TT Sport Auto Supertest - Audi TT RS

[DeDe]

Supertest of the TT RS Coupé.



Audi TT RS

• i5, turbo, 2480 ccm
• 340 hp, 450 Nm
• 6-speed-manual, AWD
• Michelin Pilot Sport PS2
• Weight: 1483 kg
• Vmax.: 280 km/h
• 0-100 km/h in 4,6 s
• 0-200 km/h in 17,5 s
• 80-120 km/h in 5,0 s (5th gear)
• Braking 100-0 km/h (warm): 36,1 m
• 18 m slalom: 70,0 km/h
• 110 m evasive: 141 km/h
• Basic price: €55.800,-
• Price as tested: €71.400,-

Nürburgring-Nordschleife (20,6 km)
8.09 min - Understeer is dominant. Cayman S PDK did the Ring in 8.17 min.

Hockenheimring (2,6 km)
1.15,0 min - Tested with two type of tires. Same tracktime even with the PS2's and the new ContiSportContact 5 P tyres. Less understeer with the Continental. Cayman PDK on PS2's: 1.14,2 min.

Acceleration / braking
0-200-0 km/h in 22,6 s - First class traction, good but not fantastic brakes. 0-200 km/h in 17,5 s, Cayman S did it in 18,1 s with PDK and Lauch Control.

Aerodynamic
Cw 0,32 - 36 kg uplift at the front, 2 kg uplift at the rear axle.

Wet handling track
1.37,2 min - 2,8 seconds slower than the Cayman S on the same tires.

Final rating:
Fun-factor: 9/10.
Everyday use: 7/10.

54 out of 80 points. Cayman S PDK 60/80.



Scans will come later...

 

[Sayyaaf]

That says it all. But I don't understand why understeering is dominant when the engine is transversly mounted and pushed back. I think it has to do with the Haldex system being heavy at that the front ?

 

[Mr Robert]

That says it all. But I don't understand why understeering is dominant when the engine is transversly mounted and pushed back. I think it has to do with the Haldex system being heavy at that the front ?

The car is built like most Audis, the base is FWD. I can imagine that it is really hard to retro-build away that.

 

[Sayyaaf]

Mitsubishi and Subaru seems to know how to convert a FWD platform into a fun AWD platform.

 

[Mr Robert]

Mitsubishi and Subaru seems to know how to convert a FWD platform into a fun AWD platform.

I have very little experience from driving Evos and STi:s, so I can't really comment on how they really drive but I have heard that, at least, the Evo is quite prone to understeer if you are not doing it right.

 

[DeDe]

Picture gallery

 

[DeDe]

[scans] Sport Auto Supertest - Audi TT RS

 

[martinbo]

The TT RS is 4.5 seconds slower around the wet-handling circuit than the TTS. Tyres play a part in this, surely?

 

[DeDe]

The TT RS is 4.5 seconds slower around the wet-handling circuit than the TTS. Tyres play a part in this, surely?

They say it's hard to control the car on lower grip surfaces (here: wet), because the rear is tend to go sideways and oversteer meens time-loss on that track.

 

[martinbo]

And yet, the TT RS does not have a historical reputation for oversteer - in fact, it's the opposite in every one of the tests I've read - rather nose-led understeer is the order of the day. So, an oversteering TT RS on a wet handling track is nothing short of bizarre in my mind.

 

[DeDe]

And yet, the TT RS does not have a historical reputation for oversteer - in fact, it's the opposite in every one of the tests I've read - rather nose-led understeer is the order of the day. So, an oversteering TT RS on a wet handling track is nothing short of bizarre in my mind.

According to Sport Auto: On dry track (Ring, HHR) it's mostly understeered, on a wet track it's oversteered.

 

[footie]

I have very little experience from driving Evos and STi:s, so I can't really comment on how they really drive but I have heard that, at least, the Evo is quite prone to understeer if you are not doing it right.

All transversly mounted AWD cars will understeer, in fact I would go as far as to say that almost all AWD cars where the most of the weight is front need to be driven different to a RWD and once mastered the understeer doesn't become an issue.

The TT RS is 4.5 seconds slower around the wet-handling circuit than the TTS. Tyres play a part in this, surely?

Tyres are the main factor in this result, plus the way the Haldex system is programmed. Also their times of 4.5s and 17.5s are a bit on the slow side but the gearbox might have been hindering these results, I am sure that with DSG the car will comfortably post times similar to that of the RS5 or M3 and it's lap times were done on 'normal' road tyres and not 'R-compound' rubber which would have been considerably better.

 

[south]

Tyres are the main factor in this result, plus the way the Haldex system is programmed. Also their times of 4.5s and 17.5s are a bit on the slow side but the gearbox might have been hindering these results, I am sure that with DSG the car will comfortably post times similar to that of the RS5 or M3 and it's lap times were done on 'normal' road tyres and not 'R-compound' rubber which would have been considerably better.

Besides a little size difference, tires didn't play a role at all (both were on Michelin PS2). Sportauto blamed the snap oversteer (in the wet) for the bad time the TT-RS clocked.


Best regards,
south

 

[martinbo]

Anyone got a video showing this wet handling behaviour? I've been surfing around looking for information (in english) or a vid. Does SportAuto specifically use the term "Snap oversteer"? Snap oversteer is more often as a result of throttle lift, mid-turn when the nose gets all the load transfer and the rear goes all light.

So, what I really want to know is this: is the TTRS oversteering in the wet ON the throttle or OFF the throttle? I have the sneaking suspicion it's the latter.

 

[footie]

Anyone got a video showing this wet handling behaviour? I've been surfing around looking for information (in english) or a vid. Does SportAuto specifically use the term "Snap oversteer"? Snap oversteer is more often as a result of throttle lift, mid-turn when the nose gets all the load transfer and the rear goes all light.

So, what I really want to know is this: is the TTRS oversteering in the wet ON the throttle or OFF the throttle? I have the sneaking suspicion it's the latter.

You can get oversteer but it's through the transferring of weight to make the tail light, so I believe SportAuto were using the term correctly. Of course once the tail is out there it can be controlled by the throttle, otherwise it takes a lot of lock and a dump of the throttle to make them oversteer on demand.

But all of the above refers to the dry as I have only driven the TT-RS in the dry, so I can only assume it's more extreme in the wet.

Besides a little size difference, tires didn't play a role at all (both were on Michelin PS2). Sportauto blamed the snap oversteer (in the wet) for the bad time the TT-RS clocked.

Best regards,
south

I thought they were on different rubber so thanks for correcting me there. Though it is true that compared to the M3 the times achieved by the TT-RS were on normal rubber so given the same rubber I reckon this car is as quick as either the M3 or RS5. A pocket rocket.

 

[south]

Anyone got a video showing this wet handling behaviour? I've been surfing around looking for information (in english) or a vid. Does SportAuto specifically use the term "Snap oversteer"? Snap oversteer is more often as a result of throttle lift, mid-turn when the nose gets all the load transfer and the rear goes all light.

So, what I really want to know is this: is the TTRS oversteering in the wet ON the throttle or OFF the throttle? I have the sneaking suspicion it's the latter.

I might have been too quick with the use of the term "snap oversteer". They explicitly say that the TT-RS oversteered abruptly whereas the TT-S understeered in the wet, but without mentioning if it's 'on the throttle' or 'off the throttle'. Sorry for the confusion, this might as well be a case of an abrupt power oversteer. If your suspicion is right, 'snap oversteer' would be the right term?

I thought they were on different rubber so thanks for correcting me there. Though it is true that compared to the M3 the times achieved by the TT-RS were on normal rubber so given the same rubber I reckon this car is as quick as either the M3 or RS5. A pocket rocket.

Yep, I can't have it both ways.


Best regards,
south

 

[Poverty]

Anyone got a video showing this wet handling behaviour? I've been surfing around looking for information (in english) or a vid. Does SportAuto specifically use the term "Snap oversteer"? Snap oversteer is more often as a result of throttle lift, mid-turn when the nose gets all the load transfer and the rear goes all light.

So, what I really want to know is this: is the TTRS oversteering in the wet ON the throttle or OFF the throttle? I have the sneaking suspicion it's the latter.

Ive seen vids of the TTRS sliding about on throttle albeit whilst in first gear.

Alot of TTRS owners are updating the haldex in their cars for the latest version which is more rear biased. Its odd that audi fitted the older haldex chip to the car.