Audi offers thrift in TT clothing - Limerick Independent News

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Audi offers thrift in TT clothing

Written by Staff Reporter

Wednesday, 12 November 2008

Audi has given its TT Coupe its diesel engine treatment to blend power with economy in a stylish sports car. Sports car driving doesn’t have to be wasteful with the new diesel powered TT, and you can still maintain a style image. Michael Moroney drove the new Audi TT in turbo-diesel form and this is his report.

AUDI’S TT sports coupe is an iconic car within the Audi range. And the company’s diesel engines are also very much part of the modern Audi tradition. Mix the two and you get a sports coupe with modern stylish looks and impressive thrift. The question is; does this combination work in terms of coupe performance?
I’ve had the pleasure of driving the new Audi TT in TDI diesel power format in recent weeks. The car has all the flair of the TT styling, which is classically Audi and it’s both sporty and distinctive.
Audi has been using the TDI diesel engine system since 1989 with considerable success across a range of models. For the new TT, the company uses a 2.0 litre turbo-diesel engine. This engine delivers significant power for its size.
Audi pumps out 170bhp from the relatively compact 2.0 litre diesel engine coupled with 350Nm of torque. That’s a similar level of power to what Audi produces in the 2.7 litre TDI engine in the big A6 saloon car, even though the TT is a fraction of the weight of the bigger car.
This impressive engine power gives the Audi TT a 0 to 100km/hr rating of 7.5 seconds; fast enough for a coupe and very fast for a diesel powered one. That acceleration level is in the coupe league but is it fast enough for a car of this type?
Audi offers the TT with a 2.0 litre TFSI petrol engine, which shaves about a second off this acceleration time. This car is the real competitor for the diesel model for its speed. But it’s more expensive, more costly to run due to poorer economy and higher road tax rates.
The TT turbo-diesel scores when is comes to economy. The car has a rating of 4.7 litres/100km (58 mpg) for the combined cycle and that’s with well behaved non coupe-like driving. There’s no other sports coupe apart from the BMW 1 and 3 Series coupes, to compare with that level of economy.
This car has impressive environmental credentials. Just look at the CO2 rating at 139 g/km and you can see that it’s going to be a low running cost coupe. That rating puts it into the VRT and Motor Tax B Band rating, with a low €150 annual motor tax rate. That’s a level that you couldn’t even imagine for a coupe in the past.
Despite all its good behaviour points I’m still apprehensive about diesel powered coupes. From my recent test drive of the TT turbo-diesel, I not convinced that diesel power delivers what’s needed in a sports coupe. The engine is powerful but lacks the kick of a petrol engine that seems the essential ingredient in a coupe car.
That’s not to say that the car doesn’t drive well; it sure does, but there’s a different power beat from a big petrol engine, that’s very much part of coupe driving. The Audi TT is a star in many respects, not just in terms of economy and low CO2 ratings.
The Quattro full-time four-wheel-drive system gives the car great road holding. It corners with a grip to the road that allows you to maximize its power output.
Audi uses a high level of aluminium in the construction of the TT so the car is light at 1240kg. Audi uses aluminium down to the brake and clutch pedals to keep weight levels low. This helps both its acceleration and economy, while the car is not giddy or light on the road.
Like all sports coupe cars the TT is not for the family driver. Rear space is virtually useless from a passenger point of view. The front bucket type seats are low but with good adjustment. The Audi signature flat bottomed steering wheel is part of the TT design and it’s easy to get used to because it’s also small.
Boot space is also a little restricted, due to the coupe body style. The hatchback boot door is big but not too heavy, while the floor is relatively high for easy loading of what is a relatively small space.
The Audi TT is one of those head turning cars. The test car was painted white, which seems the new image colour among some car companies. The car certainly attracted some attention as I drove around the country.
The Audi TT in TDI format comes on the market at €44,175 before delivery charges. That’s almost the lowest cost TT in the range apart from the 1.8 litre TFSI petrol version that delivers a slightly lower 160bhp. While it is marginally cheaper than the BMW 3 Series coupe it’s still an expensive price tag for a two-seater image car, but it’s thrifty and will have a low running cost, while still massaging your youthful image on the road.

Audi TT TDI 2.0 litre - Specifications
Top speed       223 km/hr
0 – 100km/hr       7.5 seconds
Economy       4.7 l/100km (58mpg)
CO2 emissions   139 g/km
Road Tax Band   B (€150)
Entry Price       €44,175 before delivery charges

Caption: Audi offers TDI diesel power in the new TT coupe to give economy and low running costs relative to the petrol powered versions. The price tag is from €44,175 before delivery charges, expensive but impressive.

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