We rejuvenate our senses with the Audi S4 and TT Coupé and discover their multifaceted personalities
WE WANT THE BEST things in our life, but where’s the time? Most of us are so busy chasing our evergrowing dreams that the phrase ‘work hard and party harder’ seems like a Utopian dream. Only if we could live twice in one lifetime. However, if you are an achievers, it becomes a little easier as you have an option to invest in sports cars that offer the best of both worlds: hassle-free workhorse during office hours and wild beast eager to be unleashed after hours.
So when we decided to express this dualpersonality of cars in an article, the obvious pick among the short-listed cars were the brilliantly packaged and powerful Audi S4 and the fast and adorable Audi TT Coupé. A few phone calls later, the two multifaceted cars were promptly delivered, in lustrous-red body colour, at our office. We decided to use them for our regular commute (stuff these cars can happily do) and take them for an exhilarating and thrilling long drive over the weekend (stuff which they are actually built to do).
The aesthetics and compact proportions make both these Audis fit like a glove in our congested urban surroundings.
Interestingly, both the sports cars are essentially based on the luxurious A4 saloon. The S4 is equipped with a low
skirting, silver wing mirrors, 18-inch alloy wheels and the attractive quad exhaust, which complete the sports car charisma. Its wedge-shaped xenon headlights clasped in LED daytime running lights and the LED rear lights look simply awesome. Sharing the platform with the saloon gives this four-door sports car a rare feature of comfortably seating four adults. There’s good cabin room and more than adequate 480 litres of boot-space.
The TT, on the other hand, has a distinctly sporty design and its compact size gives it a unique appeal, especially with the rear spoiler raised up. The long bonnet and descending roof-line of this two-door sports car make it a definitive
head-turner. The cabin has been designed keeping the focus on the driver, with digital speed indicator which is easy to read while driving. The sporty front seats are well bolstered, with firm lateral support. However, the rear seat of the coupé can best accommodate children. But they can be folded down to expand the boot from a mere 292 litres to a respectable 700 litres.
Driving through the city hustle and bustle, these practical sports cars isolate us from all the chaos around and pamper the occupants with their classy interior, cosseted and as indulgent as any luxury saloon. The world class workmanship along with high-grade leather, plastics and fabric laced interior are simply mesmerising. Crawling during rush-hours, while the world outside struggled to remain sane, we thankfully could submerge in the hi-end infotainment system, as the automatic airconditioning kept us cool and comfortable. The small turning radius is a boon in India while the parking sensors came in rather handy. In fact, their compact size and great visibility from the driver’s seat make
parking a less cumbersome task.
Staying true to the ‘sports car tag both these Audis come power-packed with strong engine options. The S4 sports a
supercharged V6 3.0-litre petrol motor that churns out 336.7 PS of power and 440 of Nm strong torque spread across 2,900- 5,900 revolutions per minute. At just over 1,700 kg the S4 has a great power-to-weight ratio, which further boosts its performance. The spirited petrol motor can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.09 seconds and also offers a strong mid-range, which gives it easy driveability even within the city. The refined engine has a surprisingly subdued
sound, which keeps undue attention away.
Adding to the dual personality of the car is the S tronic seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, as it offers seamless shifts without disrupting the steady flow of torque and, at the same time, shifted down whenever we demanded more power. Despite that power efficiency is not compromised as the Audi comes with the Start-Stop system, which helps in stretching a litre of petrol to 8.5 km on average.
The TT comes with a compact and powerful 2.0 TFSI, turbo-charged petrol engine, which uses forced induction to
substitute engine displacement. It develops a maximum power output of 214 PS and 350 Nm of torque with six-speed S tronic and, like the S4, sports the quattro permanent all-wheel drive. The Coupé sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.17 seconds, but its strong mid-range impressed us the most. The S tronic dual clutch transmission is quick to switch between the six gears without interrupting the power flow, making overtaking in the city a breeze. Moreover, the engine works with a recuperation system that recovers energy lost during braking and coasting and also offers a respectable average fuel economy of nine kilometres to a litre.
Every time we drive over the towering speed-breakers of our country, we cringe, expecting it to scrape the under-body of the car. But these sports cars, with their relatively high ground clearance, saved us from the grief. Audi have also proficiently tuned the suspension of their cars making them quite Indian-road-friendly. Both the TT and S4 have comfortably firm set-up that don’t interrupt their driving dynamics and, at the same time, keep unwanted
shocks from entering the cabin. Unlike other cars from the segment that offer bonejarring ride quality, the Audis are a lot more appeasing. Select the ‘Comfort’ setting and you can cruise for hours without fatigue. Moreover, the right profile of tyres, (S4’s 245/40 R 18 and TT’s 245/45 R17) cushion the ride further. So while you enjoy the sporty drive, your family and friends accompanying you in the car never need use sickness bags.
After living with the S4 and TT comfortably during the week, using them strictly for commuting from point A to B, it
was finally time for the promising weekend drive. So, if power is control, it is also an aphrodisiac. What good is power if you don’t experience it (especially when Audis have so much of it to offer?) It was a Saturday and the hills were calling.
Starting early to beat the traffic we aimed straight at the winding roads of a hill station near Pune. The ‘Sport’ mode makes the gear shifts and drive more aggressive. As we scaled the hill, the quattro encouraged us to carry speed into a corner and to feed in more gas during exit, while the softcompound, sports tyres firmly kept gripping the tarmac. The quattro normally sends most of the power to the front wheels, making it easy to drive like a front-wheeldriven
car, but when it senses the need, it supplies power seamlessly to the rear wheels and irons out under- or over-steer. This makes these sports cars forgiving beasts that always keep your back covered, unlike the other front- or rear-wheel-driven cars.
Almost immediately we started using the puny paddles mounted on the steering column to change gears, keeping the power in our hands. Every down-shift made the engine roar, which was nothing short of music to our ears. The light-weight steering is another highlight, which feels pretty direct and communicative. The drive on the curvy roads was so thrilling that we didn’t realise that we were already over to the other side of the hill and had hit the highway, where, in no time, the speedos displayed three digits. A strong cup of coffee accompanied by some animated exchange of notes. We decided to swap car and do the whole drill all over again as we headed back home.
The time we spent with the Audi S4 and TT Coupé proved that they are among the few sports cars that can comfortably switch between a luxury sedan in the city and a powerful driving machine on highways or even on a racetrack. As they say, ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’, so while you work hard to be able to buy these
fascinating machines, you should also take time out to have fun with them. If you’re planning to buy one or if you already have one, you must take these beauties out for a thrilling drive so that they can justify why you paid Rs 50 lakh (approx) for them. Believe me, you will get hooked to the adrenaline rush.
These are among the few sports cars that can comfortably switch between a luxury sedan in the city and a powerful driving machine on highways
NEED TO KNOW
AUDI S4
PRICE Rs 45.31 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune)
ENGINE 2995cc, 333PS, 440Nm
TRANSMISSION Seven-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
PERFORMANCE 6.09 secs 0-100km/h, 250km/h top speed
FUEL EFFICIENCY 8.5kmpl (overall)
AUDI TT COUPÉ
PRICE Rs 49 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune)
ENGINE 1984cc, 214PS, 350Nm
TRANSMISSION Six-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
PERFORMANCE 7.17 secs 0-100km/h, 250km/h top speed
FUEL EFFICIENCY 9kmpl (overall)
Story: Sarmad Kadiri
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
