Audi TT 2000 News

The popular Audi and Volkswagen tuning fest, Austria's Wörthersee Tour, will see a number of interesting vehicles presented this year, the highlight of which will be a lightweight Audi TT concept. Audi is believed to be planning a lightweight version of its next-generation TT sports car and many of the lightweight design elements of that future car are likely present on this new concept, which is based on the current generation of the TT. The concept is called the TT ultra quattro, with “ultra” being the name used by Audi for its lightweight construction methodology. The vehicle has a curb weight of just 1,111kg, despite it packing a turbocharged engine and all-wheel-drive system. Peak output from the car’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine is 228kW and 400Nm, which in the lightweight body sees the 0-96 km/h sprint take just 4.2 seconds (1.3 seconds faster than stock). Each of the car’s kilowatts has just 4.87kg to carry. To reduce weight, engineers stripped the car of some non-essentials and replaced parts of the structure using lighter materials in line with the automaker’s evolving multi-material construction techniques. Regular steel ended up being replaced with carbon fibre, magnesium and aluminium. Engineers also stuck with a regular manual transmission but swapped the TT’s seats for lightweight units from the R8 GT. Interestingly, air conditioning, electric window controls and an electromechanical parking brake are still fitted. One key difference is present, however. The exterior mirrors have been replaced by compact cameras that transfer the images directly into the digital cockpit. More than 23kg were saved in the engine alone, by replacing parts like the crankcase, crankshaft, balancer shafts, flywheel, oil sump and several nuts and bolts with lighter units. The suspension was also replaced with a lighter setup, some parts of which are made from fibreglass-reinforced plastic. More savings come from carbon ceramic brakes, a titanium system and wheels made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic and aluminium. Total weight savings add up to 300kg. Finally, engineers also worked to hone the handling of the TT. They have taken away weight from the ends of the car and moved it into the middle. The lithium-ion starter battery, for example, is now located in the interior under the driver’s seat. It is much smaller than a lead battery and weighs as little as 4kg The 2013 Wörthersee Tour will take place from May 8-11. Also on show will be the legendary Sport quattro S1, the latest RS line of cars and the race-winning R18 e-tron quattro. www.motorauthority.com

With this $70,900 addition to the TT range, Audi is claiming the ground for having the first turbodiesel sports car on the road. They are also claiming fuel supremacy, pointing out that they now have 21 models under the 7l/100km bar, while BMW has only nine and Mercedes-Benz has eight. The common-rail engine in the TT TDI develops 125kW of power at 4200rpm and 350Nm of torque at 1750-2500rpm, which gets it to 100km/h in 7.5 secs and to a top speed of 226km/h. However it uses just 5.3L/100km – making it the most frugal engine in the Audi range apart from the 1.9TDIe. A variable vane turbocharger, electriconically controlled, adjusts exhaust gas flow for fast spooling and torque build-up, while swirl flaps control tumble effect. It has a high level of exhaust gas recirculation, and lower combustion temperature, both of which join with the diesel particulate filter in taming emissions to 139g/km. A short-throw six-speed manual transmission drives all four corners through Audi’s signature quattro drive, with its hydraulic multi-plate clutch rear-mounted for better weight distribution. Sadly, there’s no DSG version, as – while Audi admits they have other 2.0-litre turbodiesels with the twin-clutch gearbox – they believe the manual six is the 'best combination for that sports car 2 TDI'. Like the other TT models, the body uses space frame technology, with the body shell 69 per cent aluminium and 31 per cent steel — with the steel section all at the rear to aid the weight distribution – resulting in a total weight of 1370kg and high rigidity. Equipment includes 17” alloys wheels, Bluetooth, electrically retractable rear spoiler, six-CD changer and all the usual goodies. But there is a long range of options to trick up the car – and the price – including magnetic ride suspension at $3178 and a nav/inof/entertainment system for $4450 Audi is aiming for sales of 500 TT Coupes this year, with about 60 Roadsters on top of that, which would bring them about level with last year’s sales. And they’re tracking well so far, with 387 sold. They expect the TDI to account for 15 per cent of sales, with the 2.0 TFSI taking point at 50 per cent, the TTS at 20 per cent, and the new entry level 1.8 TFSI at 15 per cent. But with the TDI they are looking for a different buyer, marketing head Immo Buschmann says. “This is for the person who is looking for emotion of a sportscar but also does a lot of driving and so is looking at fuel cost and environment,” he says. “They will be confident enough to drive a diesel sportscar, technologically-oriented so they understand the tech, and – dare I say — more intelligent.” But Audi is also embarking on an education process to ‘continue to communicate about progressive performance and diesel’, with a targeted approach to current TT owners or those in other segments with TDI engine. And there are plenty of those, with TDI taking up a fair share in models across the Audi stable. Diesel accounts for 97 per cent of the A8, 93 per cent of the Q7, 53 per cent of the Q5 and 41 per cent of both the A5 and A6. Also joining the TT family is the 1.8-litre TFSI, which becomes the new entry level for the range at $64,900. The engine – borrowed from the A3 and A4 is a 118kW/250Nm compact and light unit that – also mated to a six-speed manual transmission – has a 0-100km/h time of 7.2 seconds, and logs an official fuel figure of 6.7l/100km. The third newcomer is the $76,900 2.0 TFSI quattro which joins its front-wheel twin with 147kW and 280Nm mated to a S-tronic transmission. And there’s a Roadster version on the way at $81,900.  

Audi says the 2.0 TDI quattro coupe and roadster are the first production sports cars in the world to be powered by diesel engines. And it's quite a powerplant, if the numbers are any indication - the two-litre, four-cylinder offers 125kW of power and a decent 350Nm of torque. That's enough for a 0-100km/h sprint of 7.5 seconds and a 226km/h top speed for the 1370kg Coupe, or 7.7 seconds for the 1415kg Roadster, which claims a 223km/h top speed. The TDI engine comes into its own on thirst. A fuel consumption figure claimed by Audi is just 5.3 litres/100km. Both are built with what Audi calls “hybrid design.” It uses an aluminium forward structure and a steel rear end, which the company says aids weight distribution. The TDI version of the TT is on Audi Australia's wish list and was described as “likely” as the company wants to develop its turbodiesel presence in Australia. The TT range also will be expanded on the petrol engine front, with the introduction of a model with more performance than that provided by the 1.8-litre turbo four or the 3.2-litre V6. A TTS quattro will soon be added to the shopping list, with a two-litre TFSI direct-injection turbocharged engine producing 200kW and 350Nm, which will be available from 2500rpm through to 5000rpm. The two-litre powerplant has been strengthened and re-engineered to offer higher performance in the TTS quattro, with work done on the head, block, rods and pistons, with the turbocharger boost up to as much as 1.2 bar and an upgraded intercooler. The intake and exhaust systems have also been revamped to provide better breathing. Although the torque figure is identical to the new TDI model, having 200kW of power on tap helps get the TTS to 100km/h in a claimed 5.2 seconds when driving through the optional dual-clutch S tronic gearbox, on the way to a top speed of 250km/h. The TTS also is fitted with a magnetic ride adaptive damping system, which Audi says will provide a decent ride quality in standard mode. Opt for the “Sport” setting and the TTS drops its sports suspension ride height by 10mm and delivers dynamic handling, according to the German manufacturer. Aluminium is used extensively in the front suspension construction and high-performance brakes sit behind the 18in alloy wheels. The TTS models are expected in Australian Audi showrooms from next month; June 2008.  

The TT Clubsport quattro concept was unveiled to a gathering of VW faithful at the annual enthusiasts' meet at Worthersee in Austria. The sleek, roofless derivative of the TT Roadster pays unabashed homage to classic speedster styling, the most famous of which came from Porsche. Audi claims to have produced a purist driving machine with a beautiful, basic design that includes a pillar-less, wraparound windscreen and clean, muscular design front to back. The Clubsport's presence is enhanced by an 80mm-wider front and rear track compared to the production TT, along with expansive front air inlets and broad fenders housing 20-inch wheels wrapped in 265/30 rubber. The brake discs are ceramic, a first for Audi, and under the bonnet is a version of the 2.0-litre engine of the year: the TFSI direct injection turbocharged petrol found in the S3. Power is boosted to 224kW. Racing bucket seats, four-point belts and widespread use of aluminium give the interior a purposeful look. The gear lever and gate styling is borrowed from the Audi R8. While Audi is saying that consideration is being given to a limited production run of the Clubsport, it is more likely that the pure design will suffer a similar fate to the beautiful F-type Jaguar concept penned by Ian Callum. Cost and the practical constraints of building a car to meet both safety and design regulations in a range of markets threaten the very purity that gives such concepts their appeal.