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Meet a serious contender from Audi

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Here’s the latest on the go-faster version of Audi’s third-generation TT.

The much-garlanded 2.0-litre TFSI engine that powers the TTS packs a heavy duty 306bhp, which lifts it into the league of some seriously big hitters.

It needed to really, because the all-wheel drive 300bhp Volkswagen Golf R has raised the bar in that department. That car in itself was developed in response to BMW’s 296bhp M135i/M235i, so we’ve got a German arms race going on amongst compact hatches and coupes.

This coupe will hit a top speed of 155mph, with 62mph taking 4.6 seconds. The quattro drivetrain has come in for some upgrades to increase driver involvement.

By networking quattro drive with Audi drive select, the driver of the Audi TT can adjust the operating parameters of the all-wheel-drive system to one of five modes.

In the “auto” setting, optimum traction and balanced driving dynamics are given priority. In “dynamic” mode, torque is distributed to the rear axle earlier and to a higher degree.

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In the drive select “efficiency” mode, the system can temporarily shut down the quattro set-up if conditions suit this.

Audi’s magnetic ride adaptive damper control system is standard and has been improved in terms of characteristic spread, control dynamics and precision as well as user friendliness.

There’s also Audi Progressive Steering fitted as standard and there’s a six-speed manual gearbox or optional six-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission.

The TTS manages to look a little more athletic than its less powerful siblings. That might be due to the lowered ride height, the TTS-specific front and rear bumper assemblies or possibly the 19in Star S design alloys, but your eyes will also alight on the small details like the aluminium-effect door mirror cappings, the TTS badging and the high-gloss radiator grille.

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All-weather LED headlights give the front end a piercing stare and the rear light pods are all LED.

Prices kick off at around £39,000 for the TTS coupe, so there’s a big £6,500 jump over the cost of a sporty S line-trimmed version of the standard 230bhp 2.0 TFSI TT Coupe model.

Standard equipment includes the Audi Virtual Cockpit with its third TTS-specific screen and a decent stereo with eight speakers including two door-mounted woofers and a five-channel amp in the glovebox.

There’s a whole stack of ways of getting your music files to the speakers, including Bluetooth and AUX-In. A DAB radio is a good backup for those days when you’re bored by your playlists.

Other equipment highlights include an extended leather package, an auto dimming rear-view mirror, inlays in brushed aluminium, TTS badges on the steering wheel, a retractable rear spoiler, Audi Lane Assist, tyre pressure monitoring, heated front seats and an Isofix child seat mount on the front passenger seat, along with airbag deactivation.

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The TTS returns some decent efficiency figures for a car with such a knockout accelerative punch.

Emissions on the manual coupe are rated at 164g/km and the S tronic fares even better, recording 157g/km.

There are two specific TTS colours (Sepang Blue pearl and Vegas Yellow) that will doubtless be in demand, while the Super Sports seats can be finished in Black, Rotor Grey and Express Red for no additional charge.

The Audi TTS isn’t a car that real petrolheads have taken particularly seriously in the past.

Quickish, but a bit inert was the verdict on the previous generation car. This latest TTS looks to be built from more talented stock.

There’s no doubt whatsoever that it possesses a better chassis and Audi has learned a lot about integrating electronics while still preserving a natural feel to the handling balance in recent years.

You might well ask what advantage the Audi TTS really confers over, say, a Volkswagen Golf R but sit in one and the penny will drop. It’s just a more special place to be and feels a good deal more expensive.

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Faster than a Porsche Cayman GTS to 62mph, the TTS coupe feels like a relative bargain at less than £40,000 – less than the base Cayman and with stacks more kit. And four-wheel drive. And a better warranty.

It’s fair to say that the time is right to shake off a few of the old preconceptions.

Facts & figures

Model: Audi TTS quattro Coupe

Price: From £39,000

Engine: 2.0-litre TFSI unit producing 306bhp

Performance: 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds; top speed 155mph

Economy: 39.8mpg

CO2 rating: 164g/km