For this application, Audi has developed a 3.2 litre version producing 250 horsepower and shoehorned it sideways into the limited space in the TT. The VR6 has always been one of our personal favorites and it earns even more respect in this application. Silky smooth, strong and ultra-responsive, it is a sweetheart. But the big story here, one that we’ll likely see in many other vehicles and applications in the future, is the Direct Shift Gearbox.

This is quite simply one of the best transmissions in the world - of any type at any price. All manufacturers are trying to come up with transmissions that will maximize efficiency. There are a number of Continuously Variably transmissions (CVTs), and we’ve seen a growth from three-speed transmissions to six-speed manual and automatics with up to seven speeds. Now Audi has upped the ante with the DSG, which shifts faster than any manual or automatic on the market and still allows the driver to retain complete control.