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Audi, riding high on record sales of diesel-powered vehicles, has boldly introduced it's first oil-burning sports car to the Australian market. The popular TT coupe is now available with a 2.0 litre turbo-diesel linked to a six speed manual transmission and quattro all wheel drive. Audi claim fuel efficiency of a meagre 5.3 litres/100 km. This gives the sporty oil burner exemption from Luxury Car Tax.
The move comes as Audi, celebrating it's centenary, announced more than one in three of all its Australian sales were diesel-powered cars. In 2004 diesel Audis accounted for just three per cent of the German maker's Australian sales The current figure of 36 per cent represents an 1100 per cent increase in five years. Significantly, it's the high-end models that are leading the diesel charge - Q7 SUV, all-road SUV, A 8 and A 6.
Audi also lays claim to have the most fuel efficient stable of all German makers with 21 cars that achieve economy of less than 7.0 litres/100 kms. BMW has eight with similar figures and Mercedes-Benz seven, said an Audi spokesman.
"We believe that diesel is the best option for the Australian market being environmentally friendly and fuel efficient," said Audi's general manager of marketing, Immo Buschmann. "The TT is the first all wheel drive sports car to have diesel technology. It has performance combined with strong efficiency for guilt-free motoring." The car is no slouch having 125 kW of power, but of more significance 350 Nm of torque on tap between 1750 - 2500 rpm. With the TT hitting the scales at a lean 1370 kg, it races to 100 km/h in just 7.5 seconds and has a top speed of 226 km/h.
Weight savings were achieved by using light weight aluminium at the front of the car and steel at the rear. Audi also launched a 1.8 TT TFSi front wheel drive at $64,900 while the new 2.0 litre TDi TT quattro is $70,900. The six-speed manual TFSi becomes the TT's new entry level car and is also a fuel miser with Audi claiming 6.7 litres/100 km which makes it exempt from Luxury Car Tax (LCT).
"We believe the TT TDi will appeal to people who want a sports car, but also have an eye on the environment and economy," said Mr Buschmann. Launched yesterday were the TT diesel , a new 1.8 litre petrol TFSi TT, and two new diesel variants of the A6, on Kangaroo Island off the South Australian coast. Our road test included the TT TDi and the new 2.7 litre TDi A6. The A6 also gets the same 2.0 litre TDi engine that found it's way into the new TT. Both cars have fuel consumption under 7.0 litres/100 km and are also exempt from LCT.
The 2.0 litre and 2.7 litre TDi engines join the 3.0 litre TDi already available in the A6. However, the new engines allow buyers to get into an A6 well under the 3.0 litre TDi asking price of $108,500. At $74,500 for the 2.0 litre TDi and $84,500 for the 2.7 litre TDi Audi believes it will open up the A6 to a whole new market segment.
TT TDi FIRST DRIVE
The new TT TDi is a cracker of a car which owners will find no need to apologise for. Stand next to the car it is noticeably a diesel which at odds with the car's sporting heritage and appearance. The TT was first launched in 1998. However, it's behind the wheel the TDi shows it's true colours. The engine revs easily to 5000 rpm and is surprisingly nippy at low rpm. This means it is easy to drive around town without the constant need to be changing gears. Even in sixth gear at 100 km/h the car has plenty of grunt for passing.
At highway cruising speed it is impossible to tell what is under the bonnet - petrol or diesel engine. The diesel TT sports car is a direct flow-on from Audi's success on the Le Mans circuit. In 2005-06-07 an Audi R10 TDi too successive victories in the world's oldest endurance race. The successes proved two things: diesel reliability and economy. Better economy meant fewer fuel stops. Audi is now applying that practical experience to a sports car for the first time. A TT roadster TDi will follow the launch in the coupe later this year.
Audi TT model range
Coupe 1.8 TFSi manual (new) $64,900*
Coupe 2.0 TDi quattro manual (new) $70,900*
Coupe 2.0 TFSi S tronic $74,200
Coupe 2.0 TFSi quattro S tronic (new) $76,900
TTS Coupe S tronic $98,900
TT Roadster 2.0 TFSi St tronic $79,500
TT Roadster 2.0 quattro S tronic $81,900
TTS Roadster S tronic $103,500
Audi A6 sedan model range
A6 2.0 TDi multitronic (125kW) $74,500
A6 2.0 TFSi multitronic (125 kW) $78,500
A6 2.7 TDi multitronic (140kW) $84,500
A6 2.8 FSi quattro (162 kW) $92,000
A6 3.0 TDi quattro tiptronic (176 kW) $108,500
A6 3.0 TFSi quattro tiptronic (213 kW) $112,500
Prices are manufacturers RRP and include GST and LCT where applicable. However, they exclude
dealer delivery and government statutory charges.
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