A Lucire special promotion



Audi’s third-generation TT has landed on Australian shores with a new locally filmed commercial, which promises to challenge our perception of a sports car.
   The spot sees the new Audi—with plenty of close-ups showing you just how the car has changed for the better, with crisper, more defined lines—racing a man in lights who seems to have the time to wave a lit flag and somersault. Regardless of the meaning behind it—we think it’s to do with emphasizing the athleticism of the new car—the latest ad shows the TT in excellent light as it races around the darkened studio, finishing with shots of the touch-screen and the rear spoiler being raised.
   The fact is the Audi itself is far more athletic than the man in lights.
   Audi tends to evolve the styling of its cars with each generation, but this approach often hides the real advances the company has made under the skin.
   The body is stiffer by 25 per cent and the centre of gravity lower by 10 mm, aiding handling. Power is up 14 per cent, while greenhouse gas emissions are down 11 per cent. The monocoque shell is a mixture of steel and aluminium, with the weight dropping by 50 kg compared with the second-generation model which Lucire tested in 2007. The weight, in fact, is only close to that of the original TT, which is no mean feat considering how much more modern cars pack, with the front-wheel-drive 2·0 TFSI model tipping the scales at 1,230 kg. By comparison, a 1998 1·8 front-wheel-drive TT weighed 1,240 kg.
   All this resides in a package that is no longer than the previous TT, yet the wheelbase is up 37 mm—which means the new car has more of a “wheel at each corner” stance.
   The new TT hits Australian showrooms this month.




Post sponsored by Audi