All-New Audi TT and TTS to Make US Debut at Los Angeles Auto Show as 2016 Models

Even though European buyers are currently ordering brand new TT coupes and roadsters from their local showrooms, those in America have a stockpile of the previous generation Mk2s they sell as 2015 model years.

The TT is only a small footnote for Audi, who mainly sells larger SUVs or sedans and is also a big player in the premium diesel car market. But honor demands that Americans get the same thing as the Germans.

The all-new TT, a third-generation car, will finally make its way onto US shores during the upcoming 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. Good news then? No, not really. Both coupe and roadster models will arrive as 2016 model year Audis and will go on sale in the second quarter of 2015. Until then, you're stuck with the old ones.

“The original Audi TT set a new standard for automotive design with its quintessentially clean Bauhaus lines,” said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America. “The all-new TT combines incredible technology, performance and design that epitomizes our brand and sets a new standard all its own.”

So what will these 2016 TTs be like? Faster and more technologically advanced, for starters. The Audi TT Coupe and Roadster will feature a 2.0L TFSI engine with 220 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, which is predictable. It's likely that all models will comes with standard quattro all-wheel drive and a six-speed dual clutch S tronic.

There's no word of the manual gearbox that people have been petitioning for, but Audi has plenty of time to change its mind.

Things get even weirder for the TTS. This high-performance model will only be available as a coupe, the company statement says, so no roadster. To make things worse, it's down on power as well. The output on EU models is 10 HP up over the S3's 300 (PS, European standard), but in America, the rating is the same at 292 hp (US standard).

The TTS should still be faster than the S3 Sedan because it's much lighter. But German premium car brands are known for the diversity of engines and features, which is clearly lacking on the 2016 Audi TT.