Underestimate Audi's TTS at your peril

By: Brendan Seery

Johannesburg - Because Audi’s TT sports coupe is so small, so delicately detailed and doesn’t strike extravagant poses, there are those who decried it as a “hairdresser’s car”… in other words, not worthy of consideration as a performance vehicle.

That could prove to be an embarrassing mistake, as the driver of a BMW 335i sedan found out one Saturday morning in Randpark Ridge. Seeing the Audi TTS next to him making the same turn, he was seized by the ancient pissing-contest gene which used to be so prevalent in BMW drivers but, thankfully, is disappearing as they grow up.

There is generally no love lost between fans of Audi and BMW, because both consider their marque the epitome of German quality and engineering. So it was understandable that Cave-Man decided to huff and puff. But huffing and puffing alone is not going to bring home the sabre tooth tiger for supper.

Sadly, his car, even with its straight-six 3.0 litre turbo engine pushing out 225kW (when new, but now about five years old), was no match for the nimble Audi.

The BMW driver should have paid attention to the badging: it would have told him this was the hotter version of the TT Coupe; in TTS form, its 2.0 litre turbo motor puts out 210kW – in a body which is much lighter than the four-door 335i.

Audi claims the TTS will do zero to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds. My colleague on Star Motoring, Jesse Adams, managed a series of 5.0-second sprints at the highveld altitude of the Gerotek test track, also nailing the quarter mile in 13.3 seconds. That time is identical to those posted by the new BMW 340i (which has more power than its 335i predecessor); the insane Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG ultra-hot hatchback and Porsche’s Cayman GTS, which both have more power than the TTS.

Cushy ride (for a coupé)

The contest was over almost before it had begun because I tapped off once my point was proved. And then I continued to relax in the body-hugging contoured seats of the TTS, with its adjustable suspension set in “Comfort” mode. The ride was comfortable, if not as squishily enveloping as that of a limousine, but very good indeed for a sports coupe.

Because I like looking after my ears (as well as my rear end with the softer springs), I left the engine and gearbox settings in Sport mode, revelling in the sharp bark and splutters produced by the flaps in the exhaust, which open fully when in sports mode.

The TTS is really a car for all seasons – and to imagine you can waft along like you’re in your lounge and then liberate an angry tiger (still sitting softly, though) is quite amazing.

Another reason for its alacrity off the line was the combination of the S-Tronic seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and Audi’s iconic Quattro all-wheel-drive, which put the power down quickly and effectively through all four wheels.

There are those who say AWD is overkill in a country like ours, but I will take one every time over a similar, two-wheel-drive for the additional safety and peace of mind it gives. And the TTS is a car you can drive quickly, and safely…

Top-notch interior

Our TTS test car came equipped with the VW-Audi group’s special new “Virtual Cockpit”, which allows the driver to configure the various screens in front of him or her exactly to taste. The graphics and the way they interface are superb. Sitting behind the wheel in a Virtual Cockpit-equipped car suddenly makes the offerings from other manufacturers seem outmoded and clunky.

No surprise, because Audi have always been top of the pile when it comes to interiors. In the TTS, there was a tasteful mix of chrome and leather in one of the snuggest cabins out there. Everything falls perfectly to hand – but you’re always aware of that special feeling you get being in an Audi. And hats off to the manu- facturer – you get that same feeling whether you are in an entry-level A1 hatch or the R8 supercar.

VERDICT

Best of all is that, for the performance, not much comes close when it comes to money. Nothing is cheap these days, but the R743 000 starting price Audi is asking for the TTS is good value for money.

Audi’s TTS, and the lesser TT variant, are not for flash people. They’re for those who know, after a lifetime of experience, that it is not a bad thing when the world underestimates you.

FACTS

Audi TTS

Engine: 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbodpetrol

Gearbox: 6-speed automatic

Power: 210kW @ 5300-6200rpm

Torque: 380Nm @ 1800-5500rpm

0-100km/h (claimed): 4.8 seconds

Fuel use (claimed): 7 litres per 100km

Price: R743 000

Warranty: 1-year / unlimited distance

Maintenance plan: 5-year / 100 000km

ALTERNATIVES