Turbocharged and (S)-Tronic’d The new Audi TT Coupe totes a DOHC 16-valve 2.0L 200 hp/280 Nm turbocharged TFSI (turbocharged fuel stratified injection) engine mated to a 20-kg S-Tronic dual clutch gearbox.

THE success of Audi’s Philippine branch as a whole has led luxury car and performance enthusiasts to wonder if the German marque would have anything left for an encore in 2007. But PGA Cars, official distributor of Audi vehicles in the country, felt that the Metro Manila saturation of all things Audi wasn’t complete, and recently launched three new performance-oriented products:  the new TT Coupe, the new RS4and the new Audi A4 TFSI DTM.

So nice it’s fit to a “T”—twice

The new TT Coupe sports two engines—a DOHC 16-valve 2.0L turbocharged TFSI (turbocharged fuel stratified injection—Audi-speak for gasoline direct injection) engine that totes 200 hp and 280 Nm of torque, or a 3.2L version with Quattro four-wheel-drive. Coupled with an electronic drive-by-wire system, the engines are derived from the wildly successful Le Mans-winning R8 (2000-2005) racecar.

The TT Coupe also comes with a 20-kg S-Tronic dual clutch gearbox that rewards the driver with a more seamless drive coupled and a quicker sprint to 100 kph (6.4 seconds versus the regular six-speed gearbox’s 6.6 seconds). One can change gears either via the shift lever or pulling on the paddles behind the steering wheel, reducing driving effort and offering regular automatic transmission ease without sacrificing performance.

The TT Coupe’s Magnetic Ride/Adaptive Damping System is an option for the discerning enthusiast as well as for those wanting supreme comfort. The dampers can soften or stiffen to help suit driving style and road conditions. A MacPherson strut front-suspension and a new four-link rear suspension ensure excellent traction. There’s also an electronically activated rear spoiler that pops up automatically above 120 kph and retracts below 80 kph for added stability.

Inside, a flat-bottomed R8-inspired steering wheel with optional multi-function buttons for the cruise control and audio system greets the driver, wrapped in soft Nappa leather or (optional) Alcantara leather.

The new overall shape is more pleasing, with minimal body lines. With optional wheels available up to 19 inches (plus a bevy of other accessories to be released soon) the new TT (P4.25 million for the 2.0L, P4.95 million for the 3.2L Quattro) promises dashing good looks coupled with sharpened driving dynamics.

A4’s new performance alphabet soup

Audi’s new Audi RS4 looks almost like a regular A4 sedan, with miniscule external cues betraying its performance intent. Flared wheel arches, a revised hood and an aluminum trunk lid reduce mass and lower the center of gravity. Large 19-inch wheels, coupled with 365 mm front and 324 mm rear ventilated and cross-drilled disc brakes and Brembo six-piston front and rear calipers, help slow down this potential BMW M3 hunter.

The heart of the RS4 is an FSI 4.2L quad OHC 32-valve V8 mated to a six-speed manual transmission that revs to 8250 rpm. The result is 420 hp and 430 Nm of torque, 90 percent of which is available at 2250 to 7650 rpm.

The RS4’s Quattro All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system, benefits from a Torsen locking center-differential that allows torque to be channeled to the front or rear axles, depending on which has more grip and traction on the road surface.

All these help propel the P6.5-million RS4 to an electronically limited 250 kph, but without its built-in speed governor the RS4 is capable of a manufacturer-rated 285 kph top speed, a 4.8-second zero to 100 kph acceleration, a 16.6-second zero to 200 kph time and a seven-minute, 58-second lap time around the fabled Nurburgring Circuit Northern Loop. Only sports cars are able to breach the eight minute time barrier, but Audi has now done it in a sedan package that promises practicality, space and comfort.

Inside, a flat-bottomed steering wheel awaits its pilot. Heavily bolstered Recaro Sportster CS seats wrapped in Nappa leather and Alcantara leather solely developed for the RS4 differentiate it from the regular A4. These seats (along with four-point harness slots) provide support and stability for the track animal.

On the other hand, the P3.55-million A4 2.0L TFSI DTM sports the aforementioned TFSI system found in the new TT Coupe, but with a DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft, known better as the German touring car championship)-inspired external styling and interior trim and Quattro AWD.

The launch of the new TT Coupe, RS4 and A4 DTM version shows that the brand with the four interlocking rings is not just about luxury, but performance as well.

JUST like a proverbial wallflower, whom no one notices at a party because she’s shy and unassuming, is probably the most apt way to describe the way that the Kia Sportage was initially treated in the Philippine market.

ALL the 10 teams that set out in Honda cars from Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte and traversed the rugged and challenging terrains to Sorsogon in Bicol, the farthest point of Luzon in the south, had achieved their primary goal—to make it on one full tank of Petron Xtra Unleaded.

IN the auto arena, discussions of one-upmanship are common, such as how much horsepower (hp) and torque certain vehicles make. It is easy to claim that one’s vehicle makes x amount of hp and y Nm (Newton-meters) of torque because the manufacturer’s brochure or owner’s manual said so, or that a particular power-generating after-market piece (such as air intakes or bolt-on turbo kits) adds b amount of hp because it the product literature says so. But can one really determine if the manufacturer’s claim is true?

THE success of Audi’s Philippine branch as a whole has led luxury car and performance enthusiasts to wonder if the German marque would have anything left for an encore in 2007. But PGA Cars, official distributor of Audi vehicles in the country, felt that the Metro Manila saturation of all things Audi wasn’t complete, and recently launched three new performance-oriented products:  the new TT Coupe, the new RS4and the new Audi A4 TFSI DTM.