Out of the Closet : Audi TTS

Despite its tres chic styling that has won so many die-hard fans (especially with the earlier Bauhaus-inspired predecessor), you'd be hard-pressed to find a 'serious' automotive enthusiast to admit that he (or she) actually likes the TT and would be caught dead driving around in one.

Accomplished as the car may be, the modern day TT seems to have supplanted the (NB) MX-5 as the previous limp-wristed hair-dresser's chariot of choice, especially since the current MX-5 is a rather butch affair with the appropriate bulges in all the right places.



The TTS bares its fangs and really comes out of the closet... and we're not talking about getting in touch with its feminine side either; this hard-core TT leaps out of the closet like a deranged jack-in-the-box with fists a-flaying in dramatic turbocharged fashion.



The body-kit is subtle rather than in-your-face yet nevertheless quietly powerful: front and rear aprons with refreshed front light-clusters that feature bi-xenon headlights and integrated day-time running LED strips (like the S5 and R8), 18-inch rims wrapped in Potenza RE050A rubber and quad exhaust pipes.

Of course, we haven't forgotten the ubquitous S/RS trademark silver finish wing mirror housings, although it's unfortunate that some of their edge has been blunted by the car's matching body colour.

Previously, the TT was available in turbocharged 2L and V6 guises here in Singapore, but that's changed: only one turbo'd 2L engine is available, albeit in 2 stages of tune - ho-hum (200bhp) and YOW-ZA (TTS)!





Apart from the usual 'TT' trappings, there's the inclusion of the coveted 'S' tag on the front grille, rump and side scuff plates, which add much coveted street cred to the car's appeal. Unfortunately, judging by the reactions of many people, the TTS is just another TT, which goes to show that there's still room for a lot more education for these mendicants.

Overheard during my shoot from a passing band of used car salesmen, "Why is that guy so proud of his car and taking pictures? It's just another TT." LOL Oh well, the delightful ignorance of mendicants...it takes all sorts!



In spite of the almost nondescript exterior colour, the cabin is a funky fusion of orange and black and Audi's attention to detail really shines through from the orange stitching of the steering wheel to the S Tronic shift boot.

Where its lesser Volkswagen sibling is perfectly content to uphold its long-standing tradition for 'solid', 'functional' and 'reliable' cabins, Audi displays its cheeky persona with a vibrant orange splash amidst the TTS' gorgeously designed cabin.





Audi's dual-clutch transmission is dubbed 'S Tronic', although it's effectively a variation of the well-worn DSG theme. Despite the many DSG fanatics around in SIngapore, not many are aware that the first car here to boast the DSG was in fact, an Audi. The first DSG application available in Singapore's RHD market was in the previous generation 3.2L V6 TT.



Gear-shifts can be executed with the sturdily constructed steering-wheel mounted '+' and '-' paddles or via the gear-shifter. Mated to the new and improved turbo'd 2L, the results are explosive!

This is everything the GTI could have been... but isn't. The TTS is capable of putting on an indecent turn of speed, while the wet Sunday gave us the opportunity to exploit the legendary quattro sure-footedness.



Floor the gas pedal and the engine goes banzai bananas! There's so much torque from low-down the rev-band that you can happily mosey to and from your appointments, but when you're in a rush, the TTS transforms into a charging silver bullet that will blitz everything in its path... not just the werewolves.

Best of all, the tremendous belches that accompany each gear-shift as you're passing are sublimely obnoxious! They know they're being passed.

AMR (Audi Magnetic Ride) is a standard feature and lets the driver toggle between 'Normal' and 'Sport' modes for more dynamic handling (likewise, there're 2 stages of traction control to be disabled); the ride is surprisingly civilised in spite of the 18inch low profile rubber.

The boot-lid spoiler too, can be manually deployed with a button on the centre console... All the better for passing you, my dear!

The steering could be more meaty, but there's no denying there's a nimble adroitness about the TTS that surpasses the regular TT and even its VW counterparts. Otherwise, brake pedal feel offers ample confidence and prove more than capable of hauling the car to a standstill.

It hustles with such a deceptive alacrity that your passengers will likely find themselves white-knuckle gripping the grab-handles when the TTS is on its roll. Don't forget, with S tronic, the TTS dispatches the century sprint in just over 5 seconds.



The TTS has certainly come out... but it's in the mood for 'giving' rather than 'taking', so if you think it's going to be a pushover, get ready for a painful awakening.

Fast Facts : Audi TTS
Engine: 1984cc, 16-valves, turbocharged
Maximum power: 272bhp at 6000rpm
Maximum torque: 350Nm at 2500-5000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed S tronic double-clutch transmission
0-100km/h: 5.4 seconds
Top speed: 248km/h
LxBxH: 4198 x 1842 x 1345 mm
Wheelbase: 2468mm
Kerbweight: 1395kg
Agent: Premium Automobile
Price: S$225,000

Fresh & Hot : Fiat 500

It's been a long time since a car has put a smile on my face. Yeah, we're familiar with all the modern re-issues of automotive classics, like the MINI, Beetle and now, the cherubic Fiat Cinquecento or 500. Of course, like the new MINI and Beetle, the 500 has its share of foibles that see it wander away from the original 500's DNA, but open your eyes wide and it's easy enough so spot the similarities.

Maybe it's easier if you look upon the modern 500 as a 'tribute' and 'evolved' model that is the modern interpretation of that classic rather than nit-pick and belly-ache about how it's such a pale shadow of the original.





With old and new alongside one another, one quickly appreciates the similarities in silhouette. Dimensions-wise, the new car is far bigger than before, but don't forget, this is the era of upsized burger meals and ever-increasing girths.

The original 500 would find it tough to accommodate a full complement of upsized adult passengers, but as it stands the 2300mm wheelbase of the new car translates to a decent amount of leg-room with four big buffaloes on board. This certainly isn't as cramped as the new MINI for instance.




The cabin is nicely appointed with all the cool styling aesthetics that stand out. it never comes across as a half-baked attempted to try to be cool; the 500 really is tres chic and never comes across as trying too hard either.



The 1.2L engine at the heart of the car really likes to be abuse. Spank it hard and keep the revs high for the engine to remain on boil. the 5-speed stick-shift serve up sublime shifts that are short-throw and precise. driven hard, the 500 is a riot to hurl around.

it's so easy to drive the car practically flat out everywhere since there's always a steady stream of communication coming in from different channels like road surface to tyre grip and steering.




Fast Facts : Fiat 500
Engine: 1242cc, 8-valves, 4-cylinder
Maximum power: 60bhp at 5500rpm
Maximum torque: 102Nm at 3000rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual
0-100km/h: 12.9 seconds
Top speed: approx. 160km/h
LxBxH: 3546x1627x1488
Wheelbase: 2300mm
Kerb-weight: 865kg
Agent: TTS