Audi is expanding the TT line with a new entry-level engine: the 1.8 TFSI. This highly efficient four-cylinder engine with turbocharger and direct injection, with 118 kW (160 hp) and 250 Nm (184.39 lb-ft) torque, lends the TT Coupé and TT Roadster sporty performance. A second innovation rounds out the program: The 2.0 TFSI now is also available with quattro all-wheel drive.

The 1.8 TFSI is a high-tech engine that combines all of the features of modern engine technology. It is highly compact, and at just 135 kilograms (297.62 lb), it is unusually light. An adjustable intake camshaft improves the process of filling the combustion chambers, while two balancing shafts refine the engine’s running character. Thanks to a new type of demand-based control strategy, the oil pump uses minimal energy and therefore contributes to lower fuel consumption. The pump delivers only the amount of oil needed by the engine in its current mode of operation.

With the direct fuel injection featured by the new entry-level engine, fuel is injected directly into the four-valve cylinder head at 150 bar pressure from a high-pressure accumulator through newly developed, six-hole injectors. There it mixes with air that is set into a swirling motion by flaps in the intake manifold.

The mixture is homogenous; 14.7 parts of air are added to one part fuel. Evaporation of the directly injected fuel cools the combustion chamber, which – when combined with turbocharging – provides a high compression ratio. The charger is designed to react swiftly to demand so that the engine quickly reaches maximum torque and remains at this high level for long periods. The result is high elasticity at any rpm.

Turbocharger and FSI: The perfect combination

Direct injection and turbocharger technology are the perfect combination for outstanding driving enjoyment and impressive efficiency. With its 1,798 cc of volumetric displacement, the 1.8 TFSI is able to achieve power similar to that of a naturally aspirated V6 of years past: With engine output of 118 kW (160 hp), it features peak torque of 250 Nm (184.39 lb-ft) available between 1,500 to 4,500 rpm. The undersquare engine meanwhile offers great fuel efficiency – with the Coupé using just 6.7 liters per 100 kilometers (35.11 mpg) and the Roadster using 6.9 liters per 100 km (34.09 mpg).

The 1.8 TFSI, whose torque flows to the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission, offers responsive, light-footed, high-revving and powerful performance. It propels the Audi TT Coupé to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 7.2 seconds, and on up to a top speed of 226 km/h (140.43 mph); for the Audi TT Roadster these figures are 7.4 seconds and 223 km/h (138.57 mph). This dynamic performance is also due to the low total weight: the Coupé weighs a mere 1,240 kilograms (2,733.73 lb), and the Roadster just 1,285 kilograms (2,832.94 lb). Both car bodies consist primarily of aluminum – here as well, Audi proves its superb capabilities in the area of lightweight design.

Even greater traction: quattro for the 2.0 TFSI

Also new to the Audi TT lineup is quattro all-wheel drive for the top-selling 2.0 TFSI – it boosts traction, which in turn increases safety and driving enjoyment. The high-tech S tronic transmission shifts through its six gears without any perceptible interruption in the power flow. The core of the quattro drive system – the electronically controlled and hydraulically activated multidisk clutch – works even more quickly than before thanks to a new accumulator. Within milliseconds, it redirects power from the front to the rear wheels as needed.

The TFSI four-cylinder engine draws its power from a displacement of 1,984 cc. Like its little brother, it combines the FSI direct fuel injection technology developed by Audi with the turbocharger. The highly refined four-valve engine delivers 147 kW (200 hp) and constantly applies 280 Nm (206.52 lb-ft) of torque to the crankshaft between 1,700 and 5,000 rpm. The peak speed for the Coupé is 238 km/h (147.89 mph), and 235 km/h (146.02 mph) for the Roadster; the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) is completed in 6.2 and 6.4 seconds, respectively. Fuel consumption for the Coupé is just 7.7 liters per 100 km (30.55 mpg) and 7.8 liters per 100 kilometers (30.16 mpg) for the Roadster.

The TT 1.8 TFSI and the 2.0 TFSI quattro will roll out to dealers in the first half of the year. Entry into the dynamic world of TT starts at EUR 29,400 for the Coupé and EUR 30,500 for the Roadster. The 2.0 TFSI quattro S tronic lists for EUR 37,250 and EUR 38,300, respectively.