Tuesday, March 04, 2014

Geneva 2014: 2015 Audi TT unveiled

2015 Audi TTS 

The Geneva Motor Show 2014 is on-going at the moment and automobile manufacturers are quite busy previewing new cars over there. Audi has decided to use Geneva as its place to unveil the all new Audi TT. Although this is the all new and improved TT, people who aren't car people may think it is the same car. 

Like recent Audis, the TT has a evolutionary design (which in my opinion needs a little bit of a shake up as it still looks similar to the outgoing one and to other more bread and butter Audis out there) which features the usual large hexagonal grille and LED daytime driving lights (with optional LED main headlights too this time around). The only difference is that the four rings Audi logo now resides on the bonnet instead of on the grille. Ooooo...Audi, what prominent changes you have made to the TT.



The wheel arches hark back to the original TT and is more definitive than the previous model , a character line running the entire side of the car complete the external package. Another TT trademark that is brought over is that it also comes with a spoiler that automatically deploys at speeds exceeding 75 mph (121 km/h) meaning that any highway patrol car out there would clearly know that you're travelling over the Malaysian 110km/h speed limit by 11km/h if it deploys. Woohoo.

This 2015 Audi TT is 20mm shorter at 4180mm than the outgoing model. But the wheelbase is actually up by 37mm. It is also narrower by 8mm (1832mm over 1840mm) compared to previously while heigh is the same at 1353mm. I find it surprising that there are newer models which are actually smaller than the previous model as these days going larger seem to be the norm. It is also up to 50kg light for most models and even the TT 2.0TFSI is at 1,230kg.

Three 4-cylinder turbocharged, direct-injection engines will be initially offered. There are two 2.0 TFSI units, one a 230 HP / 370 Nm and a 310 HP / 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) TTS variant as well as a turbodiesel 2.0 TDI making 184 HP / 380 Nm torque.

As for performance figures, the base 2.0 TFSI coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox enables this grown up Audi TT to achieve a 0-100 km/h in 6 seconds and 5.3s with S tronic DSG type transmission. It has a ECU limited maximum speed of 155 mph (250 km/h). The hotter 310 HP TTS quattro takes 4.7 seconds to 100km/h in both manual and S tronic gearbox and has the same limited maximum speed. The diesel TT would take 7.2 seconds to 100km/h and will max out at 146 mph (235 km/h).

The interior air vents are pretty unique. They incorporate some of the air conditioning controls to the middle of the center vents keeping things relatively clean and neat inside. The rest are similar in all new cars, you get a fabulous entertainment/navigation system, nice seats, different wheel options, seats, etc. etc. etc. The previous Audi TT is, was a nice coupe to drive especially when you're shifting through the Dual Clutch Gearbox at full bore (the exhaust goes off with a vicious 'pop' at every upshift), although at time it did feel like driving a slightly lowered Golf GTI. I suppose there is too much familiarity in most VW group cars.





TT 2.0TFSI



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