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2016 Audi TT sets new standard in cabin tech, design (pictures)

The third-generation Audi TT maintains the spirit of its predecessors' design, but moves things forward with R8 looks and a unique cabin tech interface that will ripple through the Audi lineup.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
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Audi gives its TT model a complete redesign and rebuild for its third generation, while maintaining its iconic look.

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The TT comes with a direct-injection, turbocharged 2-liter, four-cylinder engine, making 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.

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Although it uses a fixed suspension, ride comfort and handling are both excellent.

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Quattro all-wheel-drive also comes standard, and can push 100 percent of torque to the front or rear wheels.

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A corner braking system applies the brakes to the inside wheel in a turn to help handling.

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Similar to its predecessors, the TT gains practicality with a hatchback.

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There is 12 cubic feet of room in the back, but also consider the rear seats for cargo space, as passengers won't want to sit in that cramped area.

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Electric power steering uses a progressive ratio, making it easy to take even the tightest turns.

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Climate controls are cleverly integrated on the vents.

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The center of the dashboard lacks a radio head unit or climate controls, a unique design in the TT.

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The six-speed, dual-clutch transmission, which Audi calls "S tronic," includes Sport and manual modes.

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Even with the Virtual Cockpit interface, Audi retains consoles on the center console, with the all-important touchpad.

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The centerpiece of the Virtual Cockpit is an LCD panel that shows both virtual gauges and infotainment features, each system run by its own Nvidia Tegra 3 chip.

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At the push of a button the virtual gauges dominate the panel.

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Audi makes destination entry easy with a single field for alphanumeric input.

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The main menu screen lets you choose any infotainment function, all while keeping your hands on the wheel.

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Sub-menus let you browse a music library from a connected device or the car's own music storage.

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As seen on other Audi vehicles, DriveSelect lets you choose between Comfort, Auto, Sport and Individual drive modes.

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The rear view camera also shows up in the driver display.

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LED headlights come standard on the TT.

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With a base price of $42,900 in the US, the TT isn't cheap, but it does show off an incredible array of tech and excellent sports car handling.

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