2015 Audi TT : Sketches reveal evolutionary styling for new coupe

The new third-generation Audi TT appears strikingly similar to the car it replaces at a quick glance, though a longer look at these two sketches, first seen on UK site Autocar, show the car will bear a sharper front-end design, more angular rear and steeply sloping roofline - all of which appear to be heavily influenced by Audi's recent Sport Quattro concept coupe. The car's slim headlights, single-frame six-point grille and bold air intakes also have a hint of RS 7 Sportback about them, while the four-ring emblem resides on the bonnet, just like the TT's big brother, the R8.

The bulged wheel arches are intersected by a headlight-to-tail-light crease that is designed to give the car more presence in profile, and we'd expect it to boast large wheels to fill those substantial pumped arches. The rear is expected to feature a wide opening liftback boot - like that seen on the A5 and A7 Sportback models - while the flat-bottomed LED tail-lights appear larger than the current model and help make the car look suctioned to the ground at the back end.

The new TT will reportedly be built on parent company Volkswagen Group's MQB modular underpinnings, and Autocar says the new model will use a unique floorpan made using a combination of high-strength steel and aluminium.

The size of the isn't expected to change dramatically compared with the current version, which measures 4198 millimetres long, 1842mm wide and 1342mm tall. The car is also expected to be lighter than the current version, which weighs about 1260 kilograms, by incorporating a greater use of lightweight components, including an electric power steering system.

Engines are expected to remain largely four-cylinder turbocharged units, with suggestions of a 132kW 1.8-litre and a 162kW 2.0-litre, the latter already seen in the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Six-speed manual and six-speed dual-clutch S Tronic automatic gearboxes will likely be offered, with front- or all-wheel-drive also expected. An S model, the TT S, will add more zing with a 2.0-litre turbo producing 221kW of power, while a TT RS with its iconic 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo producing at least 265kW looking likely for a 2015 launch.

Audi has already shown what the interior of the new TT will look like, with the innovative A3-derived cockpit to feature a multimodal 12.0-inch information screen and temperature dials integrated into the car's air-vents.

The coupe debuts at the Geneva motor show in early March, while the TT Roadster should show up at the 2014 Paris motor show in September.

The new Audi TT should arrive on sale in Australia towards the end of 2014.