SPY PICS: Audi TT updated

A facelift for Audi’s TT wisely seems to concentrate on refinements, rather than dramatic visual changes.

Supposedly due to go on sale in Europe in 2019, the mild update for the company’s sports coupe/convertible is rumoured to concentrate on mechanical improvements rather than highly conspicuous styling changes.

There is talk, for example, of Audi dropping the current base-level 1.8-litre turbo-petrol engine (not sold in Australia) and replacing it with the 210kW 2.0-litre version, dismissing the dry-clutch DSG transmission and taking a hard look at the future of the current turbo-diesel (not available here either). Speculation is also growing in respect of the rorty turbo-petrol five-cylinder 2.5-litre used in the quattro TT RS. The five-pot powerplant could be tweaked to lift the power rating beyond the current model’s 294kW to more than 300kW.

Cladding on the car photographed at the Nurburgring in Germany indicates there will be changes to the front and rear ends of the TT, although they will likely be minor – which is reasonable, given it’s such a nicely resolved, minimalist design already.

In a market segment dominated by the likes of Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupes and convertibles, BMW 4 Series coupes and convertibles and even Audi’s own A5, the TT is only a small player, selling in lower numbers than, for example, the Lexus RC coupe and Porsche’s Cayman/Boxster range.

Industry observers reckon the updated TT should appear in Europe some time during 2019, after a reveal later this year, potentially at the Paris motor show in October.