Audi has lifted the veils off the promised crossover concept for the Beijing Auto Show and the name chosen is quite surprising: TT Offroad Concept. It’s the first time a TT-badged vehicle gets four doors, with Audi saying the study combines “the sportiness of a coupe with the lifestyle and utility of a compact SUV.”

Similar in size to the Audi Q3 (4.39 meters/16.2 ft long, 1.85 meters/6.1 ft wide and a 2.63 meters/8.6 ft wheelbase), the Audi TT Offroad Concept does differ significantly in height, as it is 1.53 meters (5.0 ft) tall, 80mm (3.2 in) shorter than the Q3. The TT Offroad Concept is thus 290mm (11.4 in) shorter than the BMW X4, so we’re not really sure it will be its direct competitor.

The study features design cues from the TT Coupé, including the shape of the grille and of the headlights/taillights, as well as the interior.

The vehicle’s plug-in hybrid drive combines two electric motors with a 288hp (292PS) 2.0-liter TFSI engine for a system output of 300 kW (408PS/402hp) and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque. A separating clutch links the transverse 2.0 TFSI to an electric motor producing 40 kW (54hp) and 220 Nm (162 lb‑ft) of torque.

The disc-shaped electric motor is integrated into the six-speed e‑S tronic, which sends the torque to the front wheels. On the rear axle there is a second electric motor independent of this drive unit which produces a maximum of 85 kW (114hp) and 270 Nm (199 lb‑ft).

Average fuel economy is rated at just 1.9 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (123.8 US mpg), equivalent to 45 grams of CO2 per kilometer (72.4 g/mile). The Audi TT Offroad Concept can drive over 50 kilometers (31 miles) solely on electric power, while total driving range is up to 880 kilometers (547 miles).

Performance-wise, the concept car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.2 seconds and reaches an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

So should we expect the TT Offroad Concept to be produced or not? Probably yes. “The Audi TT offroad concept provides a glimpse of how we might imagine a new model in the future TT family. It combines the sporty genes of the TT with the strengths of a compact Audi SUV,” explains Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development.

By Dan Mihalascu

PHOTO GALLERY