Diesel genes for Audi sportster

Audi has launched what it claims is the world's first TDI sportscar Down Under. The TT 2.0 TDI goes on sale this month and promises sub-5.5L/100km combined fuel consumption and a theoretical range of around 1100km per tank.

Ignoring for a moment that diesel-powered Alfa Romeo sportscars (Brera and Spider) have been on sale elsewhere for quite some time, the new TT oiler is nonetheless a sign of the faith Audi has in its diesel offer. Should it attract buyer support it will also be a measure the growth of market acceptance of diesels Down Under.

Priced at $70,900, the new TT 2.0 TDI will be offered in coupe form only. It uses essentially the same 125kW/350Nm 2.0 four-cylinder common-rail turbodiesel as the new Golf GTD (more here).

In the new TT TDI the latest-generation diesel powerplant is coupled with a special short-throw six-speed manual gearbox and Audi's own quattro all-wheel-drive system. No S tronic (twin clutch) version is offered.

The TDI TT consumes fuel at an impressively slow rate of just 5.3L/100km, yet is capable of achieving respectable levels of performance. Audi quotes a 0-100km/h time of 7.5sec and a top speed of 226km/h.

The 2.0 TDI is Audi's second most efficient offering locally -- only bettered by a special 'economy' version of the A3, the $38,900 A3 Sportback 1.9e. Thanks to its sub 7.0L/100km consumption it escapes the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) and undercuts the previous entry-level TT, the 2.0 TFSI front-wheel drive model, by over $3000.

Alongside the TDI Audi has also launched a new entry-level 118kW/250Nm 1.8 TFSI variant of the TT and tweaked the rest of the TT line-up.

The front-wheel drive manual-only coupe-only 1.8 TFSI also benefits from the taxation break returning a combined figure of 6.7L/100km. It arrives priced from $64,900.

Meantime Audi will now offer a quattro version of the 2.0 TFSI model. The coupe version goes on sale alongside the TDI and 1.8 TFSI this month in $76,900 S tronic dual clutch form only with a roadster version following in the third quarter of this year.

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Audi has removed the V6 quattro versions of the TT from its price list and manual variants of the 2.0 TFSI. The company says it will import V6 cars to order. The range-topping 250kW five-cylinder TT-RS (more here) will arrive Down Under in time for Christmas, Audi insiders promise.

Audi TT model range
Coupe
1.8 TFSI manual $64,900
2.0 TDI quattro manual $70,900
2.0 TFSI S tronic $74,200
2.0 TFSI quattro S tronic $76,900
TTS quattro S tronic $98,900

Roadster
2.0 TFSI S tronic $79,500
2.0 TFSI quattro S tronic $81,900
TTS quattro S tronic $103,500