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Sheer top-down sportiness,
powerful engines and a stirring driving experience are the hallmarks of the new
Audi TT Roadster which has now arrived in Australia.
The open-top two-seater,
available in two engine versions, has retained all the strengths of its
successful predecessor and added even more emotion, performance and dynamism to
creat a sports car built to appeal to all the senses.
Both the award-winning 2.0 TFSI
and potent 3.2 V6 engine, with S tronic transmission, are available for
Australian buyers, priced at $77,500 and $92,900 respectively.
Audi Australia expects to sell
more than 150 units per annum, with 70 percent of sales going to the 2.0 TFSI
variant and the remaining 30 percent favouring the 3.2 V6 engine with quattro.
Audi Australia’s managing
director, Joerg Hofmann, says the new TT Roadster is expected to be popular in
Australia, thanks to head-turning design and strong, sporty performance.
The design of the first TT
Roadster was timelessness thanks to its classical purity and overly geometrical
orientation, features that have been carefully honed for the new model.
Compared with the flat, flowing
lines of the TT Coupé’s roofline, the hood of the TT Roadster contrasts with the
tail end of the body, making the overall appearance much more geometrical –
entirely in keeping with the style of its predecessor. This impression is
underscored by the athletic and muscular curves of the vehicle's flanks and the
rising dynamic line above the sill area, as well as the taut shoulder line.
As on the Coupé, the TT Roadster
has an electrically powered spoiler that is extended when the speed reaches 120
km/h and which further increases downforce.
In classic Audi tradition, the
new TT Roadster features a fully automatic electro-hydraulically powered soft
top, opening or closing in just 12 seconds, even when driving. The soft top
perfectly fits to the philosophy of purist open-top motoring, its low weight is
a vital advantage that promotes sporty driving and thanks to the new Z-fold, the
front section of the roof lies on top of the cloth like a cover, locking into
place to lie flush with the body, dispensing with the need for a tonneau cover.
By virtue of the Audi Space
Frame technology used for the body of the new TT Roadster, the overall weight
has been reduced and when unladen, the 2.0 TFSI weighs just 1,295 kilograms. The
body is made from 58% aluminium and 42% steel.
The static torsional rigidity
surpasses its predecessor's already good figure by 120%. From the driver's point
of view, this is felt via excellent vibrational comfort and precise handling.
The 2.0 TFSI engine delivers 147
kW and develops 280 Nm of torque – the latter all the way from 1,800 rpm to
5,000 rpm. The TFSI responds very directly to throttle movements and is
mechanically refined and acoustically pleasing to the ear. An international jury
of automotive specialists voted it the "Engine of the Year" in 2005, 2006 and
2007.
Equipped with the S tronic
gearbox, the Audi TT Roadster 2.0 TFSI accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just
6.5 seconds and has a top speed of 237 km/h, consuming just 7.8 litres of fuel
per 100 km on average.
The V6 engine musters 184 kW and
a torque of 320 Nm between 2,500 and 3,000 rpm. Thanks to its extremely narrow
included angle of 15 degrees, this engine is very compact. It sprints from 0 to
100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and is capable of achieving a governed top speed of 250
km/h, delivering powerfully sonorous acoustics. It returns an average fuel
consumption of 9.5 litres per 100 km.
The sporty chassis has been
fundamentally re-engineered for the new TT Roadster. Its chief features are the
complex four-link rear suspension, wide track widths, reworked elastokinematics
and large wheels. The 2.0 TFSI rides on 17-inch Y-spoke alloy wheels, and the
3.2 quattro on 18 inch alloy wheels.
The front suspension, with
separate subframe, uses McPherson construction refined by lightweight aluminium
components. The power steering, with its electro-mechanical assistance, has a
direct ratio and operates with responsive precision.
The optional adaptive damping
system, Audi Magnetic Ride, is a high-tech feature that assures the new TT
Roadster an exceptional position within its segment. The driver determines at
the push of a button whether the suspension response places the emphasis on
comfort or dynamism.
Compared with the predecessor,
the new TT Roadster has grown in length and width. The open-top two-seater
measures 4,178 millimetres in length (+ 137 mm), and it is 1,842 mm wide (+ 78
mm) but only 1,358 mm high (+ 8 mm). The wheelbase has increased to 2,468 mm (+
46 mm). With the hood up, the drag coefficient of the 2.0 TFSI is a mere 0.32 –
proof indeed of the high functional quality of its design.
The larger overall body
dimensions have also benefited the luggage compartment. It has grown to a
generous capacity of 250 litres, on both the front-wheel-drive 2.0 TFSI model
and the 3.2 quattro version.
Click on the
links below to view the completee press kit and specifications for the Audi TT
Roadster -
Press
Kit
2.0
TFSI Specifications
3.2
quattro Specifications
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