Published
on 18
Sep 2014
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All rights reserved.
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TT, a special name,
a special car. Launched in 1998, the original TT was famous for style.
Never before had we seen a sports car shaped like this. Never before
had we found a small sports car so well built and so desirable – even
though the driving experience was less so. Moreover, just like a Jaguar
E-type, Lancia Stratos or Porsche 928, its look never aged. Whenever I
see it on streets today I am still amazed how the German could create
such a shape some 16 years ago (well, the answer is because it was
designed by American designer Freeman Thomas). In fact, the design was
so original and timeless that we can understand why its second
generation failed to replicate.
The same can be said to the new TT Mk3. Audi seems to have run out of
ideas – or more precisely, run out of talents, as Peter Schreyer hunted
some good guys to Hyundai-Kia – so what we see is a shape barely
evolved from the Mk2. It keeps the outgoing car's round shape, although
the boot has been made slightly squarer to improve aerodynamics (i.e.
an Achilles' heel of the original car) and boost luggage space by 13
liters. To make a difference, Audi decided to work on graphical
elements instead. Now the front grille becomes a hexagon, whose sharp
contrast to the round shape is virtually comical. Ditto the sharp
trapezoidal LED headlights and Lambo-style polygonal intakes. It is
still unmistakably a TT, but the coherence in its styling has been lost.
Size-wise, the new TT is remarkably close to the outgoing car. Its
wheelbase has been stretched by 37 mm to 2505 mm, but brilliantly, its
overall length and height remain unchanged, whereas width is reduced by
10 mm. It is more compact than a Porsche Boxster/Cayman, BMW Z4 or
Nissan 370Z, if not as small as the likes of Lotus Elise or Mazda MX-5.
In other words, about the same size as Mercedes SLK.
Although the TT is seen as a 2+2 sports car, it has always been derived
from the Volkswagen Golf platform, which means it is essentially a hot
hatch dressed in sports car clothes. The latest generation is no
different. It is built on the latest MQB platform, powered by the same
transverse engines, drives through DSG (S Tronic) gearbox and
transmits its power to the road via either the front wheels or 4motion
(Quattro) system. It goes without saying its weight distribution is not
as ideal as a true FR or MR sports car. Steering feel is also more
likely to be corrupted by torque. On the up side, the MQB platform
gives it a variety of strong and frugal engines, and a cost basis much
lower than its BMW, Mercedes and Porsche rivals. That is also a key
reason why the TT has always been able to outsell them. In its good
time it could shift 40,000 cars a year. Even in its last model year it
still managed to sell 18,400 units, all assembled at the Gyor plant in
Hungary.
When we say it is built on the Golf platform, the “platform” means
component set rather than chassis. The TT does not share chassis with
Golf, obviously. While a small portion of its floorpan components are
taken from the MQB parts pool, the majority of the chassis is unique.
In fact, it is the only MQB variant employing an aluminum-steel hybrid
chassis. Its body sides and roof frames are stamped aluminum. Its roof
rails, side sills and front crash beam are extruded aluminum and
integrated to the structure using cast aluminum nodes (i.e. a feature
of Audi ASF). Most body panels, like bonnet, fenders, doors and
tailgate, are made of aluminum sheets as well. In total, aluminum
accounts for 27 percent of its body-in-white by weight. The remaining,
like the floorpan and front structure, are made of either conventional
steel or ultra-high-strength (hot-formed) steel like Golf.
That said, its use of aluminum is actually less radical than the
outgoing car. Turn to our Mk2 report
and you will see its chassis illustration saying 69 percent by weight
was made of aluminum. This included the whole front chassis, firewall
and passenger compartment floorpan. The new construction is certainly
cheaper to build and enables higher percentage of parts sharing with
other MQB members. Nevertheless, advancement of technology, cleverer
use of steel (there was no ultra-high strength steel back then) and
other weight saving measures (like the 5 kg-lighter seats) allow the
Mk3 to reduce weight again. In the leanest form, i.e. front-wheel-drive
2.0 TFSI with manual transmission, the TT weighs only 1230 kg, 50 kg
less than what we recorded for the old car. Climb higher up the range
and the balance is reversed, but the new car offers more power and
standard equipment.
The rest of the chassis is more predictable as most components are
sourced from MQB. These include the suspension consisting of
aluminum-intensive MacPherson struts up front and multi-link at the
rear, the latest generation magnetorheological adaptive dampers
(standard on TT S), variable-ratio electric power steering and Quattro
system employing the 5th gen Haldex multi-plate clutch, which should be
slightly lighter and more responsive than before. It does not depart
from the old formula.
In the Cabin
The cabin’s style and build quality used to be a strength of TT, but
the new car really takes it to a new level. The dashboard design is
minimalist – simple, clean and tasteful. To do this it gets rid of the
usual center console and integrates the infotainment screen into the
12.3-inch TFT instrument panel. This leaves the center console with a
trio of jet-engine-style air vents and a slim row of buttons, greatly
enhancing aesthetic and simplicity. The relocation of infotainment
screen also enhances ergonomics, although touchscreen control has to be
abandoned in favour of the tunnel-mounted MMI rotary knob. The digital
instrument screen offers amazing clarity and functionality. If you
switch on satellite navigation, it will display the map on background
with 2 small instrument dials floating on the foreground. It is the
next best thing to the huge screen on Mercedes S-class. Meanwhile,
sense of occasion is guaranteed by the tasteful use of aluminum
accents, chromed rims, soft-touch plastics, Alcantara trims (on TT S)
and flat-bottom steering wheel. In addition to tactile switchgears,
this cabin feels as expensive as those in cars costing double prices.
Some minor complaints though: the cabin feels a bit dark and confined
due to the shallow windows; The driver seat cannot be adjusted as low
as a sports car should; The rear seat is a joke to anyone taller than 4
ft 9 in, which is about as useful as that of 911.
On the Road
To me, the greatest asset of the new TT has to be Speed. Take the TT S for example,
although it is not exactly the flagship model (that has to be the
forthcoming TT RS), it is already good for 0-60 mph in an eye-popping
4.4 seconds. Four-point-four! That is faster than a Ferrari 360 Modena
or Porsche 911 GT3 managed just 15 years ago. It is also quicker than
today's 911 Carrera 3.4 or Cayman GTS. And giving it such performance
is only a Volkswagen’s mass production EA888 engine, displacing 1984
c.c. across 4 cylinders. Its spec. is basically the same as the version
powering Golf R, with twin-variable cam phasing, 2-stage exhaust valve
lift, dual-mode direct injection, a larger turbo and stronger
internals. Output is rated at 310 horsepower, 10 ponies more than Golf
R, and 280 lbft of torque arriving from as little as 1800 rpm. This
engine is very well rounded, with good flexibility, smoothness,
efficiency and high-end power. The exhaust note is also suitably
sporty, if no match to the boxer-6 of Porsche for sound quality. It
will do 40 mpg cruising on the one hand, or supercar acceleration on
the other hand. The S tronic 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox is good, too,
as usual.
Lesser TTs come with either the regular 2.0 TFSI engine with 230 hp or
2.0 TDI turbo diesel with 184 hp, neither could be called tamed.
The next best asset is roadholding, which is not so surprising
considering the combination of 4-wheel-drive and 245/35ZR19 rubbers.
The old car used to shine in this area, too, but it was associated with
endless understeer. The new car still understeers more than desired at
the limit – it could be frustrating so on track, but on normal roads
the understeer is not obvious until you push it to 8 or 9-tenths. Its
turn-in gets sharper, thanks in part to the faster steering rack. The
EPS is well tuned for its kind, being precise and nicely weighted. It
is not as feelsome as the examples on the rear-drive Porsche Cayman,
BMW M235i or Toyota 86 though, perhaps due to the need to mask the
front-axle torque. Ultimately, the Audi still sacrifices some driver
thrills for roadholding.
Strangely, despite of the same underpinnings as the TT S, Volkswagen
Golf R is actually better to drive. It feels more agile and its
handling is more adjustable on throttle. It also rides smoother than
the Audi on country roads, which is a touch too hard even in Comfort
mode. Without the comparison with Golf R, we might be satisfied with
how Audi made the new TT. It is undoubtedly faster yet more interesting
to drive than the last two generations. It even has one of the most
attractive cabins in the industry. Somehow, Audi engineers did not
quite fully realize the potential of its underpinnings. Considering its
shorter wheelbase and part-aluminum chassis, it could have been easily
the best MQB variant in the dynamic front. Unfortunately, it just isn’t
good enough to break the mold of its predecessors. This is still very
much a style-led product.
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Verdict:  |
Published
on 22
Sep 2016
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All rights reserved.
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Audi TT RS
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People keep making
the same mistakes. 7 years ago, Audi put a 340hp 2.5-liter 5-cylinder
turbo engine into the TT and created the first TT RS. It toppled
everything else in the segment with a 174 mph top speed (yet that was
limited electronically) and 0-60 mph time of merely 4.5 seconds. It was
compact, grippy and served with Quattro traction. It had all elements
needed to succeed. Somehow, its supercar-level performance failed to
turn the TT RS into a world beater. Far from it actually, the car was
known for dull to drive, lacking the communication and interaction that
a car at this performance level deserved. 3 years later, Audi upgraded
it to TT RS Plus. It got another 20 horsepower and the option of S
tronic dual-clutch gearbox, cutting 0-60 mph time by another 0.5
second. Unfortunately, the car remained dull to drive. It answered a
question nobody asked while refused to answer the question everybody
asked. That was the Audi way of “improving” things.
History repeats itself. The latest TT RS gets even more powerful – now
a full 400 horsepower, a figure reserved for Ferrari GTO a few decades
back. It also gets 10 kilograms lighter. The S tronic gearbox gets 7
forward ratios for the first time (BTW, manual gearbox has been
dropped). It also gets electronic launch control for the first time.
The result is a staggering 0-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds while top speed
remained capped at 174 mph. 0-100 mph should be accomplished in about 9
seconds, qualifying the title of “junior supercar”. Its performance
advantage over rivals in the £50,000 price range gets stronger
than ever. For example, the new Porsche Boxster/Cayman S takes 4.0
seconds to do 0-60 sprint, while Jaguar F-type V6 takes 5.1 seconds. It
answers the nobody-asked question louder than ever!
At the first glance, the 2480 c.c. five-cylinder motor seems to be much
the same as before, but look closer and you will find it has the
cast-iron block replaced with an aluminum alloy one, so the engine is a
significant 26 kg lighter, which should improve weight distribution.
The fuel injection system has changed to dual-mode injection (port +
direct injection). The new turbocharger runs a maximum boost pressure
of 1.4 bar, up from
1.3 bar on both the old TT RS Plus and the latest RS3. Moreover, its
exhaust camshaft has been added with Audi’s Valvelift mechanism
probably in a bid to lessen turbo lag (like Honda Civic Type R).
Modifications to the chassis are more predictable. The ride height is
dropped by merely 10 mm compared with the standard TT while springs and
dampers get stiffer. Magnetic adaptive dampers remain on the option
list, as are the expensive carbon-ceramic front brakes. Standard steel
brake discs measure 370 mm up front and 310 mm at the rear. Wrapping
around them are 245/35ZR19 rubbers. If that's not dramatic enough, you
can opt for 20-inch wheels with 255/30 tires, which are shown in these
pictures. Outside, the TT RS can be easily distinguished from lesser
TTs by the prominent front splitter, recessed honeycomb grille, fixed
rear spoiler and dual oval exhausts. The first two can be finished in
either black or alloy color.
There is nothing wrong with the engine. Yes, the high turbo boost means
more lag than desired at lower revs, but with a mid-range thrust so
explosive and an enthusiasm sustaining until 7000 rpm, what can you
complain about? Moreover, the inline-5’s distinctive sound is a lot
more delicious to ears than any 4-cylinder rivals, including the new
Porsche 718. The dual-clutch box works seamlessly with the engine to
deliver rapid acceleration off the line. The strong 4-wheel traction
makes good use of the engine power. Powertrain-wise, it is close to
perfect.
But not so is the chassis. Despite of the lighter engine, this car
still has 59 percent of its weight loaded at the front axle. This
explains why the steering feels so numb, although the car’s turn-in is
sharper than before. The unbalanced chassis also means the default
behavior at the limit is understeer, which is most obvious if you push
it on a track. On public roads you are unlikely to drive so hard, so it
fairs much better and might impress you with its strong grip and
traction and a proper sense of agility. However, if you want to power
slide the car as in a BMW M2 or Ford Focus RS, you will be disappointed
to find out it refuses to do so. Audi claims the updated Quattro system
with rear-mounted Haldex multi-plate clutch is more eager than ever to
shift torque towards the rear axle, but this happens only when the
front wheels spin, so the car is still primarily a front-driver in
normal conditions. There is little adjustability or driver interaction
to speak of. As a result, the TT RS remains a very effective A-to-B
weapon but not a very interesting driver's car.
Another shortcoming is ride quality. While it is better than before, it
is still very firm beside a Porsche 718. The Audi just needs those
stiff springs to cope with its unbalanced chassis. The good-looking
20-inch wheels don’t help either.
After all, the TT RS is not designed to be a sports car from scratch.
Built on the MQB platform, it is essentially a hot hatch in sportscar
clothes. Problem is, Audi stretches the TT to a performance category
too high for its chassis to cope with.
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| Verdict: |
Published
on 26
Jul 2018
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All rights reserved.
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TT facelift 2018
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The
facelift seems to change nothing at all, no better or worse.
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4 years is not too old for
a car, but to a niche like Audi TT, it is. Unlike Porsche 718 or BMW
M2, the TT is sold for style and fashion more than ultimate driving
pleasure. On the other hand, the TT cannot match hot hatches for
practicality and value for money. The market for small coupes and
roadsters keeps shrinking, so does the sales of TT – only 22,000 units
were built last year, whereas the Mk1 shifted more than 50,000 units a
year in its hey days. This means a mid-life facelift is desperately
needed.
Frankly, the cosmetic changes made to the regular TT are too subtle to
be spotted, unless you love to inspect grille patterns like German
designers. TT S is better, as it has added a pair of ducts either side
of the front bumper. I think the hexagonal single-frame grille is the
one that needs most care, but unfortunately, Audi has left it
untouched.
Under the bonnet see some revisions to engine. The 2.0TDI diesel has
gone, blame to the result of Dieselgate. It sold pretty well but Audi
wants to shake away its unhappy memory. The base 1.8 TFSI engine has
been dropped as well, because the entire Volkswagen group is phasing
out it in favour of the larger EA888 2.0 TFSI. The latter now offers
various states of tune, i.e. 197hp, 245hp or, in the case of TT S,
306hp. As particulate filter is now a must to pass emission test using
WLTP test method, the TT S loses 4hp from the old car. Nevertheless,
the resultant increased exhaust back pressure and remapped ECU helps it
to lift peak torque from 280 to 295 lbft, allowing the TT S to claim a
slight improvement to 0-60 sprint. Besides, the outgoing 6-speed S
Tronic gearbox has been upgraded to a 7-speed unit, although manual
gearbox has been sentenced to death.
On the road, the new TT S doesn’t feel much different from the old car.
It is still a very fast and capable performance machine. Its compact
dimensions, excellent traction and grip make it difficult to beat on a
stretch of unfamiliar back roads. On the downside, all it weaknesses
remain: a very firm ride, lack of steering feel and adjustable balance.
The facelift seems to change nothing at all, no better or worse. It
just serves to comply with the latest regulations and by the way give
marketing department an opportunity to promote the car again. Hopefully
that will remind you its existence. Will there be a Mk4? I am not sure.
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