing VW's modular architectures, which allow the company to save time and money by building many vehicles off the same chassis. Hatz had led Porsche R&D since 2011 and also was in charge of engines and transmission development for all of Volkswagen. Related Video: News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Getty Images Government/Legal Green Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Audi Porsche Volkswagen Emissions Diesel Vehicles vw diesel scandal vw diesel ulrich hackenberg michael horn wolfgang hatz