2009 Audi TT - Page 1 Review

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Shopping for a 2009 Audi TT? MSRP: $35,200 - $46,540

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Audi couldn’t quite wait ’til Detroit to show its production-bound TTS — the much-anticipated high-performance version of the TT line that also marks the TT’s tenth anniversary.

Most notably, there’s a lot more power under the hood, a 2.0-liter ‘TFSI’ four-cylinder engine that makes 272 horsepower. The engine, according to Audi, takes gasoline direct injection and turbocharging and “blends them to form a perfect partnership.” Peak torque is an impressive (for a 2.0-liter four) 258 pound-feet, between 2500 and 5000 rpm. With the new engine tune and extra power, the two-liter has also been strengthened and extensively reengineered, and the intercooler has been optimized, with maximum turbocharger boost dialed up to 17.4 psi — exceptionally high for a production vehicle.

A six-speed manual is standard-equipment for Europe, but all U.S. models get the available six-speed S tronic DSG gearbox — which shifts faster than a standard automatic transmission — cuts the zero-to-62-mph time by two tenths of a second. S tronic now also has a new pressure reservoir for the DSG unit’s multi-plate clutch system allows it to pull off shifts even faster.

With the S tronic, the TTS Coupe will be able to accelerate from zero to 62 mph in only 5.2 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. Accelerating from 80 to 120 km/h in fourth gear takes only 4.4 seconds — a testament to the engine’s broad torque curve.

Underpinning the whole package is a magnetic ride adaptive damping system, which gives the driver two modes, Standard and Sport. Standard favors ride comfort, while Sport mode lowers the suspension by 0.39 inches and tightens the settings for high-performance driving. That all rides on 18-inch aluminum wheels, with huge 17-inch brake discs with black-painted calipers.

And of course power is delivered to all four wheels via a reinforced version of Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system, with the ESP stabilization program to keep everything under control when surfaces are less predictable. In the TTS, for having the most fun on smoother surfaces there’s a new mode for the ESP that allows controlled drifting.