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::: Si Chapman's 225bhp Audi TT :::This is not your typical modded Dub - in fact it is a completely standard car and 'brand spankers' to boot. It does however combine a level of quality and performance with an air of cool that even die-hard modders would sell their Gran for. And all this straight from the factory! The car in question is Audi's latest flagship supercoupe, the 225 bhp
TT. It belongs to our good friend Si Chapman, (Audi S4 in Matey's
Motors) and it had a mere 1,250 miles on the clock when we photographed
it. In fact he has owned it for all of one month. The car was specified
in "Pearl effect black" with grey leather and it sits on a set
of highly polished and ultra tasty 7.5J x 17inch rims, which set the car
off a treat. Inside the car, a beautifully tactile dash and leather steering wheel greet the driver and restrained use of real aluminium further enhance the car's feel-good factor. The stereo is a standard Audi unit linked to a 6-disc changer in the boot. These in turn feed some very high quality Bose components mounted in the front doors.
Audi sells the car as a 2+2, and I admire their sense of humour, but really guys, unless you are 2 years old [or Debbie McGee] the back seats are strictly off limits given there is barely access for an overnight bag. Luckily Audi designed the rear seats to fold forward and so boot space is actually quite good.
At the business end the car is powered by the same 1.8T (1781cc) engine fitted to a variety of models across the VAG range. In this case boost has been increased by means of a re-chip, and twin intercoolers have been fitted. These prevent the charged air from getting unuseably hot before it enters the 5 valve per cylinder, transverse mounted, in line four engine. The result is 225bhp at 5,900 rpm and 206 lb/ft at 2200 rpm. However, the car weighs a hefty (well, for a two seater anyway) 1395 KG and so the power to weight ratio is 157 bhp/ton. This makes the car good for 60 in 6.1 seconds before maxing out at 150mph. Power is transmitted to Audi's tried and tested Quattro system via a six-speed gearbox, and the damping is set up to furnish the driver with a good compromise between aggressive handling and comfort. In terms of road performance the car is fantastically quick and has ample reserves of grip from the 225 section tyres. Handling is typically neutral and predictable, as one would expect from an Audi. The car makes a lovely throaty roar on full throttle, enhanced no doubt by the twin tail pipes.
What sets this car head and shoulders above the competition is the attention to detail. Many of the neat features are ones which most people in the VW scene are retro fitting to their motors. These include: red rear lights, clear front lights (with smoked glass), aero filler cap, chrome wheels, trick wing mirrors, carefully concealed side repeaters and a deleted aerial. It just goes to show that despite VAG's recent tongue in cheek "Some things are best left alone" ad campaign, they are embracing a lot of the tuning scene's innovative ideas to good effect... Or are we just copying their's
::: Si Chapman's 225bhp Audi TT ::: » Engine/electrics Displacement 1781cm³ » Suspension/steering Brake system Dual-circuit brake system with diagonal split, » Performance Acceleration 0-62 mph 6.4Seconds » Weights/volumes/dimensions Gross weight limit 1765Kg » Drivetrain Gearbox 6-speed manual,
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