Test drive Audi TT compartment 1998 - 2006 compartment

The best continuation

The new Audi TT does not look as radical as the first generation of the model at one time. However, in any case, the success of the compartment from Ingolstadt is predetermined. We took a car with a two -liter turbo engine for a test, since we believe that this particular option will be most popular.
Yes, there is no former conceptuality, but charisma increased. The car looks more sly, aggressive and even, if you like, sexually. At the same time, the designers managed to disguise the increased sizes hard to imagine that this compartment is longer than the first generation by as much as 13 cm and the continuity of the style is evident. The silhouette cannot be confused with anything. The headlights turned out spectacular: the front with a cunning squint, the rear with rectangular scattering behind red glass, just like on the older relative of Q7. There are no complaints about the appearance and cannot be worked on a hard five.
Audi interiors are traditionally distinguished by high quality assembly and materials and verified stylistic solutions. The latest TT Coupe (this is what this car is called) was no exception. The salon meets a spectacular red-black trim. Equipped with electric drives, leather chairs combine comfort and quite acceptable fixation. Only inside you really feel that the dimensions of the car have grown. After all, the coupe was added not only in length, but also in a width of almost 8 cm. It is much more spacious here than in the first version. More space in the shoulders and above the head, wider than the range of adjustments of the seats and the steering wheel. With a growth of 190 cm, your humble servant got a job without any problems. Maybe now the rear +2 contain adult riders? But one glance at the gallery is enough to understand when developing a new model the interests of passengers of the second row were taken into account last. It will be convenient there will be a small child or a pair of road bags. But the trunk is quite large 290 liters. The backs of the rear seats can be folded, magically increasing the useful volume to 700 liters.
The front panel contours are softer and smooth, however, the connection with the first generation of the model is visible round ventilation nozzles, the front panel shape, the visor visor, framed by chromium dials ... But the quality is higher, the style is more modern. But the metal lining with the inscription TT, which used to close the music control unit, ordered to live a long place for a medium -sized display. It’s a pity, the little thing was pleasant. But the novelty can boast of such a mod, flattened in the lower part, has recently been introduced with the help of its sports models Volkswagen. The solution looks one hundred percent, but in practice itself does not justify itself to get used to the corners and flat rims that periodically find themselves in their hands.
The ergonomics of the driver's place is impeccable with one exception. In the lower part of the central console, under the display there are small circles of the ventilation system until you get used to it, it is inconvenient to use them. In addition, access to the stove control unit is limited by the gearbox selector in Parking. However, these remarks are to a certain extent subjective.
TT Coupe, as before, is offered with two 3.2-liter V6 engines and a light four-cylinder turbocharged 2 liter. The senior version of the Audi TT with a 3.2-liter engine has an undeniable advantage of all-wheel drive, which is not available for a more modest configuration. However, the advantage of the 3.2-liter version in power and thrust is accompanied by a minus of the larger mass of the front, hence the not so lively reactions to the actions of the steering wheel.
A well -familiar electromechanical amplifier is used in the steering, which generates exceptionally correct feedback depending on the speed of movement. The steering wheel makes from the stop to stop 2.9 turnover by sports standards. However, practice has shown that the sharpness of the reactions turned out to be optimal. It is only a pity that strikes often take place on the steering wheel when traveling road flaws. However, on a sport cap on a bad road you should always be careful, this is not a representative sedan. But on high -quality coating in the soul, exceptionally positive emotions settled.
The test car was also interesting to the new Audi Magnetic Ride shock absorbers. The idea is not new, Cadillac, for example, has been using such a long time. However, for Audi, this is the first experience of using shock absorbers filled with magnetic-reiological fluid. And, I must say, it turned out more convincingly than Cadillac. Shock absorbers work well in all modes. If the one is selected by default, the reactions are slightly lubricated, but the movement is comfortable. On such a suspension is not a sin and not a problem and go to work daily. If you wanted to add pepper, you just need to press on a small key near the gearbox selector. There is no trace of relaxation, the car shakes on the bumps, but the rolls come down to zero, and the control acquires a special taste and sharpness. If I bought myself TT, I would certainly choose a car with this option.
And also with an amazing gearbox with two clutches. Audi no longer uses the All-Folkswagen abbreviation DSG and calls this unit in its own S-Tronic. One way or another, his work is invariably delighted with me. But best of all, the miracle capture manifests itself in tandem with turbo motors as on TT, for example. Thanks to its ultra -suffering switching, the engine does not have time to fall out of the zone of the most productive revolutions. Sometimes it seems that there is an atmospheric power unit. However, this is the merit of not only S-Tronic, but also the engine itself with direct fuel injection. It produces the maximum 280 nm of torque in the most commonly used range from 1800 to 5000 revolutions.
It is proposed to control the gearbox in two ways to choose. You can swing the selector back and forth, or use small, but very comfortable petals that are fixed on the steering wheel. In the vast majority of cases, it is enough to choose a sports regime. However, I often used manually the more closely contact with this magnificent mechanism, the more pleasant.
Talking about the technologies with which the car is stuffed, it is impossible to leave the body aside. Made using the Audi Space Frame branded technology, it consists of 69% aluminum, the rest is steel. In the history of Audi, this combination is used for the first time. Interestingly, steel is concentrated in the back of the machine, this provides the optimal distribution of weight along the axes.
Many remember the problems that Audi faced at the very beginning of the first generation TT. Rather, buyers encountered problems. We are talking about the instability of movement at high speeds due to non-optimal aerodynamics, the back of the car was too unloaded. This at first spoiled the reputation of the Audi model had to take measures. The new compartment also has a sloping roof, but in this case, the aerodynamic problem is radically solved. The car is equipped with an active anti -wing, which is automatically advanced at speeds for 120 km/h or at any time at the request of the driver. You can experiment with your own sensations. When the speedometer hand crosses the indicated mark, the wing extends, and as if an invisible hand presses the car to the road.
Audi TT is magnificent on the highway, and in the city it feels like a fish in water. All with him are high technologies, power, dynamics, cool handling, effective brakes. Against the background of competitors, the coupe looks very convincing, taking into account sports inclinations and the possibility of normal daily operation. Thus, we can state that the success that the first TT series enjoyed will inevitably be inherited by its successor. Moreover, she will probably increase him.
Audi TT prices and configurations
From dealers, you can order a car with front-wheel drive and a 2-liter engine (200 hp) or with all-wheel drive and a 3.2 liter engine (250 hp). In standard equipment: ESP (unites ABS, EBV, ASR, EDS), front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, aluminum casting r17, front seats with combined finishes (leather and alkantara) and electric drive, aluminum inserts in the decoration of the salon , CD-resort, on-board computer, climate control, bi-ksenon headlights, tire pressure sensor. Additionally, you can order a stereo system with a CD changer, cruise control, shock absorbers Magnetic Ride. The cost of a 2-liter machine in the basic version with a mechanical 6-speed checkpoint is $ 56,940. With an engine 3.2 l $ 69,665. S-Tronic will cost $ 2600.
Nikolai Ilyin

Source: Motor magazine [December 2006]