Audi boosts power to create new TTS

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What is it?

A new 268bhp version of the Audi TT. Featuring a heavily revised version of Audi's turbocharged 2.0-litre TFSI engine, the TTS is able to sprint to 62mph in just 5.4 seconds and onto an electronically limited 155mph. It's the fastest TT Audi has ever produced, and is available in both Coupe and Roadster guises. Both come with Audi's quattro four-wheel drive system, allowing it to exploit its ample power very effectively indeed. It's the first TT to wear the S badge, and it gets the signature brushed metal finish to its wing mirrors to signify this status. The wing mirrors aren't the only cosmetic tweaks though, the TTS coming with deeper front and rear bumpers, the front punctured by a bolder S-badged grille, while four exhausts hang menacingly underneath the rear apron. Audi's now signature LED daytime running lights also make their debut on the TTS's new, more aggressive nose.

Is it any good?

Anything packing that much power and the traction to exploit it is always going to raise a smile. The TTS feels very rapid, the 2.0-litre turbocharged unit delivering its performance more like a bigger capacity multi-cylinder model than a 2.0-litre engine with a turbo. With its peak 258lb.ft of torque available over a large percentage of the tachometer needle's sweep, the TTS delivers very linear performance. Aurally, the engine's character is somewhat suppressed by the turbocharging, but Audi has compensated for this by giving the TTS a wonderfully vocal exhaust. The four pipes are easily heard in the cabin, the finest sound found when lifting off the throttle, which results in a rousing cackling and popping.

Opt for Audi's two-pedal, twin-clutch, paddle-shift S tronic transmission and making those exhausts sing is only a finger flex away. Quick and smooth as this gearbox is, it robs you of much of the involvement on offer from the TTS. Grip levels are high, traction excellent, the brakes strong and the ride beautifully composed thanks to the TTS's standard fitment of Audi's magnetic damping system. The steering lets down the package though, it bereft of feel, leaving you guessing as to how much grip is on offer from the front wheels. That lack of information is what ultimately robs the TTS of its place among its contemporaries as a keen drivers' choice.

Should I call the bank manager?

At £33,390 it's more than likely you'll want to. Given the performance on offer, the TTS actually represents pretty good value. Audi compares its performance figures against Porsche's 911 Carrera 4, and there really isn't much in it. We're not saying it's a genuine 911 rival, but if raw performance figures are what you want for boasting down at the pub then the TTS is an interesting proposition. As with all Audis, it is a beautifully built car too, the interior unequalled among its rivals. BMW's Z4 Coupé or 1 Series Coupé, Nissan's 350Z and even Merc's SLK 350 ultimately represent a more enjoyable driving experience though, but if you're after style before everything else the TTS is pretty much unsurpassed.

Summary

Not everyone wants their performance car to be raw and extreme, and the TTS is certain to win many fans for its combination of Audi's style and build quality mated to easy, yet searing performance. Driving fans will prefer the more intimate feedback and involvement on offer from many of its rivals, but for the majority the TTS is a hugely capable and desirable high performance coupe or roadster.

Kyle Fortune

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