Audi TTS
Posted by Piers Ward at 10:50AM on Thursday 01 May, 2008 6 Comments
Rumours continue to circulate that Audi will build a TT RS, in which case a first drive of this TTS, a slightly more hardcore TT, should be interesting. Something to whet our appetite.
Or not.
I came away from driving this thing just feeling a bit 'so what?' I couldn't get myself excited about it. Now partly that was because I was driving it in a rain-soaked Munich, which can make a grey day in Slough look interesting, but the simple fact is that the TTS doesn't have fun stamped all the way through it.
With the normal TT, this doesn't matter. With the S version, you expect something more. The engine is the same 2.0 turbo FSI, but with far more power at 268bhp compared to 197bhp in the standard TT, so speed isn't a problem. 0-62mph is seen off in 5.4 seconds, top speed far over the national speed limit - all the usual stuff.
But the steering and chassis can't match this. Grip levels are incredible, but I didn't find that I wanted to carry on driving forever. You couldn't say that about the RS4.
There is one glimmer of hope. The old S4 was a dog, the RS4 was brilliant. Maybe the same logic will apply here if - and it's a big if - they decide to build an Audi TT RS.
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6 Comments for "Audi TTS"
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Is there too much diluting of the brand going on here? If Audi add any more variants of the TT surely it will reduce the overall appeal of the car? Forget the TTS and go straight for the TTRS.
Too much in the middle gives consumers the opportunity to settle for less than the best, a bit like buying anything less than Mondeo Titanium instead of a Titanium X.
So, straight off the back of the 308GT, a lightly toasted coupe...
Oh dear...
To be honest, I think you're missing the point with this car. Audi's strategy has always been to build fast, comfortable saloons that last for a thousand years.
'S' models were basically slightly better and a lot more expensive. The RS4 is godlike, RS6 is shockingly good, and the exception to the rule is the R8, which misses an S, but let's face it, it's a 'super' form of an A8 anyway.
So the TTS is a good car, but not exciting as usual. Although I LOVE the look of the new TT compared to the old one. The old one was feminine, but this one definitely has a masculine aura about it. Especially in black.
"The old S4 was a dog"??
If by "dog" you mean 'slightly less capable than an M3 on a trackday, but infinitely more comfortable on the road' then I agree with you. Otherwise I accuse you of lazy journalism.
Good on Audi I say! About time they gave this new chassis the performance to match its handling ability. Shame about the steering though.
I'm sure the TT-RS will go ahead, although rumours suggest Porsche are insisting it is called something else as RS after the cars name is their domain: 2.5, 5cl, turbo, 350bhp...
Well... what a disappointment from the R8 last year. This reminds me of when Clarkson tested the old TT Roadster; he said driving that felt boring.
So Audi have made the same mistake again, they've made it faster, yes, but they have also made it more boring... cheers Audi.