It’s the Audi TT Off-Road Concept, not the Audi Q4!

It’s the Audi TT Off-Road Concept

When Audi previewed a coupe SUV heading for a debut at the Beijing Motor Show recently, we were convinced it would be a concept version of a coupe SUV – the Audi Q2. But we were wrong. In fact, the coupe SUV heading for Beijing is the Audi TT Off-Road Concept, a concept that does exactly what it says on the tin – it looks just like a four-door TT on stilts.

Assuming the TT Off-Road is more than juts a concept – and points towards a production model – it will go up against cars like the Range Rover evoque, BMW X4 and new Porsche Macan. Serious competition in terms of both design and performance.

Audi has fitted the TT Off-=Road with a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a 2.0 litre TFSI with 288bhp mated to a 40kW electric motor with 162lb/ft of torque at the front and another electric motor with 85kW and 199lb/ft of torque at the back.

That all adds up to potential power of 402bhp and 480lb/ft of torque which, say Audi, will mean official economy of 148.7mpg, a 0-62mph not much over 5 seconds and the ability to drive as an EV for up to 30 miles.

It’s a clever – if complicated – hybrid system that even comes with wireless charging and does offer a ‘best of all worlds’ mix of performance and economy, even effectively being a ‘quattro’ 4WD  thanks to its electric motors.

Under the skin is the MQB platform and the TT Off-Road isn’t much bigger than the new TT.

But it does have a cabin with four seats – even though it all looks very much like the new TT too – and there’s even Audi’s new virtual cockpit present with its 12.3″ TFT screen and a pair of smart displays in the back for passengers’ entertainment.

It might cause confusion in Audi’s showrooms to have a TT that’s a coupe SUV rather than a coupe version of the Q range as an even-numbered coupe offering.

But Audi aren’t going to miss a niche if they can possibly help it, so don’t bank against the Tt Off-Road making production in the next couple of years.

By Cars UK