Audi TT Coupe 2015 Review

Audi Australia has put on a show at the local launch of the latest TT Coupe, displaying all three generations as and referring to the latest car as being a 20th anniversary celebration of the original TT concept, which was first shown at the Frankfurt motor show in 1995.

It was that concept, says the German luxury brand, that turned Audi from being a technically innovative company into one with design at its heart.

From the initial TT’s 1998 introduction, each successive generation has grown larger – the latest car’s size and sheer aggression dwarfs the original's – but also lighter and more efficient.

Another transition that has been made starkly clear is the latest TT’s masculinity; it's 10mm narrower than the second-generation car but increases track width by 10mm and packs a 37mm longer wheelbase under its redesigned body, which hints at the R8 supercar with its angled grille, sharp headlight design and Audi ‘ring’ badge moved to the front edge of the bonnet.

The new car is up to 50kg lighter than its predecessor, and has a centre of gravity that is 10mm lower, adding to its tougher stance over standard-fit 18-inch wheels on the Sport variant, which is what we will be sampling.

Three Sport variants have come to market, the first being the $71,950 (plus on-road costs) 169kW/370Nm 2.0-litre TFSI turbo-petrol powered front-wheel drive six-speed manual.

The price is only $2600 more than the outgoing 1.8-litre 118kW/250Nm base model, despite having "more than $8000 of added value" as well as the big power jump. It’s also more efficient, sipping only 5.9L/100km compared to 6.4L/100km in the previous model.

The two models we have lined up at launch are the six-speed dual-clutch S tronic Sport variants. Both share the engine and outputs of the front-drive manual.

The front-drive S tronic car is available from $74,950 plus ORCs and uses more fuel (6.3L/100km), though it improves the benchmark 0-100km/h time to 5.9 seconds -- down from six seconds for the manual.

Opting for the self-shifter adds 30kg to the manual’s 1305kg unladen weight, combining with the shorter gearing of the S tronic to contribute to the increased fuel consumption. Given both front-drivers are otherwise exactly specified, the $3000 premium is on the expensive side.

Picking the all-wheel drive Sport quattro system brings mandatory S tronic shifting. It is priced from $77,950 and incorporates the latest fifth-generation Haldex technology, which uses an array of sensors to pre-empt torque distribution between front and rear wheels.

“Steering and yaw angles are included in this,” explains John Roberts, Audi Australia product planning manager. “When you turn hard into a corner, the system is already sending drive towards the rear to help with front-end response and traction on the exit.”

It can also divert “nearly 100 per cent” of drive to the front wheels in cruising situations to return maximum efficiency. For the first time, the quattro system’s response is integrated into the standard-fit Audi drive select system, becoming more active as the driver progresses through efficiency, comfort, auto and dynamic modes; an individual mode also stores the driver’s preferred selections.

The all-wheel drive system, though it weighs 1.5kg less than the previous generation Haldex, still adds 75kg for a total unladen weight of 1410kg.

Styling-wise, there’s a return to some of the original’s design elements, including the overt wheel-arches, blend with modern touches such as the headlight design which incorporates ‘divided struts’ to separate the daytime running lights. Audi also offers its Matrix full-LED system as an optional extra across the range.

Stumping up the extra for the S line package (from $78,450 for the front-drive manual through $82,450 for the S tronic to $85,450 for quattro), which for the first time is a specific variant rather than an option package, brings an even more brash exterior design, with 19-inch wheels (up from 18s on the Sport) skirts, diffusers and air-dams dominating.

Inside, the new TT is sublime in its simplicity. Thank Audi’s ‘virtual cockpit’ technology which places a 12.3-inch digital display directly in front of the driver. It is clear, adaptable and easy to use, once you have chosen to access it via the leather multi-function steering wheel controls or via the centre console-mounted knob.

Buttons on either side of the dial can be used similarly to a mouse, the left side enabling selection, the right side adding options specific to that selection. Two modes are enabled on the screen, a classic version that places the tacho and speedo to the forefront; a progressive road uses the MMI navigation plus map (or, for example, radio station selections) as its centrepiece, with the tacho and speedo splayed on either side.

The dash screen really cleans up the cockpit, which further benefits from the movement of the climate controls onto the circular air-vents themselves, one responsible for temp, one for fan speed, the other for air flow direction.

There’s noticeably more cabin width and decent front-seat headroom, but the rear seat sections, despite their anchor points, can be best described as part-time; adults are cramped for legroom, with heads forced into odd angles by the shapely boot structure.

Curiously, despite the attention to detail in trim and finish, a good driving position is difficult to find with high-set pedals that also feel offset.

Driving the front-drive TT first, it is the smoothness, responsiveness and punch of the TFSI engine that immediately impresses. Coupled to the ever-improving S tronic gearbox, the new TT is genuinely rapid, offering up some aural intake noise with a characteristic parp on higher-rev upshifts.

On the roads of Tasmania’s east coast between Launceston and Hobart, the TT is ideally sized to enjoy the twists, with solid braking and good grip from the 245/40-18 Continental Sport Contact5s fitted to this vehicle (no specific brand was chosen for TT).

But it is the steering which disappoints. A hit and miss prospect for Audi over the years, the TT’s variable-ratio rack goes from around 14:1 to ‘less than 10:1’ near maximum lock. In practice there is little feel through the tiller, but more concerning is its inconsistency.

From one 90-degree corner to the next, the TT can be unsettled more by differing bumps and cambers than in most cars. It’s also artificially darty in initial input, often necessitating an adjustment of lock, even as you return to the throttle and power out.

Moving into the quattro, the steering appears more settled, the less busy front-end no doubt assisting in this regard. Traction is also an obvious asset and the quattro feels more surefooted as a result.

Overall there’s no doubting the latest Audi TT has built on its brief of delivering more in the fields of design, technology and performance than its predecessor. Will it be good enough to match rivals such as the BMW 228i? That’s something only a comparison will be able to decide…