Audi TT 2013 News

Hot on the heels of the Australian government's mandatory Takata airbag recall, Ford, Audi and Tesla have joined the list of carmakers to detail which of it's models are affected.

A problem that could short circuit and blow fuses in the electricals of their seven-speed dual clutch gearboxes (DSGs) has prompted a safety recall by Audi for the A1, A3 and TT using that transmission.The recall affects 1549 cars in Australia built between October 2012 and April 2013, and using the DSG transmission. The fault could cause the DSG to suffer from conductive deposits forming in the control unit, causing an electrical short circuit and blown gearbox fuse -- meaning the clutch will fully open and the car will roll to a stop.Audi says in most cases, the fuse will blow immediately the engine starts up, before the car gets going. However if the vehicle is already in motion when the short circuit occurs, it could suddenly lose power to the wheels, creating a possible safety hazard to the affected car and surrounding traffic. Drivers are still able to steer and use the brakes if that happens."The work should take around 1.5 hours, and customers are still able to drive their vehicles as usual, prior to the work being carried out," Audi Australia spokesman Shaun Cleary says. "Should any customers have any concerns, they are invited to call the Audi Customer Service telephone line 1800 50 AUDI (2834) between the hours of 8am and 7pm," he says.Audi is writing to owners of the affected cars, and a service bulletin covering rectification is being issued to all Australian Audi dealers. Concerned owners should contact their nearest dealer. 

 WHAT IS IT? Audi TTWHY THE FUSS? Third-generation speedsterWHEN'S IT HERE? Early 2015HOW MUCH? About $65,000.The third-generation of the hairdresser's favourite features more rake to the windscreen and pumped-up guards. The 2015 TT is built on Volkswagen Group's MQB platform, which promises the elevation in refinement already seen and felt in the latest Golf.

Audi is celebrating the manufacture of its 500,000th TT sports car by launching an exclusive special edition. The new special edition is called the 2014 Audi TTS Competition and production will be limited to just 500 units.As the name suggests, the cars are based on the TTS model and come with some sporty upgrades. They are available exclusively in the special paint finishes Imola yellow or Nimbus gray, and their exterior calling card is a fixed rear wing with bars in a matte finish. They also come with 19-inch wheels featuring a five-arm Rotor design and are shod with beefy 225/35 tires.Inside, the cars get gray leather trim with yellow contrast stitching. Aluminum badges on the door trims embossed with “1 of 500” further accentuate the exclusivity of the special edition. Being based on the TTS, the cars also benefit from xenon headlights, Audi magnetic ride damper control and aluminum accents in the cabin.No changes have been made to the powertrain, which means a 2.0-litre TFSI engine outputting 203kW and 350Nm of torque. Paired with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, coupe versions of the TTS Competition will hit 100km/h in 5.3 seconds and a governed top speed of just under 250km/h.The TTS Roadster Competition takes 5.5 seconds for the 0-100 km/h run and is limited to the same 250 km/h top speed as the coupe. Fuel economy comes in at around 7.4L/100kms, based on European combined figures.The 2014 Audi TTS Competition will be shown for the first time at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show next month before hitting showrooms towards the end of the year. Pricing and availability will be announced closer to launch.The original TT was launched in 1998 and almost immediately hailed as a design icon. The second generation followed in 2006 and will be replaced next year by a third-generation TT.www.motorauthority.com

Light makes right when it comes to any performance car. When light is done as well as the Audi TT ultra quattro concept, it's very, very right.Billed as an example of how "motorsports meets quattro", the TT ultra quattro concept weighs in at just 1111 kilograms. Generating 227kW, each of the car’s horses has just 3.6 kilograms to carry.This video shows what that feels like on the road. It features two-time Le Mans winner André Lotterer taking the concept out for a quick spin.The video is in German but it’s obvious Lotterer is in love with the car’s handlings and dynamics.Weighing about 299 kilos less than a standard TT, the TT ultra quattro concept gets there by using lightweight components and advanced materials, most of which is carbon fiber.Unique equipment for the car includes a carbon fiber wing on milled aluminum supports, large front spoiler, ceramic brake rotors with aluminum calipers, titanium exhaust, and ultra-light carbon fiber and aluminum wheels. The exterior mirrors have even been replaced by cameras that transfer the images directly into the digital cockpit.Weight distribution is also considered, with the Audi engineers moving as much weight as possible away from the ends of the car and toward the middle, to reduce the polar moment of inertia; a lithium-ion starter battery sits under the driver's seat.Even the 2.0-litre TFSI turbocharged engine has been lightened and modified. Power is raised to 231 kW and 399 Nm of torque; the crankcase, crankshaft, balance shafts, flywheel, oil sump, and bolts, as well as some of the accessory systems, have been lighted by a total of 55 pounds.While this exercise in ultra-light construction with a motorsports theme isn't something we ever expect to see directly transferred to production, many of the lightweight construction techniques could appear in some of Audi’s future models. In fact, the automaker is believed to be planning a lightweight version of its next-generation TT sports car.The Audi TT ultra quattro concept made its debut at the 2013 Wörthersee Tour in Austria this week.www.motorauthority.com

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

Audi's second-generation TT has reached what we call 'a certain age' and a new one should be in the works.But while internet forums are abuzz with chat of a lighter, stronger third-generation TT - which retains the ragtop hood, the local HQ says there's nothing official on a replacement for the popular little sportscar."There is no official communication on a new TT. Nothing's been announced by Audi AG," Audi Australia spokesperson Anna Burgdorf says.We're not likely to see the next generation here until 2015, and so in the meantime the brand will try to keep sparking interest from buyers in the TT's style-conscious segment.Enter the S Line Competition package, which dresses up the TT 2.0 TFSI models with $8000 worth of kit for an extra $1800 over the models' standard prices.That puts the 155kW/350Nm Audi TT 2.0 TFSI with six-speed S-tronic dual-clutch at $76,850 and the quattro version at $79,450, adding cosmetic and aerodynamic features for the extra ask.The Competition package includes model-specific bumpers, air inlets and side sills, S line badges, a fixed rear wing -- similar to the TT RS -- exhaust add-ons and a tweaked rear diffuser insert. The nose also gets gloss-black trim bits (also covering the exterior mirrors) and xenon-plus headlights and the LED daytime running lights.Available in orange and white metallic, or grey and red pearl effect paint colours, the Competition  special edition sits on black 19-in wheels with 255/35 profile rubber.The cabin gets specific door sill trims, as well as extra "aluminium-look" trim bits, leather trim package, Nappa leather sports seats and the chunkier flat-bottomed wheel from the TT RS.Audi has already given the TT RS - not a model that was low-profile to begin with - a special-edition TT RS Plus variant, with 15 more kiloWatts and 15 Newton metres and a sub-5-second sprint to 100km/h.The German marque also added the 7-speed S tronic to the TT RS models, with Bose sound system, 19in alloys, adaptive headlights, LED interior lighting, full leather trim and a sports-exhaust system among the added features. 

This compact sports coupe stands out for its awesome performance from a five-cylinder turbo with 265kW/465Nm. The 2.5-litre TFSI engine in the Audi TT RS plus has been tweaked electronically for 15kW more power and 15Nm more torque.The seven-speed S tronic delivers lightning-fast gearshifts. This dual-clutch transmission comes with a launch control function which optimises acceleration from a standing start. The quattro permanent all-wheel drive system, which operates with a multi-plate clutch, transfers engine power to the road.Against the backdrop of the five-cylinder engine's characteristic growl, the TT RS plus sprints from a standstill to 100 km/h in a blistering 4.1 seconds. Fuel consumption is rated at 8.5 litres/100km. The TT RS plus weighs just 1475 kilograms, giving a power-to-weight ratio of 5.6 kilograms per kW.The high-performance brake system is able to cope with the engine's power at all times. Four-piston fixed callipers in conjunction with perforated brake discs are installed on the front axle. The Audi TT RS plus is fitted with 19-inch cast wheels of five-arm “Rotor” design which are painted black with contrasting red rim flanges. The wheels are fitted with 255/35 tyres.The adaptive damping system known as Audi magnetic ride is fitted as standard equipment. A large, fixed rear wing increases downforce at the back of the car. The singleframe radiator grille also sets the Audi TT RS plus apart visually. Its diamond-pattern mesh is in highly polished anthracite and is trimmed with a matt aluminium-look frame.The housings of the exterior mirrors are made of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP), while the dual-branch sport exhaust system has black oval tailpipe trims. A sound flap further intensifies the sound of the engine. 

The spiced-up version of the Audi TT-RS that is on the dance card for Geneva may be on the cards for Australia. To be released overseas as both a coupe and roadster, the TT RS Plus boosts the TT's 2.5-litre turbo five- cylinder by 15kW of power to 265kW, and adds an extra 15Nm of torque for 465Nm.Buyers can self-shift with a six-speed manual or let a seven-speed dual-clutch do the work for them. The automatic is an attractive option when it comes with a launch control mode that can teleport the Plus Coupe to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds (the manual is only barely behind at 4.3 seconds) - and that's getting into Ferrari territory, friends. Top speed is limited to 280 km/h, and Audi claims the auto Ccoupe uses 8.5L/100km, with the Roadster at 8.6L. Style changes nose in with the black diamond-mesh of the single-frame grille, and tail out with a large fixed rear wing. The black accents carry through into five-spoke 19-in cast alloys -- with red rim flanges -- and black oval tailpipe trims, down the throat of which a 'reverber' amplifies the engine sound.The good news? Audi Australia is considering the TT RS Plus for local sales. “We don’t have a final date for launch overseas at this stage, but we are certainly looking at it with interest for the Australian line-up,” Audi general manager of corporate communications Anna Burgdorf says. Burgdorf says Audi wants to make sure they have a good business case for the TT RS Plus, but admits Australians are likely to warm to it.Audi steadily sold more than 35 TT variants per month over 2010 and 2011, and this year has started off with an average closer to 40 per month YTD. Sales have spiked when both  higher spec versions were introduced.“The TT has been a strong seller from the first day, the TT S on top of that was extremely well received, and the TT RS moved quickly – and for those who want a little more the TT RS Plus goes one step further,” Burgdorf says. “It is something that would be great to have in the range, but we want to make sure there is a market here for the car.“We may see it by the end of the year, but to say that at this stage would just be speculation – and so would any discussion of price. The current pricing of the TT RS is just shy of $140,000 and at the top end the TT RS Plus would be fairly loaded with spec, but our goal is to bring in the best value package we possibly can.”

The unusual engine design was the heart of the original Quattro that revolutionised performance motoring in the 1980s, as well as dominating the World Rally Championship. Now the feisty five is coming back for a fast-car pacesetter called the TT RS. It won't be spitting flames or roaring through an open exhaust like the engines used in the Quattro coupes which convinced the world that all-wheel drive was the best way to put big power on the ground, but Audi is promising more than 225kW to turn the go-faster TT into something special. "It will be a sensation little rocketship," claims the spokesperson for Audi Australia, Anna Burgdorf. The final figures will not be revealed until the TT RS makes its public debut in a fortnight at the Geneva Motor Show, but Audi is hinting at a four-second sprint to 100km/h and a potential top speed well beyond its electronically-limited 250km/h. The TT RS will be built as both a coupe and convertible, with a bunch of body tweaking work to reflect the muscular potential of the 2.5- litre engine hooked to its quattro drive system. The bad news is a price-tag beyond $100,000, based on today's TT S at $98,900. But the good news is that car TT RS will definitely come to Australia. It will be sold as a coupe only - the convertible is considered too limiting - and the timing is around six months after the first deliveries in Europe. "The car will come to Australia. It will definitely come in 2010 but it's very hard to tie down a date at this stage," says Burgdorf. She cannot comment on details, including the move away from inline fours and V6s to the new five, but says the TT RS is definitely not a show car or a limited-edition tease. "It is a production car. What will be shown on the stand at Geneva is the production car," she says. "We don't know the answer on production numbers, but it is a regular production model. And the engine is a new one that allows the TT to perform extremely well with good fuel economy."   The 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show...