First drive of Audi TTS 2019
MSRP $52,950.00
“The 2019 Audi TTS continues to impress with its design and amaze with its performance.”
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Agile chassis
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Shocking turbo four
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Automatic gearbox with quick gear changes
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Outstanding design
Against
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Not available with manual transmission
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The drive mode menu only goes down
Born out of a passion for design, the original Audi TT made its European debut in 1998. Audi celebrated the occasion by giving the model a series of updates inside, outside and under the sheet metal. On the other hand, Digital Trends celebrated the occasion by flying to the Isle of Man in the middle of the Irish Sea and driving the TT on the very roads that gave it its name.
First, a quick history lesson: NSU, one of the car companies that merged into Audi as we know it, won the treacherous Tourist Trophy held annually on the Isle of Man in 1954. The brand turned the race into a nameplate for the first time when introduced a moped called the Quickly TT in 1960, and again on a rear-engine hotrodded variant of the Prinz called the 1000 TT in 1965. It spawned the 1000 TTS in 1967. The nameplate was inactive until Audi unveiled the TT Coupe concept at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Back to the present. The updated TT and TTS models won’t hit US shores until the 2019 model year, so we don’t have market-specific specs yet. As a point of reference, the outgoing 2018 cars are single-spec models with no trim levels in the conventional sense of the term.
A hidden technique
Browse through our photos and you’ll notice that the TT doesn’t come with a touchscreen on the center console. It’s not hidden in the dashboard like in the A3, and Audi didn’t simply leave it out to save weight either. Look to the left: everything you need is grouped in the digital instrument panel behind the steering wheel.
If you’ve been following Audi news for the past few years, you know that the digital dashboard is called a virtual cockpit in marketing parlance. It’s found in a growing number of products, including the second-generation Q3, the Lamborghini Huracan, and even well-equipped variants of the all-new 2019 Volkswagen Jetta. These cars (and others) can thank the TT for its technology; coupe brought the virtual cockpit to market in 2014. At the time, it was nothing short of revolutionary.
TT brought Audi’s virtual cockpit to market in 2014. At the time, it was revolutionary.
The driver uses the buttons on the steering wheel to configure the 12.3-inch screen. In navigation mode, it provides real-time route guidance on a map or Google Earth. It can also display media options, such as a list of local radio stations or connectivity options. We like the engine data page the most, especially when it accelerates. It consists of simple, easy-to-read gauges that display engine horsepower and torque and turbo boost in real time. It also displays — and records — the g-forces and plots them on a graph that’s fun to look at after a spirited ride.
The grouping of technology on a single screen creates a clean, uncluttered dashboard that Audi highlighted with round turbine-shaped air vents. Only seven switches remain on the driver-oriented center console. One, located on the far left side of the assembly below the air vents, allows the driver to select between five driving modes. So far so good. Our gripe with the system – and it’s admittedly close to the pinnacle of nitpicking – is that the switch only moves down the list, not up. Auto is just above Dynamic, but you have to cycle through the other three modes to reach it; you can’t move one up.
An Audi design icon
Style is a major part of the TT story, so the designers have left the lines mostly unchanged. It still looks like a TT and, yes, it still has the oh-so-typical round fuel door. If you look closely, you’ll notice that stylists have added a new-look grille, more muscular-looking inserts in the front bumper, and fake air vents below the taillights. Note that this is a European spec model. Digital Trends has learned that the TT we’ll get in the United States won’t get a new grille for regulatory reasons, so it’ll look even more like the car it replaces.
You probably won’t see the changes made inside, but you will notice them. Even the base TT now comes with rain and light sensors, heated mirrors and illuminated USB ports. Both fit and finish are excellent, as you’d expect from an Audi, and our tester’s red accents enlivened a cabin otherwise dominated by darker tones and carbon fiber trim.
The profile of the TT is not that of a traditional three-box coupe. It has a long roofline that climbs right above the front seats and descends towards the rear end without a single crease or notch. So it has a large opening rather than a tiny trunk lid, and opens to reveal a surprisingly roomy compartment that can hold 12 cubic feet of you and your belongings. To add context, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan offers up to 12.6 cubic meters of trunk space in its most spacious configuration and 11.8 cubic meters when ordered as a plug-in hybrid. The TT’s rear seats also fold flat, which is good because they’re almost useless for carrying passengers.
Fast precision
The standard TT gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Tested here, the TTS uses an evolution of the TT’s turbo-four engine that increases output to 292 horsepower between 5,400 and 6,200 rpm and 280 pound-feet of torque from 1,900 all the way to 5,300 rpm. Both engines move through a new-for-2019 seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and turn four wheels via Audi’s time-tested quattro all-wheel drive system. Andreas Gifhorn, TT project manager, told Digital Trends that the addition of a seventh gear made it possible to shorten the first six gears for improved straight-line acceleration without sacrificing fuel economy at highway speeds.
We can’t help but wonder how the TTS would feel with a six-speed manual transmission.
Let’s get ahead of ourselves. From its inception, the TT has prioritized agility and agility over aggressiveness. It’s the kind of car designed with handling in mind, not full speed, so it dazzled as it danced through the high-speed corners of the closed section of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy mountain circuit. The steering wheel is communicative and nicely weighted; you simply point the front end where you want it and the rest of the car follows. It doesn’t feel as playful or balanced as the rear-wheel-drive BMW 2 Series. It provides a different kind of driving experience characterized by precision and grip. Don’t let the red color and the spoiler fool you: this is a scalpel, not a club.
Power is also part of the package. The punchy four-cylinder summons all its torque as soon as the turbocharger revs to blast the coupe out of a corner. Watch the tachometer needle rise, shift the lever on the steering wheel and repeat. We like the dual-clutch automatic transmission because the paddle shifters set the next gear up or down in just a click and a fraction of a second. We can’t help but wonder how the TTS would feel with a six-speed manual gearbox – we’ll never know unless we build one ourselves as there’s no way to build a TTS with three pedals.
Our driving partner yelled “chickens on the road!” while we were cleaning the coat of arms. We looked up to see six potential BBQ wings crossing in front of us. Fortunately for them and the TT’s restyled hood, Audi knows you can’t make a good sports car without good brakes. We rode the TT straight across the Isle of Man (note the fine print “pro driver/closed course”) and didn’t notice an excessive amount of fading. It’s there, which is normal in a car designed for the road and not to withstand abuse on the track, but it’s not jarring. And, in case you’re wondering, we still don’t know why the chicken crossed the road.
From its inception, the TT has prioritized agility and agility over aggressiveness.
As we entered the town of Peel, the amazing home of the world’s smallest car, we slowed down and flicked the drive mode selector to comfort. And, well, not much happened. The exhaust became quieter, but the suspension remained almost as stiff as in sport mode. The range between driving modes isn’t as wide as some of Audi’s other models, such as the A7, which makes sense given that the TTS isn’t a family car by any measure. It doesn’t bother us, but we understand those who are looking for an extra touch of comfort. At least the front seats strike a good balance between suppleness and support.
Our time behind the wheel was too short to accurately measure fuel consumption.
peaceful souls
Safety features on the 2019 TTS include dual front airbags and a tire pressure monitoring system. Audi has not yet released warranty information. We expect it, like all new cars from the brand, to come with a limited warranty that’s good for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. Audi also adds a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty, 24-hour roadside assistance for four years and pays for the first scheduled service.
Who is also in the ring?
While Audi hasn’t released pricing information for the 2019 TTS, its base price will remain close to the $52,950 shown on the 2018 model’s window sticker. From this point, coupe-seeking enthusiasts can go in a few distinctly different directions. BMW’s M240i xDrive starts at $47,800. Porsche charges $56,900 for the entry-level 718 Cayman. Alternatively, you can buy a V8-powered Ford Mustang Bullitt for $46,595. Decisions, decisions.
How would DT configure this car
Our ideal TTS would look nothing like the one you see in our photos. We would have preferred a much more modest look. We’d go for the Nano Gray Metallic paint, choose the optional 20-inch Y-spoke alloy wheels, and leave out the body kit. We’d splurge on a tech package that includes navigation, Audi Connect with online services, side assist technology, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay compatibility and a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.
A sports car for everyday use
20 years and three generations after its introduction, Audi’s version of the decades-old coupe concept continues to delight with its design and amaze with its performance. That it’s roomy enough to use as a daily driver – or take it on a weekend trip to the mountains – is the icing on the cake. And, thanks to quattro all-wheel drive, forget about packing snow chains for the climb.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn