Test Audi TTS: The most beautiful of birthdays (2019)

The Concept

Audi's love for the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man goes back to the days of Auto Union. In 1938, Ewald Kluge won the Tourist Trophy over with his DKW ULD 250. Since that victory, the brand proudly sports the initials TT on several products such as the NSU Quickly of 1959, then the sports version of the NSU Prinz, the 1000 TTS . It will then be necessary to reach 1998 to discover the elegant coupe and TT roadsters, become in a short time an icon of the design. Introduced in 2014, it was time to think of a small facelift, especially on the occasion of the 20 years of the model's existence.

What's changing

The TT gets the new grille with the famous Audi Single Frame latest generation, an element that enhances the depth between optical blocks. On the TTS, this new aesthetic is even more elegant and dynamic through large openings dedicated cooling in the bottom of the shield. While the model has softened with time and it no longer quite the 1998 exclusive line, but it remains a sports coupe with a strong personality even if it must also today face a competition that has developed widely. That said, the TT retains a large pool of loyal customers and these particularly appreciate the "S-Line Competition" finish on which a large fixed wing replaces the motorized spoiler that comes out at high speed.
Inside, Audi offers enhanced equipment of Drive Select (driving modes), Bluetooth connection, multifunction steering wheel, heated mirrors as well as rain and light sensors. The TTS adds the digital display facing the driver (Virtual Cockpit) and damping controlled.

How it rolls?

The TTS continues to use the 2.0 TFSI widespread in the group and in particular used by the Golf GTI to name just that one. Because it must now meet the Euro 6d standards, it benefits from mounting a particle filter, which is why it loses 4 hp. Here we are a little back to the time when the forced catalyst also ate some of the power. Today, he develops 306 hp at 5400 rpm, but he gains 20 Nm of torque, 400 Nm total available in 2000 and 5300 rpm. No regret therefore: here we are in the presence of a machine of a largely sufficient power especially since the TT has always monitored its weight. Despite the equipment and the all-wheel drive provided ex officio, it officially accuses only 1475 kg, which allows it to sprint from 0 to 100 km / h in only 4.5 s, a tenth better than previously . More than comfortable here too, even if, obviously, the TTS will not have the punch of the TT RS.

This logic of the hierarchy is confirmed en route on part of the sinuous course of the Tourist Trophy where we discover this TT. Our portion brings together the rise of Mountain Mile, Brandywell, culminating point of the famous race then the descent that follows the turn of the famous pub "Creg Ny Baa". On motorbikes, the speeds reach on this part the 300 km / h, but we play it more modest with our TT even if the road was closed for the occasion. The turns are all very fast output as it is almost always the reports 4 and 5 that are engaged on our S-Tronic. Thanks to the available torque, we almost never lose speed at intersections punctuated by late turns, while large 20-inch wheels provide adhesion of rare efficiency.

The TT remains a clinically accurate coupe and allows you to approach the turns without forcing, but with a turning power output that is wonderful. The steering is always ultra-precise and informative while the damping of the sport mode makes it possible to benefit from the chbadis without the ESP intervening at any end of fields. But overall it is a car that drives on the front axle, the following rear end always very docile. The mechanics also appreciate the revs. And US too. That said, the TTS is double-sided and, once out of our "closed track", the comfort mode allows to obtain a touch of road quite acceptable from the point of view of the comfort, as long as the road is not not too damaged because the 20-inch wheels obviously do not help. But in any case, we can only thank Audi for having mounted adaptive damping which makes it possible in the end a good versatility.

Budget

The Belgian tariff of this TTS is not yet known. In Germany, the TTS model will cost 54,500 €. With us, we must therefore expect a price of about 56,000 € given the higher VAT. But frankly, it's a status quo compared to the previous version and even better in the sense that the equipment is more complete now. The first deliveries are expected for this autumn.

Our verdict

Okay, other coupes are more playful by their architecture, but the amazing speeds of pbadage of which this TTS is capable demonstrate that the model is the worthy heir to the brand's history. Another advantage: despite top performance, the TT is a coupe that knows how to use discretion – which is not displeasing – while revealing a good versatility in everyday life especially for comfort. Finally, maybe this TTS is actually the choice of true connoisseurs.