Autoblog

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Audi TT 2.0 TDI quattro

After Audi unveiled the almighty R8 V12 TDI at the Detroit Auto Show, I asked the obvious question and they made it clear that they had no plans to build a production version. Now that the disappointment has subsided somewhat, Audi is offering up a consolation prize, although it's not known yet if the US market will get a crack at it. For the first time since the original TT debuted ten years ago, Audi will be offering a version with a diesel engine. A 170 hp, 258 lb-ft 2.0L TDI will be available in both the TT Coupe and Roadster. Putting the torque down through all four wheels by way of a six-speed manual gearbox, the coupe will run 0-62 mph in 7.5 sec, with the ragtop accomplishing the feat in 7.7sec. While by no means blistering speeds, the nature of diesel engine torque will mean that the TTs will feel quick everywhere. The real upside to all of this is the fuel economy of this claimed world's first diesel sports car. The lighter, more aerodynamic coupe will be capable of 44.3 mpg (US) while the convertible is just behind again at 42.7. Pretty impressive when gas prices as likely to go ever higher. The Audi press release is after the jump.


[Source: Audi]

Click image for high-res gallery

Abt Sportsline strongest ties to the Audi TT date back to when they ran a race version in the 2002 DTM series. Outside of racing however, Abt is known for its work modifying and tuning cars that sport the interlocking rings, and with the arrival of the TT Roadster from Audi, they're back on the case with a suite of appearance and performance upgrades.

For starters, Abt's new aero kit tastefully muscles up the open-top 2-seater with new skirts and spoilers -- de rigeur for a tuner like this. The obligatory wheel/tire upgrade is also available in 19" and 20" diameters. A sport exhaust with quad outlets gives the TT's rear a more serious visual and aural presence, while underhood, go-fast measures can be taken regardless of what engine the car's equipped with. Abt's regimen for the 3.2L six-cylinder involves the addition of a supercharger that helps boost output to 355 horsepower -- enough to propel the TT ragtop from 0-62 mph in five seconds flat. The standard 2.0 TFSI powerplant is not ignored either, with tuning packages that offer everything from a modest bump to 240 horses to an even more serious kit that offers a robust 300 hp.

Full details from Abt are in the press release after the jump, and a gallery of the hot little roadster can be found below.

[Source: Abt Sportsline]

Audi took the time today to inform us Yanks what we'd be paying this year for the privelege to own a new TT. The 2008 Audi TT will start at $34,800 for a base 2.0T Coupe. The TT 3.2 Quattro model begins higher at $41,500. If you like your TT sans its top, a TT Roadster 2.0T will begin at $36,800, while the 3.2 quattro Roadster begins at $44,500. Destination charges are $720 for each model, and if you'd prefer the S tronic gearbox, also known as the DSG transmission in Volkswagen models, over the standard six-speed, add another $1,400 to your total. The highest base price for a TT then will be a 3.2 quattro Roadster with an S tronic transmission that costs $45,900. There will be lots of optional equipment ot push that price higher, however, like a DVD-based navigation system, the "magnetic ride" suspension, 18-inch weels, etc. The base prices seem fair to us considering that Audi appears to have successfully updated the original TT's beloved design while at the same time infusing the car with a bit more sporting prowess. All that optional equipment, however, will easily push the TT's price over $50,000.

Check out Audi's official press release after the jump.

[Source: Audi]

The new shape of the Audi TT is well known by now, but the boys and girls at Ingolstadt have delayed debuting the drop-top version until after the coupe has settled into the marketplace. Winding Road has posted pictures of a TT roadster out on a quiet drive that's been caught by the spy camera's eye, and we can see the soft canvas top Audi's going with in lieu of a retractable hard top. The coupe's silhouette is also clearly in tact.

Perhaps more interesting are the accompanying shots on Winding Road of the TT-S, or TT S-line as it may end being called. This high-po version of the TT is said to be powered by a version of the turbocharged 2.0-liter four from the Audi A3 developing about 180 horsepower. The larger tire and wheel combination on the TT-S also looks more appropriate for the car than the base rubber and fills out the fenders nicely. A DSG transmission will likely be offered, but we hope Audi addresses the mushy clutch and shifter of the A3's manual transmission before it enters the TT-S. They're also reporting the possibility of a TT-RS in the works, which would feature a 2.5-liter five-cylinder and generate upwards of 350 horsepower. Either way, the TT coupe won't be alone in showrooms for long.

[Source: Winding Road]