Fridae

Sports is big in the automobile world. Every brand bar Rolls Royce wants to be sporty, as it has become an essential criterion to shift metal nowadays. Even the Lord of Beige motoring Toyota attempts to dial in as much "Sports" in it's incredibly (mostly) dull range of cars. What does "Sports" mean in cars? More power from the engine? Sports suspension set-up which in the process gets rid of ride comfort? Or perhaps a body kit with monster sized alloys will do just enough for a car to be labeled "Sports".

This week's featured car is the new Audi TTS coupe. In line with my "Sports" theory, the TTS coupe has the most power in the range via a deliciously tuned 2.0 Turbocharged FSI engine, a "Sports" tuned suspension, quad exhausts, more chrome on the front grille and a subtle but smart bodykit with a set of unique 18" alloy wheels. All of these come with a premium of S$26,000 over the 2.0 TT and S$6,000 over the 3.2 Quattro TT.

As the most expensive model in the range, Audi TTS owners can shout their higher financial outlay via three exclusive paintworks (Solar Orange, Imola Yellow and Sprint Yellow). Strangely, and to the great protest from Fridae's in-house fashion diva, the Audi TTS handed to me was a sliver one. Dull colour aside, the Audi TTS is certainly an automotive art house, as the compact sports car's purposeful curves created an enviable and tremendous road presence. Replacing a car as iconic as the first TT, Walter de Silvia had the most unenviable task of replacing the world's most recognisable car, a challenge which he handled incredibly well. Also, the 24 LED light bulbs in the front headlamps attracted plenty of admirers in the day time. The Audi TTS is certainly not a car for the introverts then.

In the same fashion, the exhaust note from the quad pipes is loud and sonorous. The masterly tuned 2.0 turbocharged direct injection engine churns out 272 horsepower with 350NM of torque, mated with the highly acclaimed six-speed S-tronic gearbox, which has two clutches and relegates gear change delays. These numbers meant nothing more than a rocketing 5.2 secs to hit 100km/h from a standstill. Neck snapping digs at the acceleration pedal is addictive and the convenience of the automated gear system served more as a charm rather than deterring the entire driving experience.

Quattro drive system is heaven sent to a tropical country like Singapore. Rain drenched roads are little obstacles for the Audi TTS as the four wheel drive serves truck loads of grip. Power is being laid down on the road with ease as torque steer is not included in the TTS's vocabulary. The ride is hard and stiff, but never harsh and bone jarring, almost comfortable which surprised me considering how well it corners. Audi's Magnetic Ride dampers does stiffen up the suspension of the TTS by a little as it can be switched on or off via a button beneath the gearbox. The steering of the TTS is sharp and linear, a little more feel could be better here actually. Regardless such is the bundle of joy that I had behind the wheel of the TTS, there was constantly a grin at every turn of the corner. This is quite possibly the most fun driving experience I had so far in 2009! The light and chuckable TTS has certainly made me feel like a mess when I had to return the keys.

There is also the option for picking the TTS roadster for S$5,000 more, which does without the tiny rear seats. Well, most Fridae readers would probably opt for the more arguably stylish two-seater convertible; however there are actually some practicalities the coupe can offer. A holding place for gym/work bags or the occasional tortured "friend" could still fit in the back. As always, Audi interiors serve as the benchmark of beauty, simplicity and perceived quality. The TTS offers the driver a pretty decent view of the roads and the driving position was spot on as there are plenty of adjustments available. Only gripe that I have in the interior of the TTS is the BOSE sound system, which sounds inferior to the wall-shifting Bang Olufsen system found on the S5.

The TTS is priced within whiskers of the Porsche Boxster 2.7, which could be shocking news to some. The Porsche may have the slightly better driving balance, but it certainly will not match the pace and style of the storming TTS. Shelling out S$225,000 for the TTS is not too much to ask for as it certainly is that much better than the base 2.0 TT and the 3.2 Quattro TT. However for some, the imminent arrival of the TTRS is a chip in the armory. Top dollar for Top model for the period of time before something hotter comes along does not make sense. However as in all things with love, common sense means little. The Audi TTS is certainly my love of the moment.

	Audi TTS Coupe 2.0 TFSI Quattro S Tronic
Engine	In-Line 4-cylinder Spark Ignition Engine with Gasoline Direct Injection, Exhuast Turbocharger with InterCooler, Four Valves per Cylinder, DOHC
Transmission	6-speed S Tronic Direct-Shift Transmission, Four Wheel Drive
Max. Power	272hp@6000rpm
Max. Torque	350nm@2500-5000rpm
0-100 km/h	5.2 secs
Top speed	250 km/h (Limited)
Fuel Economy	12.7 km/L (combined cycle)
CO2 Emissions	191 g/km (Euro IV compliant)
Dimensions (L x W x H) / Weight	4,198x1,842x1,345 / 1,415 Kg
Price with COE*	S$225,000*

*Prices quoted are indicative of prices in Singapore. Please contact your local distributor for prices in your country.

Audi RS models usually arrive late in the model's cycle life and in limited numbers. The Audi TTRS is slated to come with a turbocharged 5-cylinder engine.