Twenty-five years of the Audi TT saga

Few sports cars can boast a career of more than twenty years. And few can claim to have embodied the essence of the brand in their own history.

The presentation of the Audi TT RS Iconic Edition, which celebrates its twenty-five years of presence on the market and three generations, reminds us that the TT is part of that group of sports cars.
Walter Desilva He defined it as “Audi’s most representative model” at the time when the Italian designer headed the Volkswagen Group’s style team. But let’s get to our story.

In the world of small top sports cars from the 1990s, roadster enthusiasts could choose a BMW Z3, ​​​​a Mercedes des SLK, the Porsche Boxster or, from 1998, an Audi TT , among others.

The coupe with the four rings was not born with a particularly refined base, as it took as its starting point the chassis of the A3, also shared with the fourth generation of the Volkswagen Golf. But
stood out from its competitors for offering a front-wheel drive or a Quattro; and by two types of bodies, coupe and roadster or convertible. And above all to be different, without this difference entailing a price that can only be borne by a few. Quite a bet.

It all started in 1995, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. At the German event, the Ingolstadt company will present a concept car called TT (for “Tourist Trophy”, a reminder of old English races), a prototype that, in the words of its creators, had every chance of becoming a street model. turn into. The unique design of this coupé offers numerous nods to the past. It is the work of the American Thomas Freeman, creator of the Volkswagen Concept 1, the “remake” of the Beetle.

In this case, according to his own statements, he was inspired by Auto Union’s competition cars from the interwar period. His past in Porsche is also noticeable in the proportions, in the sense of power of the Audi TT. Always faithful to aluminum, Audi is less radical than with the A8. In the TT exhibited in Frankfurt, only the bonnets, doors and front fenders are made of aluminum. This means a weight saving of 100 kilos. The engineers opted for steel for the chassis. Actually, the TT uses the platform of the future A3. A 4-cylinder 1.8 Turbo with 20 valves from the A4 has been chosen for the engine, placed transversely in the front and transmitting its 150 hp to the asphalt via an integral transmission. At the Tokyo Motor Show of the same year, the cabriolet or cabriolet version was also presented as a concept car.

Three years later, in 1998, the street TT (8C/2N) arrived. The silhouette retains the essence of the 1995 prototype: compact (4.04 m long), wide (1.86 m) and low (1.35 m). However, the overhangs are clearly extended while the passenger compartment shows a second side window. The spirit of the 1995 study has also been preserved inside, in terms of style. There are four seats, but the rear seat is difficult to access due to the shape of the roof. Under the hood we have a 180 hp 1.8 turbo four-cylinder block, coupled to front-wheel drive or an integral Quattro. And a good surprise for performance enthusiasts: there is a 225 hp version with twin intercooling, six-speed gearbox and integral transmission.

This first TT delivered very good performances. They easily reached 220 km/h, and even 240 km/h in the case of the 225 hp version, with an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds (in the case of the less powerful version) and 6.4 seconds in the other. However, the first owners are beginning to protest: the aerodynamic shapes of the TT make it not very stable at high speed, causing ink flows in the first months after launch. Audi reacts quickly and incorporates a fixed rear spoiler at the beginning of 1999, changes the settings, also adds standard ESP and adjusts the ones already sold through a recall.

That same year, the roadster version appeared, with only two seats and a classic soft top. And already in the 2000s there will be a 150 hp engine (which will go to 163 hp some time later) and with only an integral transmission. A Tiptronic gearbox was also available for all engines, although most users opted for the manual gearbox.

In the spring of 2003, the TT was one of the first cars with a DSG gearbox. It was associated with the 250 hp 3.2 liter V6 engine, at the top of the range. Two years later, in 2005, this first generation says goodbye with a special series limited to a thousand units, only in a coupé body, equipped with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 240 hp, 75 kilograms lighter thanks to the abolition of the spare wheel and from the back seat.

The TT follows in the wake of the changes to the A3 and the Volkswagen Golf. For example, the TT debuts in 2006 with a new chassis with a five-link rear axle for the entire range, and grows in size: this second generation is almost 20 centimeters longer than the first. The body consists of two-thirds of aluminum. The line is a little less personal, but retains the spirit of the first generation. The fixed wing added to the first is now of the mobile type.

The TT first arrives in a coupe body and a little later there will also be a roadster. The engines are turbocharged, but are even more refined and powerful. The new direct injection 1.8 TFSI offers 160 hp and is joined by a 2-litre 200 hp. These two blocks are optionally mated to a new generation Haldex integral transmission and the change can be manual or DSG. At the top of the range was a 250 hp 3.2-litre V6 with DSG transmission and Quattro drive as standard.

This second generation would also be characterized as the origin of the launch of the electronically controlled Magnetic Ride suspension (standard on the V6 only) and the first high-performance version, the TTS, with a 2.0-litre TFSI producing 272 hp with DSG switch and quattro traction. Both versions were available as a coupe and roadster.

The third generation (FV/8S in factory designation) will arrive in 2014, already on the new MQB platform of the Volkswagen Group. The length increases by barely 2 centimetres, the design becomes sportier (in the line of its older brother, the R8) and the famous Audi Virtual Cockpit debuts, a first at the time.

Under the hood we see the well-known 1.8 and 2.0 TFSI with powers from 180 to 230 hp, with automatic and integral transmissions in all versions. The 2.0 TDI rises to 184PS and is mated to a more efficient quattro Ultra integral transmission, which allows the rear axle to be disengaged at a constant speed to reduce fuel consumption.

The Audi TTS and TT RS, in the range since 2016, develop between 310 and 400 hp, with acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 and 3.7 seconds respectively. With the model update in 2018, the 1.8 and diesel disappear. So today there is only the 2.0 liter in the 40 and 45 TFSI variants, with 197 and 245 hp respectively, and a tuneful 400 hp 5-cylinder (TT RS).

In 2023, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the launch of the TT, there will be a final edition based on the 400 PS RS. It is called TT RS Iconic Edition and will be produced in a limited series. On the outside, it is distinguished by glossy black elements and a specific aerodynamic kit, 20-inch wheels and a competitive spoiler, while inside the lucky owners of this model (only one hundred units) can sit in RS sports seats with exclusive upholstery.

I remember as if today was the first time I got on the TT back in 1999. The original style of the interior, the aluminum, the leather… All quality, a perfect driving position… and a certain initial disappointment because the delivery of the 180 hp 1.8 T was so linear that it seemed as if the expected “kick” was missing. A somewhat slow gear change with too long ratios in the first three gears didn’t help either… He seemed too civilized, too “bourgeois” in relation to what was expected of his silhouette. But then came a mountain road, with many curves. and everything changed. There I already enjoyed an excellent, healthy chassis that hardly swayed, with a rear that perfectly accompanied the front, effective brakes and excellent ABS management. In the arms, the effects of the 180 horsepower transferred to the steering wheel were noticeable, but at least the car was easy to position in the corners. A well-known classics enthusiast told me not long ago that his unit, which had not been brought to the review call and had no ESP, produces “very funny sensations”.

In this year 2022 coming to an end, I also had the opportunity to test a TT, a 245 hp 45 TFSI with quattro transmission and the 7-speed S tronic transmission. During our test, a summer downpour fully appreciated the very high level of active safety of our coupe. The latest generation quattro all-wheel drive in combination with ESP can send all the torque to the front or rear wheels for optimal grip. The smooth yet precise and direct steering accentuates the sharp edge of the front end that agrees to steer what we ask with the steering, even if we push the wheel too far. The rear axle offers enough agility to get into the sports car in tight corners without gritting your teeth. With the excellent lowered S Line suspensions, this highly rigid sports chassis dramatically reduces body roll. The brakes also give full satisfaction.

Despite the presence of a particulate filter, the 2.0 TFSI continues to sing in the interior. The low music isn’t quite as noble as that of an old 3.2-litre V6, but it still gives chills. At 245PS the performance is serious, but we’d like the S Tronic gearbox in this TT, which reaches its limits in manual use, where it automatically upshifts on approach to the turn and refuses to downshift above 4000rpm . manual mode as in the TT RS. That said, the Audi TT 45 TFSI was great fun and fun to drive sporty, yet easy to drive calmly and with fuel consumption laughably low in a 245bhp car (how progress has been made in this field.. .), a versatility behind the wheel that we also find in everyday use thanks to its extra rear seat and its spacious trunk. A true adult toy, as the TT has always been.

Unfortunately, the adventure that began in the 1990s for the small coupe with the four rings will soon come to an end. Audi CEO Markus Duesmann announced at the end of 2020 that the TT would not be replaced, at least not immediately. If there is a replacement, it should take the form of a 100 percent electric mini e-tron GT. In other words, if we want to see it in our garage, if we want to enjoy this 3-door coupe with its almost virgin curves – although the line is a little sharper today – and recognizable among the thousand since its launch in 1998 , we must decide now, whether for a first- or second-batch classic, or for the latest third-generation units.

And don’t forget that whims are urgent at certain stages of life….

Source: La Verdad

Ida

I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.