All that talk about expanding the Audi TT range may have been more than just lip service. It’s certainly looking like Audi’s->ke14 intentions for the TT are becoming clearer and clearer with the release of the third TT-based concept at the 2014 Paris Motor Show->ke227 in October. The new concept, called the TT Sportback Concept, follows in the footsteps of the Allroad Shooting Brake Concept and the Offroad Concept, which made their debuts at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show->ke222 and the 2014 Beijing Motor Show,->ke2062 respectively.

That makes three TT-based concepts to debut this year alone, adding even more credence to increasing sentiment that Audi’s planning to expand the TT line in the future. Sure, the TT is great, but it more of a great thing actually better??

Updated 10/01/2014: The new TT Sportback was unveiled at the 2014 Paris Auto Show. Check the official details after the jump.

Click past the jump to read more about the Audi TT Sportback Concept.

2014 Audi TT Sportback Concept

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 Audi TT Sportback Concept
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 400 @ 6400
  • Torque: 331 @ 2400
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The TT Sportback Concept is yet another step in a new direction with the TT "brand." This concept resembles the base TT Coupe, but a closer examination exposes a car that is drastically different that its two-door, production sibling.

Up front the TT Sportback has a revised fascia that features a slightly widened Singleframe grille that features a dark-chrome honeycomb insert in the place of the horizontal bars on the TT Coupe. This helps broaden the Sportback and give it a tougher appearance than the Coupe while still retaining the sporty nature of the TT.

Other changes up front include a set of revised laser headlights that follow the grille surround with an inward angle on their inner edges as opposed to the outward angle of the Coupe's headlights. These laser headlights activate at speeds just above 37 mph to boost nighttime vision. The front apron is also totally redesigned, as it features a it features a one-piece lower air intake with a splitter that loops around on each end of the intake. This one-piece grille and splitter really add to the widening effect Audi was shooting for with this concept.

From the side, the TT Sportback Concept sets itself apart from the TT Coupe in clearer ways. The most obvious distinguishing characteristic is the extra set of doors. Additionally, the roof is stretched and slightly flattened to give the extra space needed for the rear doors and rear-passenger headroom. The C-pillars are also pushed rearward just a touch, and meet the rear quarters of the car a little further back than on the TT Coupe.

Around back the changes are equally obvious, as the way the lip of the trunk meets the rear fascia almost resembles that of the A7. Additionally, the taillights are modified to better match the headlights and feature a connecting piece that strikes through the Audi four-ring logo. These one-piece taillights include vertical separators that borrow their design from the R18. The bumper is also wholly different, thanks to a body line that swoops down from the taillights and underlines the license plate area. The bumper also houses new-look, oval exhaust pipes inside a dare-I-say "tacky" insert.

The TT Sportback measures 4.47 meters (176 inches) long, 1.89 meters (74.4 inches) wide and 1.38 meters (54.3 inches) tall. This new body rides atop a 2.63-meter (92.9-inch) wheelbase. These dimensions make the TT Sportback 11.4 inches longer, 2.4 inches wider and 1.2 inches shorter in height than the TT Coupe. It also has a 4.7-inch longer wheelbase than the TT Coupe to make more room for the rear seats.

Overall, I think that Audi didn't do a terrible job at turning the TT Coupe into a five-door Sportback, but I feel the TT is best left in its two current designs: coupe and roadster.

2016 Audi TT Coupe

Exterior Dimensions

Length

4,470 MM (14.7 ft)

Width

1,890 MM (6.2 ft)

Height

1,380 MM(4.5 ft)

Wheelbase

2,630 MM (8.6 ft)


Interior

The TT Sportback's cabin looks like a great place to spend some time. Much like the TT Coupe, the TT Sportback features a 2+2 seating configuration, but unlike the Coupe, the rear seats in the Sportback seem to have bearable amounts of headroom.

The seats are wrapped in soft, diamond-quilted leather in a parchment color, while the bolsters are trimmed in a dark-grey leather. The dashboard and upper door trims are slathered in grey leather as well. This two-tone look adds a touch of sportiness and class to the TT's cabin. Speaking of top-grade materials, the shoulders of the doors are covered in Alcantara.

Technology-wise, Audi didn't reveal too much. We did learn that the TT Sportback has the newest 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that replaces the bulky MMI monitor. The driver can control the digital cluster using buttons on the steering wheel. Alternatively, the driver can control the cluster using the MMI terminal or the touchpad on the rotary push-button with finger gestures.

On a whole, the TT Sportback's cabin is very similar to the TT Coupe's cabin, save for a few tech upgrades and more premium materials. It is simple, clean and functional; just the way Audi cabins are supposed to be.

Drivetrain

Under the hood of the TT Sportback is a familiar sight in the 2.0-liter TFSI engine. But this isn't the same 211-horsepower engine you'll find in the TT Coupe; rather, this engine puts out an outlandish 400 horses at 6,400 revs and 332 pound-feet of twist between 2,400 and 6,000 rpm. Just north of idle -- 1,900 rpm to be precise -- this 2.0-liter engine can put down 221 pound-feet of torque, resulting in incredible launches and easy access to the powerband.

This 2.0-liter TFSI underwent huge upgrades to reach these outstanding numbers. The mods include aluminum pistons with integrated cooling channels, an ultra-high-strength steel crankshaft, a free-flowing cylinder head, and a revised turbocharger that produces 1.8 bar (26.1 PSI) of relative boost pressure.

The power hits the pavement after traveling through a seven-speed S tronic transmission that swaps cogs in hundredths of a seconds and Audi's quattro AWD system. To help balance out the weight, Audi repositioned the quattro system's electronically controlled multi-plate clutch on the rear axle.

This drivetrain allows the Audi TT Sportback Concept to hit 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds. Great performance isn't all this concept hangs its hat on, as it also delivers 33.6 U.S. mpg and emits only 162 grams of CO2 per km.

Drivetrain/Specifications

Type

2.0 TFSI

Output

400 HP @ 6,400 RPM

Torque

331.9 LB-FT @ 2,400 - 6,000 RPM

Fuel consumption

7.0 l/100 km (33.6 US mpg)

CO2 emissions

162 gr/km

0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph)

3.9 seconds


Competitors

BMW 5 Series

Wouldn’t it be cool if Audi decided to build a production version of the TT Sportback Concept and line it up against the BMW 5 Series. I don’t know how jealous the A6 would be, but a production TT Sportback Concept would be a fresh competitor to the BMW stalwart.

The current 5 Series didn’t feature a whole lot of styling improvements in its latest facelift. But it did get a new engine, albeit a relatively small one at that.

But that’s not the 5 Series version I see as capable of competing against a production TT Sportback Concept. If the 400-horsepower output on the Audi concept makes it to production, it would make for a sweet competitor to another 5 Series version, the 550i.

The top-of-the-line 5er is powered by a 4.4-liter V-8 that produces in excess of 450 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. That allows the 550i to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just five seconds with a top speed that is limited to 155 mph.

The BMW 5 Series 550i retails for $64,825 for the standard configuration and $67,125 for the xDrive model.

Jaguar XF

Under its current configuration, the Jaguar XF doesn’t look like a suitable competitor to the TT Sportback Concept. But since Jaguar’s already planning for a new-look XF by 2017, that could be the time when these two models stare each other down. That would be a sight to behold and one that I’m willing to pay to see.

For now, though, the current XF continues to gain traction as a midsize luxury sedan while the TT Sportback Concept is still in its prototype stage without any concrete plans of production anytime soon.

The XF currently has an impressive look that’s a lot better than what it used to be. Under its hood, it comes packed with a meaty, 5.0-liter, V-8 engine that produces 385 horsepower, enough power to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds to go with a top speed of 155 mph.

A more powerful version of the XF comes with the same 5.0 V-8 albeit modified to produce 510 horsepower and a 0-to-60-mph time of just 4.7 seconds.

Conclusion

I am a huge fan of the TT Coupe and Roadster, so one would think that I would love any TT Concept. Well, that's not the case. While I love the idea of expanding the TT lineup, I feel making it into a sedan is a tad over the top. One with a higher ride height would be great for soft-roading and a track-ready model would be great too, but there is no argument for a four-door TT.

Having said that, there are some parts of this concept that I love. The 400-horsepower engine is nothing short of amazing; the cabin is stunning; and that new front apron design is pretty sharp. There are certainly some good points here, Audi, but on a whole the TT Sportback is a flop in my book.