Car Magazine has scooped some pics of the early prototype of the third generation Audi TT for 2014 on test in Europe as Audi prepares its new coupe for development.

The car’s mean looking front, boasts a hectagonal singleframe grille, a pair of large low-mounted air intakes as well as wraparound combined headlamp-and-indicator units. To increase the downforce at the rear it houses an active air dam which is supported by a neatly integrated high-mounted roof spoiler.

The interior will showcase a variation of the fully animated single screen instrument panel devised for the next Audi R8 Supercar.

As for the driving performance, based on the same flexible MQB architecture as the next 2012 VW Golf Mk7 and Audi A3, the new TT relies once more heavily on four-cylinder engines. The two petrol-fed four-cylinders deliver 180 and 220bhp, the diesel develops 178hp and the racier TTS will be equipped with a 276bhp turbocharged 2.0 litre. Quattro is standard on this model and on the next TT RS, which borrows the 385bhp kraftwerk upgrade from the 2012 limited-edition.