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Audi : Audi TT Roadster March 7, 1999 - Audi is now adding a highly attractive new model to its range that will appeal especially to lovers of open-top sports cars.
Photo: Audi
The Roadster profits from the convincing precedent set by its sister model, the TT Coupé, with which it shares the same choice of engines and gearboxes. The 165 kW (225 bhp) power unit for the top-of-the-range model supplies the front and rear wheels with ample torque via a 6-speed gearbox: there’s a constant 280 Nm on tap right the way from 2,200 to 5,500 rpm. The four-cylinder turbocharged engine with a power output of 132 kW (180 bhp) and a 5-speed gearbox is being introduced with front-wheel drive and will later be available with the quattro system. Both engines guarantee performance that puts the TT Roadster among the leading two-seater sports cars.
Photo: Audi Fuel consumption is 8.2 litres for the 132 kW version and 9.4 litres for the 165 kW TT quattro (overall consumption according to 93/116/EU). The 165 kW (225 bhp) version accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in a breathtaking 6.7 seconds; the 180 bhp model takes around one second longer. The top speed of the front-wheel-drive Roadster is 223 km/h, the corresponding figure for the more powerful version is 237 km/h. The outstanding performance of the TT Roadster is a safe bet - with the emphasis on safe. The subject of safety was particularly high on the list of priorities for the development engineers at Audi. The body, for instance, already meets future legal requirements for frontal (96/79/EU) and side impact (96/27/EU) collisions. The special characteristics of the Roadster were already taken into account when the Coupé’s body was designed. Crumple zones at the front and rear, high-strength side intrusion protection bars in the doors and large-volume body sill sections are excellent examples of this. Precisely calculated reinforcement involving the use of thicker metal in the sill areas and sturdy transitions at the joints between the A pillar and the floor assembly give the TT Roadster a torsional rigidity that would have earned high praise for a saloon-car body only a few years ago. Detailed vibration analysis and the appropriate local modifications to the body ensure outstandingly low vibration levels. The kerb weight of 1,310 kilograms illustrates the benefits of developing the Roadster and the TT Coupé in parallel. Although the rollover bars may look primarily like a striking design feature, they come into their own if the worse comes to the worst, when together with the sturdy windscreen frame they create an occupant survival zone. This is because they are not just mounted on but form a rigid and integral part of the body structure. The A-pillars are reinforced by a tube-in-tube system, using high-strength steel. Inside the car, the occupants are protected by two front airbags and two side airbags. The side bags, which are integrated into the seat backs, are designed to protect both the head and thorax areas. The TT Roadster’s excellent drag coefficient and low airborne noise characteristics illustrate the well thought-out nature of the overall Audi TT concept. The height of the windscreen, the shape of the soft top, the position of the struts and even the weave and tension of the cloth have been designed so that the airflow remains in contact for as long as possible. This also prevents the top from billowing out at high speed. The interior is typical of the TT, with additional details specific to the Roadster. The "Baseball Glove" appearance of the leather in the production Roadster, for instance, which was an impressive feature even at the design study stage and is now available as part of the optional Authentic package, adds to the character of the car. Traditional leather seats or seats with a combination of leather sides and cloth or Alcantara central areas are also available in various different colours. Roadsters have always been cars for purists. But that no longer means sacrificing safety, comfort and perfection as it did in the past. The new TT Roadster illustrates this perfectly. Faultless engineering, an equipment specification that lacks nothing and the most dedicated attention to detail, for example one-hand operation of the soft top, a large heated rear window made of glass and a dimensionally stable tonneau cover with a practical locking system, put this newest Audi product in a strong position.
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