Photo: Theophilus Chin
Everybody knows that Audi TT coupes are for people who are careful about their outer appearance, for people who project studied negligence and love marble and zinc surfaces. Eventually, most have to graduate from the coupe into a normal family car when the kids arrive. But what if that weren't so?
A couple of weeks ago, we looked at the Audi TT four-door coupe rendering Theophilus Chin had created and told you guys why it made sense to be put into production. Now, it seems this wasn't all in our heads, since an Audi official has confirmed they are looking into it.
Speaking to AutoCar, Audi technical chief Ulrich Hackenberg said that "We are looking to see if there is more we can do. Could the TT be extended as a family car?”
This doesn't necessarily mean the TT would become a four-door coupe, since we also have to consider the shooting brake preview concept entering production. As a reminder, the third generation TT which was just revealed in Geneva was previewed in January by a sort of crossover. However, putting a bigger boot on the TT won't make it a family car in our mind.
A four-door coupe it's got to be, in our minds at least, especially since Mercedes' CLA is basically without rival right now.
Despite its iconic status, the TT needs to sell more if its existence, development and marketing to be justified, AutoCar suggests. Last year, only 18,353 units of the coupe and roadster were sold, a small in the VW pool of almost 10 million cars.
Gaining an extra pair of doors will not mean radical changes to the TT. Audi made a similar change to the A1 supermini back in 2011. The car was originally supposed to be only a 3-door, but adding a Sportback model has improved demand considerably.
The big question is: will a five-door TT overlap with the A3 range, or is there enough design difference between the two? The TT is also lower, uses a smaller wheelbase and might be lighter than the A3 sedan, thanks to a more extensive use of aluminum. Buyers might also be tempted by frameless doors and the driver-oriented cockpit, which is unique to the car. It's also technically a 5-door, since unlike the CLA the boot has a large hatch.
Speaking to AutoCar, Audi technical chief Ulrich Hackenberg said that "We are looking to see if there is more we can do. Could the TT be extended as a family car?”
This doesn't necessarily mean the TT would become a four-door coupe, since we also have to consider the shooting brake preview concept entering production. As a reminder, the third generation TT which was just revealed in Geneva was previewed in January by a sort of crossover. However, putting a bigger boot on the TT won't make it a family car in our mind.
A four-door coupe it's got to be, in our minds at least, especially since Mercedes' CLA is basically without rival right now.
Despite its iconic status, the TT needs to sell more if its existence, development and marketing to be justified, AutoCar suggests. Last year, only 18,353 units of the coupe and roadster were sold, a small in the VW pool of almost 10 million cars.
Gaining an extra pair of doors will not mean radical changes to the TT. Audi made a similar change to the A1 supermini back in 2011. The car was originally supposed to be only a 3-door, but adding a Sportback model has improved demand considerably.
The big question is: will a five-door TT overlap with the A3 range, or is there enough design difference between the two? The TT is also lower, uses a smaller wheelbase and might be lighter than the A3 sedan, thanks to a more extensive use of aluminum. Buyers might also be tempted by frameless doors and the driver-oriented cockpit, which is unique to the car. It's also technically a 5-door, since unlike the CLA the boot has a large hatch.
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