To the tunes of “How Long'’ from Coldplay [i think they mean ‘Speed of Sound’] Audi took the wraps of the second generation TT coupe. When it was released seven years ago the original TT helped revive both the sports coupe and convertible markets.
Company designers readily admit freshening an icon such as the TT was no easy task without straying from the design that several manufacturers have copied since.
When it goes on sale in Australia next month the TT coupe will be available with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine or a 3.2-litre V6 engine. The 2.0-litre model will start from $68,900 for the manual. The V6 (all-wheel-drive) automatic is $6900 cheaper than the current model as it has lost a few standard features to make it more competitive in the market.
Audi also released details of the new TT Roadster which will join the coupe around June or July next year. Like the coupe, the roadster models will be available in both a turbocharged 2.0-litre and a V6 all-wheel-drive version.
At the reveal Audi Australia Managing Director Joergg Hoffman expressed the aggressive market strategy the company has for the future.
“By 2015 we want to be selling 15,000 cars a year.
“We want to be number one in many ways. We want to be the number one selling premium brand, we want to be number one in image. We want to be number one in customer satisfaction and we want o be the number one attractive employer, we want the best staff..'’
Wearing the name of the five-time Le Mans winner the all-wheel-drive Audi R8 was revealed in the flesh today. The Porsche rival has a high-revving 4.2-litre V8 engine, aluminium body and the mid-engined sports car has been confirmed for limited sale here. It is expected to arrive in Australian showrooms in the second half of next year with a price tag between $280,000 and around $350,000.
Also on the stand is the wagon version of the high-performance RS4 sedan. An RS4 convertible will join the sedan and wagon (the wagon, priced from $168,100, goes on sale this month) and is priced from $187,500. It is the most powerful open-top car from Audi and just 25 will be available for Australia. The cars will arrive in January. The four-seater convertible is powered by a 4.2-litre (309kW) V8 engine and even the roof is fast-taking just 21 seconds to open.
Audi also has its Q7 soft-roader on display and the sporty S6 and S8 are due at the end of the year.
Source: http://www.drive.com.au
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