First Look: Is the Audi TT all talk and no trousers?
It will be a long wait for the launch of Audi’s Q3 which is supposed to be launched in June. However, to keep its fans happy and to keep the buzz rolling from the Auto Expo, the Ingolstadt champion brought the updated version of the Audi TT to India.
The launch took place at the 2012 Mint Luxury Conference in Mumbai. Followed by a fantastic fashion show by Manish Malhotra, the car was unveiled for the Indian market.
The Audi TT that was launched yesterday is actually a facelifted model of the second generation. The second generation was introduced way back in 2006 and received a comprehensive set of changes in 2010.
The new Audi TT is slightly longer, has a revised look and better performance and fuel economy. Interestingly, It is based on the same platform as the Skoda Yeti.
The Coupé model of the Audi TT would set you back by a cool Rs 48.36 lakhs. But for that moolah what do you get?
The Audi TT’s design oozes of style and panache. In fact, this design has received the coveted "World Design Car of the Year" in 2007.
Up front, you get a brawny bumper with large air inlets and the trademark single-frame trapezoid grill with four rings logo. The xenon headlamps have twelve white LEDs arranged in a straight line at the lower edge.
The side profile of the is very minimalistic and elegant. The sloping roofline gives it a very sporty look. There are no character lines on the side profile to maintain the simplicity of the design. The muscular wheel arches embody the 18-inch, 7 spoke, brushed aluminum alloy wheels. LED Turn indicators on the OVRMS add a touch of modernity to the design.
Coming to the rear, one can see that it is the party piece of the Audi TT.
Be it the floating reflectors of the tail lights, or the dual barrel chrome tip exhaust, or the flat black diffuser – they all gel fantastically well with the overall design.
The Audi TT’s interior is a sumptuous blend of leather, brushed aluminum and chrome. It cocoons you like a cockpit of a jet fighter. The flat-bottom steering wheel reminds you of the elder sister R8. The chunky gear knob is a joy to operate. Technically, the TT is a 4 seater but practically, you can fit only 2 people comfortably.
India gets the 2L TFSI engine which churns out 214PS @ 6,000rpm of power and 350Nm @ 1,600rpm of torque. This may not sound much but coupled with the S tronic dual clutch transmission and Audi’s lightweight hybrid Space Frame technology (ASF) means you get from 0-100 in 5.6 seconds.
Audi claims that because they have used a blend of aluminum and steel, they have managed to reduce the weight. This, coupled with a new energy recovery system, has boosted the fuel economy by 14%.
The international automotive press is so happy with this 2L TSFI engine that it has won the "Engine of the Year" five years in a row. Unfortunately, Audi did not bring the diesel TDI engine Audi TT to India.
At a price of Rs 48.36 lakh, the only competition to the Audi TT in the ‘sporty car’ segment is Mitsubishi Evolution which cannot be directly compared to the TT. All its other rivals such as Nissan 350Z, BMW Z4 and Mercedes SLK are priced much above 50 lakhs.
Sure, it has a smaller capacity engine and less power, but the new TT will definitely fulfill a lot of dreams of owning a sportscar
