The Audi TT Shooting Brake Concept is an amalgam. Defined:

Amalgam n.
A combination of diverse elements; a mixture: an amalgam of strength, reputation, and commitment to ethical principles. See synonyms at mixture.

But you knew that, so let’s dispense with the formalities. I am really disappointed with the exterior styling of this car. The overall appearance is OK but just doesn’t fit with the old or new Audi lineups. It’s as if, at the concept meeting, everyone was asked to bring different cars they liked, and those included the Euro Ford Focus (headlights), the BMW 1 Series (side sculpting), Volvo XC90 (the overall taillight to back window area), Maybach Exelero (grille), and Mazda 3 (side window lines). None of these cars are particularly bad; in fact, most of them are very decent. I’m also not saying that car companies can’t ‘borrow’ styling cues from other vehicles; more power to them if they make the car look better. In this case, however, they don’t. The style seems too borrowed from other vehicles, so much so that it hardly even feels like a TT anymore. I guess they tried to bring it back a little with the taillights and the hipline, but it doesn’t have the distinctiveness of the current car.

And why the shooting brake bodystyle? They already have one of those – it’s called the A3. There’s also that GTI thing that sister VW has. Not that I don’t like the idea, but it didn’t seem to work out so hot for the M Coupe – the mid-luxury sporty touring car game seems more receptive to a more conventional profile (current Audi TT, Acura RSX, Cayman S, etc). The 2-door wagon look in this iteration makes it look very downmarket, like it should be competing with Civics and Scions rather than its intended competitors. And the grille. Dear lord, that grille. Why? Why why why why why? I just don’t get it. And now it’s got chrome on it? Was that necessary? It just gets worse and worse, but at the same time, it can only get better from here.

On the good side of things is the interior. Gorgeous, from what I can tell. The last new Audi interior I really liked before this was that of the A8, and then they got all lopsided and swoopy with the new A6. I like the subtle mixing of materials rather than the high contrast, almost overdone look of the original TT. I also notice that rather than the shield shape on the steering wheel as other new Audis have, this uses the traditional (circa 2002) chrome circle. Thank you for that. Just get rid of the nav and we’ll call it a day.

I’m so hard on Audi, but they make it so easy. Like kicking a dog with no legs, and it’s losing its hair and overweight and ugly so you don’t feel real bad about doing so.