New Audi TT

All told, it's quite a pleasing new look for Audi's pin-up boy, and though there's nothing dramatically different about it, the new TT still manages to impress with its compact and sporty image, and is bigger too, measuring 4,178mm in length (an increase of 137mm), and 1,842mm in width (up 78mm).

Beyond the visual updates, Audi has tinkered with the TT's driveline, which gives both models - the blown 2.0-litre and the 3.2-litre bent six - improved performance.

Featuring the same 2.0-litre turbocharged, intercooled engine that powers VW's impressive Golf GTI, the entry-level TFSI Audi TT generates 200 ponies, or 147kW, which is coupled with a 6-speed manual gearbox delivering power to the front wheels. Audi reckons this model can accelerate to 100km/h front standstill in 6.4 seconds, which is not to be baulked at, with a top speed of 240km/h.

Much of the new TT's speed can be attributed to the extensive use of aluminium. For instance the new TT body sits atop a rigid ASF (Audi space frame), which is comprised of a mixture of steel and aluminium; Audi says that 69 per cent of the superstructure is made of aluminium, where the remaining 31 per cent steel components hang over the rear end to improve its front to rear weight bias.

The second model on offer will be powered by Audi's 184kW/250bhp 3.2-litre V6, and unlike its 4-cylinder sibling it will be an AWD model, or should I say quattro. The larger V6 engine cuts the TT's 0-100km/h sprint by an impressive seven tenths of a second, taking the time to 5.7 seconds, and cannot surpass 250km/h thank to an electronic governor. Like the turbo four, the 6-cylinder TT comes as standard with a 6-speed manual transmission, but Audi has indicated that both models can be optioned with its S tronic dual-clutch gearbox, which sounds suspiciously like a second generation version of the dual-clutch DSG.