2016 Audi TTS Coupe 2.0T

Our 2016 Audi TTS tester arrived in Monsoon Gray Pearl effect and we were happy because the TT we had before was bright red. Not that there was anything to complain about with the base model, if you can call it that. Even with the 220 hp engine it was a delight to drive, had plenty of torque and scythed through the corners with ease. The downside was it wasn’t quite a Porsche beater, a true sports car. This is what power does, it corrupts because as soon as we fired up the TTS we knew the grin probably wouldn’t go away.

Let’s discuss the negatives first, of which there are very few, well 2 really and they are quiet petty. The first is the tire choice on our test  car, which we would never have optioned. It came with 20 inch wheels shod with Pirelli P Zero 255/30 tires. So basically 2 thin rubber bands, which when the Dynamic mode causes major ride discomfort on all but super smooth pavement, which doesn’t really exist in California. My suggestion is, if you are in the lucky position to be optioning out this car, pick the 19 inch wheels 35/40 section tires. Easy fix. Secondly was my wife’s complaint was why does it only have one cup-holder, to which I replied this car is for drivers only.

Engine and Transmission

Which leads me to the power source and it should be very familiar to most people. Audi has upgraded the 2.0 TFSI direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which now produces 292 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque driven through a quick shifting 6-speed, twin clutch (S-Tronic in Audi Speak) transmission.

The TTS comes standard with Audi magnetic ride and gets lightweight aluminum brakes in front, as well as being lowered by 0.4 inches.
With its quattro all-wheel drive system together with torque vectoring and an electronic limited slip differential, this car is planted and very firmly. Once we strapped on testing equipment and tried a couiple of launch controls lunch, we were able to consistently reach 60 in under 4.5 seconds. Audi claims 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, however achieved a best run of 4.41 seconds, not bad at all.

As with its little brother, the TT, the TTS sits on the now familiar MQB platform, same as the VW Golf and because of this, curb weight has been reduced by 110 pounds.

Images – Audi Media

So How Does It Go?

A quick jab of the accelerator, something I couldn’t stop myself from doing, would cause any passenger’s head to repeatedly hit the  S-embossed head restraint. Lose the passenger and enjoy the car on your own. We spent most of our time, during the week we had the car, in Dynamic mode because it’s the most fun. Audi’s dual-clutch gearbox is spectacularly good when left in full auto sport mode offering super quick upshifts and downshifts, although we did occasionally catch the system napping and there was slight delay before we got the gear we wanted. The annoying tip in on take off from standing is still present but to be honest this car comes more alive once you are on the move.

Out in the the mountains to the East of San Diego, where the TT was magnificent, the TTS was epic. …and the noise it makes is superb. Granted it is piped in but who cares. We did enjoy the full bore up-shifts, where the transmission would delay slightly before selecting the next gear, kind of like you are driving a manual, then letting out  fa delightful throaty snarl.

It’s on the twisty bits that this car really shines, it feels so planted and regardless of the turns the body stays very composed. I couldn’t break the P Zeros grip and we entered some corners at really high speeds to see if we could get some under-steer but to our surprise we felt the back end kicking out slightly and then straightening up again. Wonderful. Brakes are pretty strong with good pedal feel and only after several runs under hard braking did we experience longer pedal travel and a hot smell. For most these are very much up to the job. Steering is much improved and you can get some sense of road feel from the fronts. On regular streets you do notice the firm ride but it is easy to switch to comfort mode.

Driving hard for a week did dampen the economy numbers and  I achieved a not very respectable 17.9 mpg, admittedly this did include our acceleration testing and never driving with restraint.

Interior

The interior is better than the TT for one very good reason, the superb sports seats covered with grippy alcantara (suede). With air filled side bolsters to keep you in place these chairs are hard to beat. As before the virtual cockpit is a delight, for the driver that is, the passenger has to make do with a view out front.

We did squeeze a human into the back seat, but it didn’t look at all comfortable. Better to make it into an additional luggage space. Base prices start at $51,900, our loaded tester was $58,000 even. The Porsche Cayman 718 starts at $53,900 but optioned to the level of the Audi would run North of $70K.

Verdict

The 2016 Audi TTS is great fun to drive hard but docile when you need it to be. The interior is superb as is the quality of the materials. I have read that many who have tested this car wouldn’t pay the $8k premium over the standard TT………. I would….because power does corrupt.

2016 Audi TTS Coupe 2.0T