Audi TT Roadster / Debut at the Geneva Motor Show

["Hans-Juergen Schneider" <hans@h-js.de>]

   Ingolstadt (ots) - Audi is now adding a highly attractive new
model to its range that will appeal especially to lovers of open-top
sports cars. The TT Roadster, developed in parallel with the TT
Coupé, will make its debut on Europe's roads this summer. Assuming
that customers opt for one of the two quattro versions, they will be
driving the only open-top two-seater in the world apart from the
Lamborghini Diablo Roadster with power transmitted to the road via
all four wheels.

   Its uncompromising design, its powerful appearance and its core
values will ensure the TT Roadster an enthusiastic reception from all
those who want to combine a sports-car driving style with a passion
for open-top travel.

   The Roadster profits from the convincing precedent set by its
sister model, the TT Coupé, with which it shares the same choice of
engines and gearboxes.

   The 165 kW (225 bhp) power unit for the top-of-the-range model
supplies the front and rear wheels with ample torque via a 6-speed
gearbox: there's a constant 280 Nm on tap right the way from 2,200 to
5,500 rpm. The four-cylinder turbocharged engine with a power output
of 132 kW (180 bhp) and a 5-speed gearbox is being introduced with
front-wheel drive and will later be available with the quattro
system. Both engines guarantee performance that puts the TT Roadster
among the leading two-seater sports cars.

   Fuel consumption is 8.2 litres for the 132 kW version and 9.4
litres for the 165 kW TT quattro (overall consumption according to
93/116/EU). 
The 165 kW (225 bhp) version accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in a
breathtaking 6.7 seconds; the 180 bhp model takes around one second
longer. The top speed of the front-wheel-drive Roadster is 223 km/h,
the corresponding figure for the more powerful version is 237 km/h.

   The outstanding performance of the TT Roadster is a safe bet -
with the emphasis on safe. The subject of safety was particularly
high on the list of priorities for the development engineers at Audi.
The body, for instance, already meets future legal requirements for
frontal (96/79/EU) and side impact (96/27/EU) collisions.

   The special characteristics of the Roadster were already taken
into account when the Coupé's body was designed. Crumple zones at the
front and rear, high-strength side intrusion protection bars in the
doors and large-volume body sill sections are excellent examples of
this. Precisely calculated reinforcement involving the use of thicker
metal in the sill areas and sturdy transitions at the joints between
the A pillar and the floor assembly give the TT Roadster a torsional
rigidity that would have earned high praise for a saloon-car body
only a few years ago.

   Detailed vibration analysis and the appropriate local
modifications to the body ensure outstandingly low vibration levels.
The kerb weight of 1,310 kilograms illustrates the benefits of
developing the Roadster and the TT Coupé in parallel.

   Although the rollover bars may look primarily like a striking
design feature, they come into their own if the worse comes to the
worst, when together with the sturdy windscreen frame they create an
occupant survival zone. This is because they are not just mounted on
but form a rigid and integral part of the body structure. The
A-pillars are reinforced by a tube-in-tube system, using
high-strength steel. Inside the car, the occupants are protected by
two front airbags and two side airbags. The side bags, which are
integrated into the seat backs, are designed to protect both the head
and thorax areas.

   The TT Roadster's excellent drag coefficient and low airborne
noise characteristics illustrate the well thought-out nature of the
overall Audi TT concept. The height of the windscreen, the shape of
the soft top, the position of the struts and even the weave and
tension of the cloth have been designed so that the airflow remains
in contact for as long as possible. This also prevents the top from
billowing out at high speed.

   The interior is typical of the TT, with additional details
specific to the Roadster. The "Baseball Glove" appearance of the
leather in the production Roadster, for instance, which was an
impressive feature even at the design study stage and is now
available as part of the optional Authentic package, adds to the
character of the car. Traditional leather seats or seats with a
combination of leather sides and cloth or Alcantara central areas are
also available in various different colours.

   Roadsters have always been cars for purists. But that no longer
means sacrificing safety, comfort and perfection as it did in the
past. The new TT Roadster illustrates this perfectly. Faultless
engineering, an equipment specification that lacks nothing and the
most dedicated attention to detail, for example one-hand operation of
the soft top, a large heated rear window made of glass and a
dimensionally stable tonneau cover with a practical locking system,
put this newest Audi product in a strong position.

   The Audi TT Roadster makes its international debut at the Geneva
Motor Show (from March 9th to 21st 1999); its market launch is
planned for the middle of the year.

   The equipment and data specified relate to the model range
available in Germany. We reserve the right to make changes. Errors
and omissions excepted.

ots Originaltext: Audi AG


- Hans-Juergen Schneider
'93 S2 Avant 
'89 CQ 20V