Cars Audi

Of all the Audi motors ever built the TT is, in our eyes, the most beautiful, and of all the Audi TT models that have been released, the Audi TT RS is outstanding; awesome if you prefer. But to avoid the risk of hyperbole let’s look at some facts and figures so that you can make up your own mind.

First let’s look under the hood. What you will see might look a little strange, certainly for an Audi. The engine is a five cylinder turbocharged unit and this is the only Audi that uses a five cylinder engine. If is lust 2.5 litre (TFSI) yet is delivers a surprising 340 bhp and has no problem beating a Porsche Cayman S from the lights or the starting grid. The acceleration time from 0 to 62 mph is 4.6 seconds and the top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.

The gearbox is a straight forward six speed manual, which might be a little disappointing if you were hoping to see a paddle shift tiptronic system, but it is quite slick and gear changes are fast. It has a light clutch pedal too.

The Audi Quattro four wheel drive system is standard and this works very well especially in wet and slippery conditions. The car has a good balance and is has very agile handling. The suspension is lower than on other TT models and considerable use is made of aluminium sections in the body which held weight distribution. As you would expect no body roll is noticeable even when taking tight corners quickly.

There is an optional extra called ‘magnetic ride’ which is essentially an adjustable suspension and includes a sports setting which firms things up a little for even better cornering performance.

All models also have a sports engine performance mode which adjust the ECU to give an improved throttle response which will on the downside reduce the economy but on the upside make the exhaust note sound even better. Keep your finger well away from the sports button and you can get a very respectable 29 mpg.

As with any prestige car brand Audi some famous clients. Audi is a brand associated with quality, understatement, engineering, performance and elegance. Their list of drivers reflects these characteristics. Serious actors and artists seem to choose the Audi over all others – maybe they feel it shows a grounded side to their characters by owning an unostentatious but glamorous vehicle: substance over style.

The Q7 is a popular edition. Antonio Banderas is a serious actor who makes serious films. He is a brooding sophisticated kind of chap not associated with glitz and glam but respected as an artist. The Q7 is an aesthetic pleasure to behold. It has a cat like poise and a look associated with supercars, but is perhaps less outlandish and more practical. It suits somebody who desires performance but doesn’t necessarily want a Ferrari or Lamborghini. Jake Gylenhaal, Prince William, Orlando Bloom and Alexander Skarsgard are all noted drivers of the Q7 and all share a sense of sophisticated reserve.

The Q7 is also Kate WInslet’s car of choice, possibly illustrating its appeal to the female driver. The high performance sports car is a quite a masculine piece of machinery according to buying figures. The Q7 clearly has a feminine appeal in its subtlety and graceful shape.

Jonny Depp is the owner of an Audi A8. Again there appears to be a theme of class and artistry mixed with good looks. Vanessa Mae, the classical violinist owns both an Audi TT and an Audi S4.

Cultured Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas owns an Audi A3, a subtle, elegant car that has style and quality without overstatement.

It seems natural that the core values of each manufacturer would be inherent in their clientele. When looking through the list of stars and cars all of Audi’s drivers have a certain likeability and understatement – a humility behind their obvious talent. This would be a goof description of the Audi brand.