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Audi had two introductions at the November 2006 version of the Los Angeles Auto Show, to excite the senses of sports car drivers preferring both closed and open top driving, as well as expanding budgets from under $50,000 to well over $100,000.

TT Convertible
Audi introduced the 2008 TT in Berlin just ahead of the New York auto show, where it was displayed for U.S. buyers. There’s quite a delay between that launch and sales, however, as Audi of America decided to launch coupe and convertible together. And here in Los Angeles, we got our first look at the convertible. (Both go on sale in late spring or early summer in the States.)

The TT convertible eschews the current craze for power retractable hardtops and launches with a softtop. As with the coupe, two engines are expected to be available for U.S. buyers, including a 200HP 2.0L turbo-charged direct-injection four-cylinder and a 250HP 3.2L direct-injection V6. The 2.0L is a standard front-driver, while opting for the V6 gets quattro all-wheel drive. The standard transmission is a six-speed manual, with Audi’s terrific six-speed automated manual, now called S-tronic instead of DSG, available as an option.

R8 Supercar
AutoPacific brought you the Paris reveal of this supercar (click here), but this is the first U.S. auto show introduction for Audi’s new superstar, the R8. The R8 is the production evolution of a concept that was first shown in Frankfurt in 2003 as the LeMans Quattro. With this car, Audi is taking on the Porsche 911 with a thoroughly sleek, modern shape and automobile. The R8 uses an aluminum space frame like the concept did and is related to the Lamborghini Gallardo, though the two diverged substantially between development and production. While the model launches with Audi’s direct-injection 420HP 4.2L V8, more powertrains will join the range down the road.