Audi TTS 2008 Review

Wonder what TTS stands for? TT Sports, in effect and deed. The S suffix mainly means that Audi's popular TT Coupe and Roadster now have the (performance) guts to do justice to their (styling) glory.

Not that the standard TT twins lack spirit, of course. The stock 147kW/280Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder donk and the 184kW/320Nm 3.2-litre V6 whisk the TT along with ample elan.

But the S lifts the TT's driving dynamics to seriously more sensory and thrilling levels. Because the terrific four-banger is further developed to realise 200kW and 350Nm, delivered with remorseless punch and impeccable couth, an S version of the V6 quattro would have been an also-ran. It does, however, assure the S of all-wheel grip and surety by donating its quattro drivetrain, which isn't available with the regular four-cylinder TT.

Sitting 10mm lower than standard, the TTS duo have specifically upgraded brakes, steering and suspension. Adaptive magnetic-ride dampers come standard, along with 245/40 tyres on 18-inch alloys (19-inchers with 255/35s are a $2200 option).

Naturally, Audi offers a wealth of extras, ranging from $250 hill-start assist to $1300 metallic paint to $4200 navigation/MMI control logic.

But before poring over the options list, there are four possibilities. Coupe or cabrio, manual or 'S-tronic' dual-clutch transmission?

The six-speed manual hardtop TTS costs $92,900 while the equivalent soft-top asks $97,100. In both instances the six-speed S-tronic transmission adds $3600.

Price aside, picking a favourite isn't easy. For example, the cabrio is arguably even more emotive than the coupe, in the sense of offering roofless motoring in just 12 seconds from closed to open (or vice versa), operational at speeds up to 30km/h.

However, the coupe is a tad tighter in the body; enough to notice on rough roads and also enough to lend a touch more authority in extreme cornering.

The coupe also weighs 60kg less than the cabrio, and that's reflected in its 0-100km/h acceleration being a claimed 0.2sec quicker than the Roadster's, with either transmission.

For everyday driveability, the DSG's pretty hard to go past. It also makes a good fist of sports driving, responding very incisively to your 'texting' on the shift paddles. And it sounds great as the engine/exhaust burps manfully during hard-charging upshifts, and blips deliciously during downshifts.

But absolute mastery is reserved for the manual gearbox with its reasonably light yet very positive clutch and slick-as gearshift. With the manual you can rev the TT through the 6800rpm redline and know you'll never get an unwitting upshift as you would with the S-tronic. Similarly, you can nail the manual from part throttle, without ever chancing an unwanted kick-down.

Still, since Audi reckons the DSG will score 3:1 with buyers, it monopolised the preview drive which led us across 200km of rural Victorian back-roads, followed by brisk laps at the Phillip Island GP circuit.

Settle into the deeply bucketed pew behind the flat-bottomed steering wheel, scan the legibly bold grey-faced instruments, check the purposefully stylish controls and displays, raise the retractable rear wing to the attack position, then perhaps engage the lap timer - just for academic interest of course - and the TTS's intent is unmistakable. This is a car that's every bit as racy on the street as it looks in the showroom.

Besides being highly effective and very entertaining from point to point almost regardless of road and weather, the TTS is properly quick and quite at home on the track also. There, at least, the damping's Sport setting can be put to good use, whereas it's a bit f-f-firm for comfort in normal road driving. Hot laps also prove that the benignly understeery handling is very well balanced for a powerful AWD chassis, and co-operatively throttle responsive, too. And apart from the brakes being a shade eager at low speeds, when the speed and pressure are on they're stupendously powerful and consistent.

So although you could buy either model, with either transmission, for the cool looks, the unremitting quality, the impressive specification, the rich appointments and even the daily-user functionality, it's in enthused driving that you fully appreciate what the iconic S brings to the TT.