A niche within a niche: sounds a bit like Inception: The Automotive Version, doesn’t it? Well, Audi is exploring new territories to offer potential customers a very wide range to choose from.
The TT Sportback can be considered either as an oddity or the world’s first true four-door coupe (if you discount the now-defunct Mazda RX-8, that is). Four-door coupes are a dime a dozen, but this is actually the real thing as it is based on a coupe rather than a more stylish, and less practical, saloon.
It debuted as a concept last year in Paris, and Audi was coy about its intentions. A report though by info.xcar.com claims that the production version will be unveiled on November 20 at the Guangzhou Auto Show.
Essentially an elongated TT Coupe with rear doors, the Sportback is 4.47 meters (176 inches) long, 1.89 meters (74.4 inches) wide, and 1.38 meters (54.3 inches) high and has a wheelbase of 2.63 meters (103.5 inches). This makes it 290mm (11.4 in) longer, 60mm (2.4 in) wider and with a 120mm (4.7 in) larger wheelbase that the Coupe, though its height is 30mm (1.2 in) lower.
The interior is exactly the same, too, the only difference being the two individual seats at the rear that look much more accommodating than the “+2” bench of the Coupe, though headroom looks to be at a premium.
Riding on the same, modular MQB platform as the Coupe and Roadster, it will obviously be capable of using the exact same power units as well as the quattro all-wheel-drive system. The Paris concept had a 400 PS (395 HP) version of the 2.0-liter TFSI under its hood, but we expect a wider range, which will probably include the 2.0 TDI Ultra diesel motor, too, to be offered eventually.
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