The mountain roads going up to Grossglockner, Austria’s highest peak (and at 3798 m, Germany’s for that matter) are bracketed by sheer rock faces on one side and a hundred-meter drop on the other. The tarmac conditions range from dry to damp with melted snow to patched with slippery ice. A perfect backdrop, then, for the debut of the new Audi TT.

We catch our first glimpse of the all-new coupe at the Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart International Airport, four hours earlier. In contrast to the vintage-look main terminal, an ultramodern steel-and-glass eggshell hangar housed a collection of planes and Formula One cars. Planted among the fighter jets and Red Bull racers was a crimson Audi TT.

The all-new TT retains its predecessor’s sleek profile and eye-catching curves. The original car was a model of Bauhaus minimalism and seamlessly-integrated shapes. Roundness and symmetry were the TT's primary cues then.

Now Audi have superimposed some angular forms into the TT, from the inevitable gaping-mouth corporate grille to the sharply-cut headlamps. The taillights also include recessed rectangular reflectors and beam shields, meant to evoke, according to Jorge Diez of Audi’s Exterior Design Concepts team, the shape of satellites and by extension, high technology.

Front fenders originate below the bumper line, with a sharply-creased side member that sweeps up to merge with the wheel arch and continues on to the door panel. A nod to the original, all wheel arches are semi-circular and bulge out to accommodate the wide track. The front-to-rear symmetry of the original TT has been ditched in favor of sharply-defined rear haunches. Squint and the rear view is Porsche 911 Jr.

We picked up a red 3.2-liter V6 quattro for the drive to the town of Zell Am See. After a brief explanation of the satellite navigation system, we set the controls to our preferences and pointed to the direction of the autobahn. Everything fell within easy reach, and without seeing the instruction manual, we found all the switches we needed.

As befits an Audi, the cabin is meticulously finished with fine materials. All surface plastics are soft to the touch and the leather is kid-glove supple. Various shiny bits, in finely polished aluminum and stainless steel, adorn the pedals, door pulls, center console, and steering wheel. The steering wheel itself is a meaty affair with a flattened bottom rim, a styling cue borrowed from the RS 4 and Le Mans quattro concept. Even the aroma was an enticement to drive, a combination of microchip factory and English smoking room.

The front seats are snug, surrounded with plenty of leg- and elbow-room. The coupe has grown in length and width, and a good deal of it is given to the interior. Although height remains the same, the seats have been mounted lower for noticeably greater headroom. The “+2” part of the equation performs a useful function. There’s enough legroom to squeeze in two petite ladies in the back, if the front people are willing to share the space. Even then, headroom under the sharply-sloping hatch is at a premium. It’s best to use the rear seats as additional luggage space. With seats up, the trunk is enough for three mid-sized suitcases. The only challenging bit of maneuvering the TT is the tight rear quarter view but, heck—you don’t buy a coupe to look backwards.

The sleek overall profile of the TT has been retained but superimposed with more angular lines similar to other models in Audi's range.

Aggressive wheel arches are filled with equally large tires. This one's from the 2.0-liter front driver.