10 Things You Need To Know About The 2016 Audi TT

2016 Audi TT - Exterior - Yellow - Front Passenger Three-Quarter View

There aren't many small, sporty coupes left on the market, and fewer still have seen the evolution undergone by the 2016 Audi TT. Once lamented as nothing more than a pretty face amongst a sea of sharks, the completely redesigned 2016 edition of the TT comes closer than ever before to fulfilling the promise of its striking good looks. Audi has gifted its entry-level two-door with the kind of performance prowess that was once reserved for models wearing a roundel on the hood, and it brings with it a healthy dose of high-tech features and drivetrain tuning that should engage even the most jaded sports car fan. Let's take a look at 10 things you need to know about the 2016 Audi TT.

1) The 2016 Audi TT Features Refreshed Styling

One look at the 2016 Audi TT, and the first thing that comes to mind is "mini-R8." The similarities between the most affordable sports car offered by Audi and the brand's award-winning supercar are far from coincidental - a conscious decision was made this most recent generation of the TT to shirk of any last remaining vestiges of precocity displayed by the original generation. The same familiar sloped roof hatchback design remains standard for the coupe, but a more prominent grille and a dramatically-revised interior let you know that this is a fully-modern Audi.

2) The 2016 Audi TT Comes as a Roadster, Too

Not everyone likes to feel cooped-up when barreling down a canyon road, which is why the 2016 Audi TT can also be had as a two-seat roadster. Trading in the Audi TT coupe's vestigial rear accommodations for a folding canvas top is an easy choice for sun-lovers, and the power close-and-open feature takes a mere 10 seconds to go from dark to light. Trunk space isn't all that bad for a small convertible, as even with the top down you should able to fit an overnight bag or two in the cargo compartment.

3) The 2016 Audi TT Sits on an All-New Chassis

Underpinning the 2016 Audi TT is the brand's new MQB platform, which is shared with corporate parent Volkswagen across a wide range of small hatchbacks, sedans, and even crossovers. The big benefit of the stiffened MQB setup is a focus on keeping curb weights low, and in the Audi TT coupe that translates into 3,200 lbs for the base model. The TT's mass is also well-distributed, allowing for a near balance between the front and rear axles that translates into more predictable handling, and the vehicle's electric power steering system has been specifically tuned to offer better feedback than was found in past models.

4) The 2016 Audi TT Features Turbo Power

The 2016 Audi TT is offered with a single drivetrain, but that's hardly an issue considering that it's a turbocharged four-cylinder mill intended to punch up performance while maintaining the coupe's low-mass mantra. The Audi TT squeezes 220 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque from its 2.0-liter mill, with the latter figure coming on low enough in the powerband to convince you there's a larger lump sitting under the hood. A six-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission is standard with each and every TT model, which could discourage those who prefer a more traditional third pedal when selecting a sports car.

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5) The 2016 Audi TT Offers Standard All-Wheel Drive

Aiding and abetting the 2016 Audi TT's 258 lb-ft of torque in their quest to hook up with the pavement is standard quattro all-wheel drive. Audi has specifically programmed the all-wheel drive setup in the TT to make use of a center clutch system that can shuttle 100 percent of engine output to either the front or rear wheels depending on what the traction situation calls for. This makes for a more natural feel behind the wheel when flogging the Audi TT hard, without compromising its ability to make short work of slippery road conditions.

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6) The 2016 Audi TT Ups the Performance Ante With Dynamic Mode

If you want to unleash the full havoc of the 2016 Audi TT, then you'll want to make sure to engage the car's Dynamic Mode. Accessible via the Audi Drive Select system (standard across the board), Dynamic Mode sharpens the transmission's shift points, sends the majority of the turbocharged motor's torque to the rear wheels by default, sweetens the engine's melody, and instructs the brakes to vector torque and limit any wheel spin that might work its way into the equation. The end result is 0-60 mph in a brisk 5.3 seconds, along with exceptional cornering grip.

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7) The 2016 Audi TT Introduces Digital Cockpit Technology

The most impressive aspect of the 2016 Audi TT's interior is its new Digital Cockpit system. The Audi Digital Cockpit consists of a 12.3-inch LED screen positioned directly in front of the driver that replaces both traditional analog gauges and a center stack panel. In fact, the display blurs the lines between vehicle data, infotainment, and communications by mixing it all together in a configurable - and dynamic - fashion, with the ability to push what you see around the screen to focus on what's most important in the moment. The Digital Cockpit combines with the Audi MMI multimedia system and lets driver interact with it via a knob on the center console combined with steering wheel controls.

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8) The 2016 Audi TT Can Be Packed With Options

The 2016 Audi TT is well-equipped right out of the box, but if you're looking for a few extra gadgets and features, there are a variety of options packages that can be added to the car's spec sheet. Installing the Technology package provides a navigation system, a rearview camera, a telematics system, parking assistance, and a blind spot monitoring system, while the S Sport Seat package offers nicer leather throughout the interior as well as more supportive front buckets. The Design Selection package combines what the S Sport Seat package has to offer with a neck warmer (for the roadster), even more leather in the cabin, as well as upscale interior trim.

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9) The 2016 Audi TTS is Coming

Although initially only the standard version of the 2016 Audi TT will hit American showrooms, it will eventually be followed by the Audi TTS. Designed to turn up the wick on the coupe's performance, the Audi TTS boosts its 2.0-liter turbocharged engine output to nearly 300 horses, allowing it to slice nearly a full second off of the sprint to 60 mph (as compared to the base TT). Torque is up too, to 280 lb-ft, while transmission choice remains a six-speed DCT (alongside standard AWD). Rounding out the performance goodies is a magnetically-adaptive suspension system, which isn't available with the entry-level car.

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10) The 2016 Audi TT is More Affordable Than You'd Think

The 2016 Audi TT coupe starts at an MSRP of $42,900, with a $3,500 premium to pay for the privilege of dropping the top on the TT Roadster. This makes the Audi TT nearly $10,000 cheaper than the entry-level Porsche Cayman, a similarly-sized two-door sports car that it bests in a straight line (and which can't match the TT's tech quotient). As far as European luxury coupes go, the TT is difficult to match in terms of value, with only larger and less quick models like the BMW 228i managing to slip in under the Audi's price point.

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