Audi TT

Audi TT
Manufacturer	Audi AG
Parent company	Volkswagen Group
Production	1999–present
Assembly	Győr, Hungary
Class	Luxury sport car / Roadster
Body style(s)	2-door coupé 2-door roadster
Layout	Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive

The Audi TT is a coupe produced by Audi since 1998 in Győr, Hungary.

Concept and name

The TT was first shown as a concept car at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show. The design is credited to J Mays and Freeman Thomas of Volkswagen's California design studio, with Martin Smith contributing to the award winning interior design. The TT name does not indicate "twin turbo" as is sometimes assumed. The car is named for the NSU TT, a small rear-engine model with a formidable racing pedigree that NSU produced in the 1960s and was based on the NSU Prinz, although the modern TT shares next to nothing with that model's design concepts. The NSU TT was, in turn, named for the famous Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) motorcycle races.

Design

The TT's styling is regarded by many as a watershed moment in automobile design. From its introduction as a concept car in 1995, and as a production car in 1998, the design was regarded by many as bold, innovative, and revolutionary. While the car borrowed a few design elements from earlier vehicles, the overall design was considered by many to be truly unique. Despite its smooth-curved appeal, the design does not lead to revolutionary aerodynamics — the drag coefficient of the body is actually a relatively high 0.35 . But with its distinctive, rounded bodywork, bold use of bare anodized aluminum, and a lack of defined bumpers, the TT represented a departure from much of the styling that dominated the car market at that time.

The success and popularity of the TT's iconic design gave many automotive designers (and manufacturers) greater latitude to experiment with bold, distinctive design. The TT's influence can be seen in the design elements of many vehicles released after the TT.

The TT is often regarded as the vehicle that made people take a second look at Audi. No longer just a second-tier European maker, Audi emerged as a serious competitor for the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The then-new B5-platform A4 model was a substantial improvement on its Audi 80 predecessor; these two models firmly secured Audi's position as a prestige marque.

First generation

First generation
Production	1999–2006
Platform	Volkswagen A4 platform
Engine(s)	1.8L Turbo I4, 3.2L VR6
Transmission(s)	5-speed manual 6-speed manual 6-speed automatic 6-speed DSG
Wheelbase	2422 mm (95.4 in) Quattro: 95.6 in (2428 mm)
Length	4041 mm (159.1 in)
Width	1764 mm (69.4 in)
Height	1346 mm (53 in)
Fuel capacity	55 litres (14.5 US gal/12.1 imp gal)
Related	Audi A3 Volkswagen Golf Skoda Octavia SEAT León Volkswagen New Beetle Volkswagen Jetta

The production model (internal designation Typ 8N) was launched as a coupé in September 1998, followed by a roadster in August 1999, based on the Volkswagen A platform used for the Volkswagen Golf, Skoda Octavia and others. Styling wise, it differed little from the concept, except for slightly reprofiled bumpers and the addition of rear quarterlight windows behind the doors. Mechanically, the TT uses a transversely mounted engine with front or quattro all wheel drive. It was first available with a 1.8 L turbocharged inline four cylinder 20-valve engine. with either 180 PS (178 hp/132 kW) or 225 PS (222 hp/165 kW). The engines share the same basic design but the 225 PS version features a larger turbocharger, an additional intercooler on the driver's side, forged connecting rods, a dual exhaust, and a few other internals designed to accommodate the increase in turbo boost from roughly 10 psi peak to 15. Quattro was optional on the small engine, and standard on the more powerful version.

All TT models were recalled in late 1999/early 2000 following concerns over the car's handling which was considered unstable under high-speed cornering as the result of throttle lift-off oversteer. A number of fatal accidents took place and especially the safety of the car's handling was questioned. As a result, a number of modifications to the car were made which were subsequently incorporated into all future examples: rear-wing spoilers were fitted to reduce lift and suspension settings were altered to increase understeer. The original four cylinder engine range was complemented with a 250 PS (247 hp/184 kW) 3.2 L VR6 in early 2003, which comes with the quattro all-wheel drive system. In October 2004 a new DSG (dual-clutch) gearbox, which improves acceleration through drastically reduced shift time, was offered along with a stiffer suspension.

Audi has developed the TT with some notable improvements, including a lightened and power-boosted "quattro Sport" model, and 240 PS (237 hp/177 kW) and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph), however the handling and steering are considered by many (including BBC's Top Gear presenter, Jeremy Clarkson), to be "boring" and "like putting a cow in a fancy suit". It should be noted, however, that the TT's handling character is deliberate, as Audi vehicles are generally designed to exhibit understeer (a characteristic determined by suspension design, the effect of the quattro all-wheel drive system, and other factors). Understeer is inherently a safer handling characteristic, as it is easier for less experienced drivers to predict and control the vehicle (and thus the car can appeal to a much broader market). Cars that display a tendency to oversteer, typically rear-wheel drive cars such as BMW and Mercedes or American musclecars like the Ford Mustang or Chevy Camaro, are more difficult to handle on the limit and are by many considered more dangerous in the hands of inexperienced drivers.

Commercially the first-generation TT was a massive success for Audi in most markets. The car reached audiences which had not previously considered to buy Audi and it helped broaden the appeal of the brand to younger people, and women in particular. The TT was especially successful in the United Kingdom and the United States where the car soon became a fashion item, increasing demand and creating long waiting lists.

Second generation

Second generation
Production	2006-present
Platform	Volkswagen A5 platform
Engine(s)	2.0L Turbo I4 3.2L VR6
Transmission(s)	6-speed manual 6-speed DSG
Wheelbase	2468 mm (97.2 in)
Length	4178 mm (164.5 in)
Width	1842 mm (72.5 in)
Height	1352 mm (53.2 in)
Related	Audi A3 Volkswagen Golf/Rabbit Skoda Octavia SEAT León Volkswagen Jetta

In August 2004, Audi announced that the next-generation TT will be made of aluminium and would go into production in 2007. A TT concept (the Audi Shooting Brake) was shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2005. This concept featured angular styling and a "shooting brake" 2-door hatchback body style.

Audi revealed the second-generation TT, internal designation Typ 8J, on April 6, 2006. It is constructed of aluminum in the front and steel in the rear to enhance its balance and is available in front- or all-wheel drive. The production car uses either the 3.2 L VR6 engine, with 250 PS (247 hp/184 kW), or a 200 PS (197 hp/147 kW) version of Audi's direct injection 2.0 L four. Better known as FSI, Fuel Straight/Stratified Injection, the technology was derived from the Le Mans race cars and offers improved fuel efficiency as well as an increased power output. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard, with the DSG as an option, and quattro all-wheel drive is standard with the VR6.

Audi's new active suspension, Audi Magnetic Ride, is available as an option and is based on Delphi's MagneRide magneto rheological dampers (which means that the suspension will automatically adjust depending on the current road conditions). The new TT also features an improved rear spoiler that automatically extends at speeds greater than 120 km/h (75 mph) and retracts again at 80 km/h (50 mph). The spoiler can also be manually controlled by the driver via a switch on the dash . It is again be offered as a 2+2 coupé and as a roadster.

In the 2008 Detroit Motor Show, Audi released the TTS with a 2.0TFSI engine tuned to 268 hp (200 kW). It is also rumoured that a higher end TT-RS is under development, using an all-new turbocharged 2.5L 5-cylinder engine capable of up to 350 PS (345 hp/257 kW).

Awards

The TT was nominated for the North American Car of the Year award for 2000. It was also on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 2000 and 2001.

The second generation TT has been honored with many awards including the inaugural Drive Car of the Year, Top Gear Coupe of the Year 2006, Fifth Gear Car of the Year 2006, Autobild 'Most Beautiful Car' and World Design Car of the Year 2007, as well as being a finalist for World Car of the Year.

References

• Official Audi TT microsite
• In Depth: The New Audi TT Coupé, from AudiWorld.com
• South African Audi TT microsite
• The Audi TT in Spain (SP)
• "Audi's TT replacement will be bigger"
• Jeremy Clarkson reviews the Audi TT
• detailed info and "how to" for the Mk1 TT

1. ^ TT Almost Revealed. AutoWeek. Retrieved on March 9, 2006.