Automotive Trends

Audi’s distinctive all wheel drive sports car continues to mature with the introduction of the TTS for 2015. The TTS offers up aggressive acceleration by means of a 2.0L 265 hp. four cylinder that cranks out 258 lb.-ft. of torque for a 54 hp. gain over the standard TT with no change in torque. 60 mph is achieved is a brief 4.9 seconds as the car makes its way to a top speed of 155 mph. That’s not all that much quicker than the base TT which passes the 60 mph mark in 5.3 seconds but tops out at a mere 130 mph. One can enjoy all that power and still achieve 31 mpg on the highway, though stop and go city conditions will muster a truck-like 22 mpg. Sadly the TTS is only available with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission which is likely plenty enjoyable if you can settle for the car shifting its own gears. The extra speed, power, and badging costs the TTS owner an extra $8350 over the lesser TT.

Audi said their Allroad Shooting Brake concept hints at a future sports car design (probably the TT) but the tech it hides is just as significant a hint. The latest version of the E-Tron powertrain uses a 2.0-liter turbo engine and a 8.8-kw battery pack, which can provide 31 miles of driving before firing up the gas engine and returning an equivalent of 124 mpge. It does this while providing 408 hp and 479 lb-ft of total system torque to all four wheels. Zero to 60 mph happens in 4.6 seconds and the top speed is 155 mph. To us it sounds like Audi might be hinting at an optional TT powertrain here. With numbers like those we’re ok with that.