Jeffc

Chuck - thanks for the clarification. I'd be very interested in your comments after switching back to the S001s.

adg - No prob. I was just goofin' with you.

I was mistaken when I looked at the Hankook's specs on Tire Rack. I was looking at the V12 Evo2 instead of the S1 Evo2. TR doesn't sell or review the S1. FWIW, Hankook rates both models the same for noise and comfort.

Since the S1s on the TTS are AO tires, we don't know if they are almost identical to the stock S1, or very different. Could even be that they are stiffer than stock.

As to my comparisons, they are not all limited to test drives, especially in the case of the 2 (2015?) Porsches. I'd guess that both of them handle at least as well as the TTS, and I know for certain that neither of them has as rough a ride as the TTS. I think Audi just screwed up a little. A sports car doesn't have to ride like a truck in order to handle well. The Cayman S is proof of that.

i3adSaab

That's interesting......so Hankook would manufacture a specific design for a small volume car like the TT.....but then when I wear them out, I won't be able to buy the replacement on Tire Rack?

n828cl

Once upon a time (1985), I picked up a European sports sedan (not an Audi) and found the ride to be a bit rough. Discovered that the dealer hadn't removed the rubber blocks in the coil springs used during transport. You don't suppose...

- Chuck

Jeffc

It appears that it is only sold in Europe.

adg44

If you follow the DTM racing series, you will see that Hankook is the tire partner for Audi. So they work together on tire applications for the cars, both race and street.

You can buy the tire through your Audi dealer, and that goes for all Audi-specific tires. I replaced one of the Hankooks back when I has my TTS launch edition last year, and the dealer had the tire the next day.

One other thing to note, these Hankooks are manufactured in Hungary, so I'm not sure where the TireRack generic version are manufactured. Likely in Korea.

i3adSaab

good info, thanks....

doveboat

So after one month and 600 miles of combination driving in S Cal on my TTS with 20's I have set my suspension to comfort in my individual setting mode. Engine - Auto, Steering Dynamic, Sound - Auto.

With suspension in comfort the ride is quite smooth. I have my button choice set for drive select so I can jump to dynamic / auto quickly if driving a canyon or want to attack a freeway ramp.

Any others using comfort for startup and local needs ?

Ed

Huey52

I use Comfort when my wife is aboard, but otherwise mostly Auto and occasional dynamic as the mood/better roadway strikes me.

SimianSpeedster

A few replies from the thread starter:

No, I don't expect the TTS to ride like a Cadillac, but I think Audi could have put more effort into the suspension tuning to better balance the ride and handling. As previously noted, I like a firm sports car ride as much as anyone I know, but there's no excuse for some of the crashiness that I experience in the TTS on some roads, especially given the stiff chassis and magnetic shocks.

As Jeffc noted, the Cayman is an excellent reference point. Considering that both cars are small, stiff and light, comparing them is fair game. Before buying the TTS, I drove and rode in a friend's 2015 Cayman with the base suspension and 18" wheels, and I also rode in his other 2015 Cayman (yes, really) with the sports suspension and same 18" wheels (he specifically avoided 19"s for LA freeway use). He also drove and rode in my TTS shorty after purchase. The simple truth is that the Cayman offered a firm sports car ride and at least equally competent, if not better handling without the harshness that sometimes affects the TTS.

IMO, it comes down to 2-3 factors:

1) Overall, the wheel control is not as refined as it could/should be, and I believe the hefty 53 lb. weight of each stock wheels/tire combo doesn't help matters. I believe shedding weight at the comers will make a noticeable difference.
2) For the roads in my area, more sidewall would definitely help to soften the impact harshness.
3) I'm not sure how to rate the OEM Bridgestones because I don't have a reference point of other tires on the same car, but it's hard to imagine that there aren't better options.

Back to Audi sweating the details: several years back, I had Z4 Coupe with the Sports Package which included a very firm suspension and 255/35-18s in the rear. Like all BMWs of that era, it came with atrocious Bridgestone runflats. Given the seated position of the driver relative to rear axle, every slam and crunch of the big rear tires was transmitted directly into my spine. I loved that little car, but it was in desperate need of better/non-runflat tires.

After a few years, I found the need for a more practical car, so I also set a goal of finding a car with a more refined ride. Among other options, I test drove an A5 Sport. I was expecting a better ride in the A5, and it largely delivered on smooth pavement, but when I hit some rough stuff and traversed concrete gutters at some local intersections, the ride quality fell to pieces. The big wheels and tires felt heavy and plodding and, overall, poorly controlled by the suspension.

By comparison, I also test drove and eventually purchased a 335i M-Sport Coupe, and even with the stock run-flats, it offered better handling and a more compliant ride than the Audi under all circumstances. To me, it simply feels like BMW and Porsche do a better job tuning the natural ride/handling compromise than I have experienced with Audis.

All that said, I am still enamored of the TTS, and when I find the time, I'm still leaning toward downsizing to 18s and Michelins PSS (or maybe Conti DWS) tires to bring it more in line with my ride quality expectations. My tastes are finely tuned, and I expect those changes would make a noticeable difference and turn the TTS into a better all-around daily driver given some of the roads I travel in my daily commute.

Huey52

Fair comparative analysis and please do let us know what wheel/tire configuration you ultimately select.

btw: It's a sad commentary on our deteriorating highway infrastructure when even temperate weather LA has poor roads!