RE: Audi TT S: Review

[Lost soul]

HeMightBeBanned said:

What's so bad about Haldex?

nothing is wrong with Haldex , but the driving gods on here would consider anyone who drives a car with haldex homosexual

[anonymous-user]

It doesn't look any different?!

Not for me.

[Tib]

Good to See Dale writing more articles. Provides a lot more information than some other authors, and does such in a less condescending manner.

[Lucas Ayde]

Thing is, the base price for TTS is reputed to be £39k. On top of that, most people will probably want to spec a couple of grand's worth of extras bringing it to in excess of £40k. That's just way too much for what you get and it's unlikely that meaningful discounts will be available until the new model has been out for about a year.

Frankly, spend a bit more and get a Boxster/Cayman or save ten grand and get a Golf R (which has the same engine, drivetrain and chassis as well as a ton of extras as standard).

[kambites]

Lucas Ayde said:

Frankly, spend a bit more and get a Boxster/Cayman or save ten grand and get a Golf R (which has the same engine, drivetrain and chassis).

I'd like to see you point to the "chassis" which is the same on the two. The front subframe has the same dimensions but as far as I know that's about all they share from a chassis point of view?

[cerb4.5lee]

Lost soul said:

HeMightBeBanned said:

What's so bad about Haldex?

nothing is wrong with Haldex , but the driving gods on here would consider anyone who drives a car with haldex homosexual

Haldex goes about its business pretty fine overall but for me personally I prefer the more rear biased Haldex on the R8 for example to the majority of the rest of the Audi range and other 4WD systems I have experienced do it better for me.

I preferred both the 4WD systems on my old XR4x4`s and X5 to the Haldex system on the TTS, I am far from a driving god but just don't care much for the FWD led systems.

[scherzkeks]

Lucas Ayde said:

[...] and get a Golf R (which has the same engine, drivetrain and chassis).

No, it doesn't, and it never has been a 1:1 copy, sans body styling. There is a lot of additional development in the TT, and I fully expect it will handily outdo the Golf R/S3 on the track along with most of its actual competitors in the segment.

[Lucas Ayde]

kambites said:

I'd like to see you point to the "chassis" which is the same on the two.

Ok, I forgot that this is Pistonheads where tedious pedantry matters - I guess I should have said it shares the same MQB platform as the Golf R.

[Wadeski]

The sports car for those who grew up driving hot hatches.

Probably fewer of these will be pulled out of hedges, I suppose.

[Dave Hedgehog]

a bit disappointed that they have not made it more driver focused, but the one thing audi does best is know its customers

now if they make the RS a snarling animal with the 5 pot lump and make it look exactly like this, i might actually want one

[kambites]

Lucas Ayde said:

kambites said:

I'd like to see you point to the "chassis" which is the same on the two.

Ok, I forgot that this is Pistonheads where tedious pedantry matters - I guess I should have said it shares the same MQB platform as the Golf R.

MQB isn't really a platform though, "platform" implies a shared floor-pan design to me. Unlike the previous generation Golf/TT/whatever platform, MQB allows a lot more flexibility; it's more a set of building blocks from which a platform can be formed than a platform in the traditional sense. Hence MQB cars all having different wheelbases and many of them very different track widths.

[SuperchargedVR6]

Lost soul said:

HeMightBeBanned said:

What's so bad about Haldex?

nothing is wrong with Haldex , but the driving gods on here would consider anyone who drives a car with haldex homosexual

People don't realise Haldex has moved on considerably since the MK4 R32 / MK1 TT.

It's just easier to label something as schitt off the cuff, rather than research it and have an informed opinion.

[Lucas Ayde]

kambites said:

MQB isn't really a platform though, "platform" implies a shared floor-pan design to me. Unlike the previous generation Golf/TT/whatever platform, MQB allows a lot more flexibility; it's more a set of building blocks from which a platform can be formed than a platform in the traditional sense. Hence MQB cars all having different wheelbases and many of them very different track widths.

I'll be surprised if it's markedly different from an S3 hatch or Golf R.

[kambites]

Lucas Ayde said:

kambites said:

MQB isn't really a platform though, "platform" implies a shared floor-pan design to me. Unlike the previous generation Golf/TT/whatever platform, MQB allows a lot more flexibility; it's more a set of building blocks from which a platform can be formed than a platform in the traditional sense. Hence MQB cars all having different wheelbases and many of them very different track widths.

I'll be surprised if it's markedly different from an S3 hatch or Golf R.

Honestly, I don't know how much it shares but the fact that they're both MQB based doesn't mean anywhere near as much as the shared platforms used to in VAG. Don't forget that Passat is also MQB based and that's a very different sized car.

[Lost soul]

SuperchargedVR6 said:

Lost soul said:

HeMightBeBanned said:

What's so bad about Haldex?

nothing is wrong with Haldex , but the driving gods on here would consider anyone who drives a car with haldex homosexual

People don't realise Haldex has moved on considerably since the MK4 R32 / MK1 TT.

It's just easier to label something as schitt off the cuff, rather than research it and have an informed opinion.

[Lucas Ayde]

scherzkeks said:

No, it doesn't, and it never has been a 1:1 copy, sans body styling. There is a lot of additional development in the TT, and I fully expect it will handily outdo the Golf R/S3 on the track along with most of its actual competitors in the segment.

Engine is pretty much the same (tuned for a couple of bhp extra on the TT).
Haldex is the same.
MQB platform is the same.

The TT has more Alumumium and hence will be lighter and slightly quicker. 0-62 is quoted as 4.7s for the manual vs 5.1 for the Golf R manual). It'll also have a lower CoG and be differently balanced but you are essentially paying 10k more for a slight extra turn of speed, coupe looks and probably slightly better handling. It's still going to share predominantly the same driving characteristics, just be a bit sharper and nippier.

I'm a TT owner but if I had £39k to spend right now, I'd plump for a Golf R and 10k in my pocket (you can get them new for around £28.5k with DSG which is what I'd go for, less with a manual box and the manual is the standard on the TTS, S-tronic likely 1.5k extra) or save a bit longer and get a Cayman.

I'm not the only one judging from reactions on TT forums - I think Audi have misjudged the pricing on the new Mk3 models and how much extra people are prepared to pay for looks, luxury and a slightly better performance.

[cerb4.5lee]

Lucas Ayde said:

I'm a TT owner but if I had £39k to spend right now, I'd plump for a Golf R and 10k in my pocket

I agree and I have never really been much of a Golf fan(great car though it clearly is) but I have been reading a few reviews of the Golf R and everyone is waxing lyrical about it and as a value for money package I agree its hard to see past it.

It really does make the TTS look pricey and I never thought our TTS was worth £41k new after options but Audi know punters will still pay it but I cant help but think what a relative bargain the Golf R is in comparison.

[Dave Hedgehog]

cerb4.5lee said:

Lucas Ayde said:

I'm a TT owner but if I had £39k to spend right now, I'd plump for a Golf R and 10k in my pocket

I agree and I have never really been much of a Golf fan(great car though it clearly is) but I have been reading a few reviews of the Golf R and everyone is waxing lyrical about it and as a value for money package I agree its hard to see past it.

It really does make the TTS look pricey and I never thought our TTS was worth £41k new after options but Audi know punters will still pay it but I cant help but think what a relative bargain the Golf R is in comparison.

a golf r with a few options is 40k £39,400 to the spec i would order one at

Edited by Dave Hedgehog on Tuesday 9th September 14:47

[cerb4.5lee]

Dave Hedgehog said:

cerb4.5lee said:

Lucas Ayde said:

I'm a TT owner but if I had £39k to spend right now, I'd plump for a Golf R and 10k in my pocket

I agree and I have never really been much of a Golf fan(great car though it clearly is) but I have been reading a few reviews of the Golf R and everyone is waxing lyrical about it and as a value for money package I agree its hard to see past it.

It really does make the TTS look pricey and I never thought our TTS was worth £41k new after options but Audi know punters will still pay it but I cant help but think what a relative bargain the Golf R is in comparison.

a golf r with a few options is 40k

Drat!

[Lucas Ayde]

cerb4.5lee said:

I agree and I have never really been much of a Golf fan(great car though it clearly is) but I have been reading a few reviews of the Golf R and everyone is waxing lyrical about it and as a value for money package I agree its hard to see past it.

It really does make the TTS look pricey and I never thought our TTS was worth £41k new after options but Audi know punters will still pay it but I cant help but think what a relative bargain the Golf R is in comparison.

Even the S3 seriously undercuts it ... so you can still have the badge and about 95% of the performance, not to mention a lot more practicality.