Audi has just released a batch of images of its new facelifted TT ahead of the car landing with dealers towards the end of this year. In typical teaser image fashion, Audi released a cryptic rear quarter shot of the car Tuesday, but now the changes for the new model year can be clearly seen in the new release on what is the 20th anniversary of the iconic Audi sports car.
Perhaps the most obvious change to the exterior styling of the TT is the adoption of Audi's popular honeycomb front grille in place of the familiar horizontal bar design of the current model. Beyond that the changes are subtle to say the least, with modestly redesigned front and rear bumpers and minor changes to the standard and optional lights. Matrix LED lights are now being made available, while OLED rear lamps have been added to the TT's list of available features for the first time. There are some new alloy wheel designs, which are further complemented with the addition of three new colors of Turbo Blue, Pulse Orange and Cosmos Blue.
Changes under the bodywork will see the diesel and petrol engines with the lowest power ratings dropped from the lineup as the 2.0 TFSI becomes the only engine in the range. A move Audi's TT product manager Jens Meier says is to "simplify the range." The German automaker isn't linking the changes to the engine lineup to the new WLTP emissions standard, but it's hard to believe the new, more stringent regime hasn't been a major factor in Audi deciding to stick with just the 2.0 TFSI.
The engine will come in three different flavors in the 40 TFSI, 45 TFSI and S models. The entry level 40 TFSI gets a 194 bhp version of the 2.0-liter engine, while the 45 TFSI gets 245 bhp. The most potent version is reserved for the TT S and boasts 302 bhp, but due to a new particulate filter that's actually 4 bhp less than it is in the current version.
There will also be a high-performance TT RS that's set to keep faith with the current turbocharged five-cylinder engine, but the updated version of the top TT model isn't due to arrive until 2019, and it's not clear if WLTP will have an adverse effect on the 394 bhp the 2.5-liter unit produces at present.
A new TT S Black Edition will sit at the top of the standard 2019 model range, and this one comes complete with LED lights, special decals, a fixed rear wing, 20-inch gloss black wheels and different leather packs for the interior.
Although the TT RS won't arrive until 2019, the rest of the TT range will be in showrooms before the end of this year.
