RE: UK Drive: Audi TT RS

[JJ1976]

It would seem that Audi may have missed the mark with the TTRS, and I agree that the rear spoiler looks wrong, but some of the comments people make are laughable.
The comments that make me laugh most are from the people who criticise the car in question (or the type of person who would drive one) but don't have the bottle to post what they choose to drive in their profile. Or the people who criticise the car and who drive cars that would have received awful write-ups in reviews. I could name names or copy and paste photos of their cars from their profiles here, but that's not my style - you know who you are though!!

Dupont666 said:

Serious thought they would do something like shoehorn the RS4 engine into it and give it some proper bite and not the namby pamby engine they put in...

Shame on you Audi

335bhp 2.5-litre turbocharged five-pot - 'namby pamby' - are you for real??

[Ahonen]

Dupont666 said:

Serious thought they would do something like shoehorn the RS4 engine into it and give it some proper bite and not the namby pamby engine they put in...

Shame on you Audi

Are you aware of the size and shape of a TT's engine bay, relative to a V8 RS4 engine? No, thought not.

[ctallchris]

Ahonen said:

Dupont666 said:

Serious thought they would do something like shoehorn the RS4 engine into it and give it some proper bite and not the namby pamby engine they put in...

Shame on you Audi

Are you aware of the size and shape of a TT's engine bay, relative to a V8 RS4 engine? No, thought not.

The old RS6 has to have it's battery in the boot because it won't fin in the same engine bay as that beast.

I would suggest taking the reat seats out and putting a mahoosive V8 engine there but that would probably be competing with the r8 a little.

audi look to have done the sensible thing and not made it into enough of a beast that it would out compete the r8 which it certanly would have come close to with an extra 100 horses

[Ahonen]

ctallchris said:

J111 said:

ctallchris said:

They may not be the same chassis like the first gen but they are manufactured using the same materials and methods and have the majority of the same components bolted onto them when completed

If only that were true, one wouldn't have to remortgage to keep a (real) RS in consumables.

If you mean 'the majority of Audis are steel unibody construction' then, er, yes, isn't that true of every major car manufacturer?

It is more about the approach taken / the set of best practices they use and the philosophy which they design cars. Archetecture controls the design process to ensure that everything hangs together well when it is finished. At some stage around 1998 vw said the golf is popular lets make more cars like that they analysed how it was designed and put together and repeated the process refining it. Changing the shapes of the chassis when a car required it but using the same formula because they know it works.

This prevents you geting bad cars these days (ok compared to some others they will be bad but not in the 80's rover level of actually being poorly constructed and thought through). Depressingly you also limit the chance for strokes of genius... except for lotus who fortunately now are doing chassis consultancy for a lot of people.

I'm genuinely confused by this. Are you saying that Audi A4s, with their longitudinal engines, are based on VW Golfs?

[Ahonen]

ctallchris said:

The old RS6 has to have it's battery in the boot because it won't fin in the same engine bay as that beast.

Yup, in my Quattro it's under the back seat...

[ctallchris]

Ahonen said:

ctallchris said:

J111 said:

ctallchris said:

They may not be the same chassis like the first gen but they are manufactured using the same materials and methods and have the majority of the same components bolted onto them when completed

If only that were true, one wouldn't have to remortgage to keep a (real) RS in consumables.

If you mean 'the majority of Audis are steel unibody construction' then, er, yes, isn't that true of every major car manufacturer?

It is more about the approach taken / the set of best practices they use and the philosophy which they design cars. Archetecture controls the design process to ensure that everything hangs together well when it is finished. At some stage around 1998 vw said the golf is popular lets make more cars like that they analysed how it was designed and put together and repeated the process refining it. Changing the shapes of the chassis when a car required it but using the same formula because they know it works.

This prevents you geting bad cars these days (ok compared to some others they will be bad but not in the 80's rover level of actually being poorly constructed and thought through). Depressingly you also limit the chance for strokes of genius... except for lotus who fortunately now are doing chassis consultancy for a lot of people.

I'm genuinely confused by this. Are you saying that Audi A4s, with their longitudinal engines, are based on VW Golfs?

In that they have been designed using the same design process and philiosphy. Look up Bischoff and archetecture.

At the end of the day cars are built in much the same was as buildings. saying a house is steel framed is much like saying a car is a steel monocoque it means very little. What matters more is the person who decides how everything fits together. There may be millions of designs of houses which are differing looks and shapes but common elements run between them common styles and often layouts.

If you look at a lot of houses you will see this certainly in large new build areas. there are many different houses but they will all have been designed by the same person / group to fill different purpouses but common elements will continue through the estate.

manufacturers do their best to hide these similarities by changing the look of the interiors (to another grey and dull mess) and the exteriors (occasionally) but at best car design is an slow incremental progression. At the worst these design styles stifle new ideas and technology because they redesigning the archetecture to incoporate them means redesigning a hugely valuble asset.

VW / AUDI can be thought of more as that style than a manufacturer. they could out source most of their business but as long as they provide the archetecture the cars will be recognisable.

I appologise for my spelling

[ctallchris]

one other thing that i really think hurts the design of their cars is that they have almost no spine.
http://www.autozine.org/Car_Photo/Audi/TT_chassis....
http://www.autoracing1.com/Images/2003Misc/MazdaCh...
a nice big thick spine really helps in a RWD (i know it's 4wd but all the power will go to the back 90% of the time)

[Nickellarse]

Finally, I've found one thing in common between the quattro and my old classic mini... I knew it had quattro pedigree somewhere in there.

Ahonen said:

ctallchris said:

The old RS6 has to have it's battery in the boot because it won't fin in the same engine bay as that beast.

Yup, in my Quattro it's under the back seat...

[ctallchris]

Nickellarse said:

Finally, I've found one thing in common between the quattro and my old classic mini... I knew it had quattro pedigree somewhere in there.

Ahonen said:

ctallchris said:

The old RS6 has to have it's battery in the boot because it won't fin in the same engine bay as that beast.

Yup, in my Quattro it's under the back seat...

mine's in the passenger footwell.

[TheOrangePeril]

It's a Golf.

Wouldn't mind dumping the engine in my Morris Ital tho...

[J-P]

mikeveal said:

The MX5 has the looks, and is one of the dullest drives around.

What? Have you actually seen / driven an MX5? or perhaps your referring to the Martian Xeno 5, which is of course the worst form of space travel known to living organisms, I trust the journey back to your home planet will be in a more suitable vehicle!!!

Edited by J-P on Tuesday 18th August 16:04

[Droptheclutch]

Dr G said:

Shape Shifter said:

Lazy, me-too assessment of the car.

You know what? I thought exactly the same thing. Not a very interesting read I'm afraid PH!

Indeed. That was poor form. Where's the detail? I expect better from PH/Haymarket

[mechsympathy]

Droptheclutch said:

Dr G said:

Shape Shifter said:

Lazy, me-too assessment of the car.

You know what? I thought exactly the same thing. Not a very interesting read I'm afraid PH!

Indeed. That was poor form. Where's the detail? I expect better from PH/Haymarket

Here: http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=52&i=1997...

[Ex Boy Racer]

For such a boring car it sure stresses people out!

Cards on the table - my TT RS arrives in September. I looked at a lot of cars, but chose it because:

Very very fast
Very well made
lovely place to sit
massive feel good factor.

Maybe it does lose out in the final few tenths to a boxter or cayman, but to be honest i hardly ever get the chance to drive that way. I'm sure most people are like me - boring, busy roads with the odd chance to really blast. For this the shove of the RS is great, and far better than the porker.

In the final analysis though, the porkers are ugly (IMO) and the interiors are bland, unimaginative and cheap.

Yes, i wish the TT had the same drive as my RS4, but then again it's lighter - and you can tell.

I'm going to have fun and not care about the naysayers.

Vidal

[jdcampbell]

Let's just face it Audi can't do decent suspension. If you want a true driver's car you need to buy something other than an Audi.

[jdcampbell]

Ex Boy Racer said:

For such a boring car it sure stresses people out!

Cards on the table - my TT RS arrives in September. I looked at a lot of cars, but chose it because:

Very very fast
Very well made
lovely place to sit
massive feel good factor.

Maybe it does lose out in the final few tenths to a boxter or cayman, but to be honest i hardly ever get the chance to drive that way. I'm sure most people are like me - boring, busy roads with the odd chance to really blast. For this the shove of the RS is great, and far better than the porker.

In the final analysis though, the porkers are ugly (IMO) and the interiors are bland, unimaginative and cheap.

Yes, i wish the TT had the same drive as my RS4, but then again it's lighter - and you can tell.

I'm going to have fun and not care about the naysayers.

Vidal

Vidal I agree with you that it offers:

Very very fast
Very well made
lovely place to sit
massive feel good factor

but it's driving at any speed even 5 tenths that a car with properly sorted suspension is miles better than any Audi I have driven. The benefits are apparent in:

ride quality and comfort
turn in
body control
steering feel

i.e.: all the things that matter to someone who truly enjoys the driving experience. If you buy a car because you want one that's nice to look at and has a lovely interior then an Audi's a reasonable choice.

[nonuts]

jdcampbell said:

Let's just face it Audi can't do decent suspension. If you want a true driver's car you need to buy something other than an Audi.

Really, care to explain your opinion there? I don't think the ride quality vs dynamic ability of modern Audi's is any worse than the BMW equivalent for example?

I'm clearly seen as biased as I've done more miles in a st handling Audi hatchback than I care to think about but really don't get the Audi bashing attitude on here.

[Ex Boy Racer]

jdcampbell said:

Ex Boy Racer said:

For such a boring car it sure stresses people out!

Cards on the table - my TT RS arrives in September. I looked at a lot of cars, but chose it because:

Very very fast
Very well made
lovely place to sit
massive feel good factor.

Maybe it does lose out in the final few tenths to a boxter or cayman, but to be honest i hardly ever get the chance to drive that way. I'm sure most people are like me - boring, busy roads with the odd chance to really blast. For this the shove of the RS is great, and far better than the porker.

In the final analysis though, the porkers are ugly (IMO) and the interiors are bland, unimaginative and cheap.

Yes, i wish the TT had the same drive as my RS4, but then again it's lighter - and you can tell.

I'm going to have fun and not care about the naysayers.

Vidal

Vidal I agree with you that it offers:

Very very fast
Very well made
lovely place to sit
massive feel good factor

but it's driving at any speed even 5 tenths that a car with properly sorted suspension is miles better than any Audi I have driven. The benefits are apparent in:

ride quality and comfort
turn in
body control
steering feel

i.e.: all the things that matter to someone who truly enjoys the driving experience. If you buy a car because you want one that's nice to look at and has a lovely interior then an Audi's a reasonable choice.

such twaddle.

I've had loads of cars, from cateehams through 911's to evo's cossies and RS's.

All are different, but to make such an absolute judgement as you do here is ridiculous.

When i got out of my caterham, my evo felt like a truck. but it was like a racer compared to my 911.

horses for courses. Every car is a compromise but to write off every audi ever made is madness. RS4? R8?

To be honest i have an old suzuki jeep that i use a s a workhorse. Fun with a capital F and full on, involved driving from 20 mph onwards...

[DirtyHarry88]

nonuts said:

jdcampbell said:

Let's just face it Audi can't do decent suspension. If you want a true driver's car you need to buy something other than an Audi.

Really, care to explain your opinion there? I don't think the ride quality vs dynamic ability of modern Audi's is any worse than the BMW equivalent for example?

I'm clearly seen as biased as I've done more miles in a st handling Audi hatchback than I care to think about but really don't get the Audi bashing attitude on here.

It seems to come across as awfully pretentious.

People going on about handling at 10/10th as if they do it all the time and that it's the be all and end all for the public road.

I'd wager that if you're driving at 10/10th on the public road the you shouldn't be driving in the first place.

[spanna123]

Saw one of these on the M42 last week, 09-reg, looks a bit of a hairdresser's car but goes well. We were in a Mitsi Evo 6, completely standard, fresh import. Got behind it on a dual carriageway and had a little play, we caught up and were overtaking him until the Evo hit the 120mph limiter Lolz. Bloody Jap imports and their limiting laws.