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Audi TT |
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Britain's motoring journalists were first in the queue to try
right-hand drive versions of the new Audi TT Roadster quattro at a
Press launch based on Goodwood House in November.
After a road test that took in a visit to Crosthwaite & Gardiner, the East Sussex company responsible for Audi AG's Auto Union Grand Prix car restoration and re-creation project, scribes tested the new open-top TT's nimble handling against the clock on the Goodwood Hill Climb. Production of the first RHD cars for UK customers starts in December, with first deliveries early in the New Year. UK versions of the TT Roadster quattro offer the same choice of turbocharged 1.8-litre, four-cylinder petrol engines and all-wheel drive transmission as the TT Coupé quattro. At a competitive £29,150 and £32,150 (on the road) respectively, the 180bhp and flagship 225bhp Audi TT Roadster quattros are priced at £2505 more than the equivalent Coupé models.
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Hood stowage takes up the space where the 2+2 Coupé's rear seats fit, making the Roadster a strict two-seater. Otherwise, its stylish interior is similar to the Coupé's, praised as a landmark in car interior design. Some things, though are unique to the open car. These include the option of special Baseball Glove leather trim, featured in the original 1995 TT Roadster design study. Other than rear seats, the open model takes the full quota of standard equipment from the fixed-head. This includes alloy wheels, remote control central locking, heated and Valvona leather upholstered front sports seats, a leather-rimmed sports steering wheel, electronic climate control, electric windows and mirrors and a Concert radio cassette. Extensive safety features shared with the TT Coupé quattro include driver and front passenger airbags, head and thorax side airbags, ABS with EBD Electronic Brake Force Distribution and EDL Electronic Differential Lock traction control governing the front wheels. The electro-hydraulically controlled quattro permanent four-wheel drive system features automatic variation of the torque split between the front and rear axles.
To ensure rollover protection, two striking, matt-silver rollover
hoops - a rigid and integral part of the body structure - in
conjunction with windscreen frame/A-pillars reinforced by a
high-strength steel tube-in-tube system, form an occupant survival
zone. Not just a power hike and a six-speed manual gearbox put the 225bhp car ahead of the five-speed 180bhp model. 'Six-spoke', 7.5J x 17in alloy wheels with 225/45 ZR 17 lower profile tyres (an option on the 180bhp car) replace 205/55 R 16 tyres on five-spoke, 7J x 16in rims. Distinctive twin tailpipes displace a single pipe. Xenon headlights with electronic washers and a Driver's Information System are also added to the 225bhp car's equipment list. Driving through a six-speed manual gearbox, the top-of-the-range 225bhp TT Roadster quattro accelerates from 0-62mph in just under seven seconds and offers an autobahn top speed of 147mph. The five-speed 180bhp version takes just under eight seconds from rest to 62mph mark and is capable of 139mph. |
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An extensive equipment list on both UK Roadsters includes a
powered soft-top and a unique, electrically operated glass wind
deflector behind the seats to reduce wind buffeting. The cloth
hood has a large, heated, glass rear window and folds flush with
the bodyline when lowered. In this position, it can be concealed,
if required, by a semi-rigid tonneau cover that slots into the
boot when not in use.