greg

First, let me say overall I love the TT and most of the handling aspects. I live in the mountians in northern Californi. I must admit the issue of handling is just as the artice says. The roads I drive are very windy and banked for the most part. This allows me to "get on it" whenever I want. I admit I am not a trained high performance driver, however, I do know how to work it. But when going into the corners and braking at aggressive (but not necessarily real high speeds, I too must say there is an issue of the back end not having ideal staying power (even when you off the brake and are just going through the cruves at speeds). I have drove this hundreds of times as these kind of roads surround my home (santa cruz mountains). It is real and I hope the recall helps this. Prior to hearing of the recall I noticed this right away. I know Audi has attempted to cover this by saying it is a euro- high speed issue, but day in day out I see that is not the truth. I hate to admit, but it is best to come out of the closet on this fact. I am adjusting my driving traits to reduce the reality, but like I said, I hope the recall fixes this. On P. 2 or 3, I feel the article in car magizine in the UK is correct or as they would say, spot on.

Jim

2) At what speeds are you experiencing handling "problems"?
3) What similar type sports cars have you driven in the past in order to make a fair comparison or assessment of the TT's handling characteristics?

Let me say that I am very familiar with the roads in your area as I was born and and lived in San Mateo for 39 years. So I am curious to know why you have made these comments on this car's handling characteristics on the roads that you've driven. Unless you're going down I-280 at 115mph, you don't have any "banked" turns to speak of. And I wouldn't consider 85 from Los Gatos to Santa Cruz banked either.

So come on now. Let's see some credentials......

Michel60

Having just picked up my new TTQ a little more than 12 hours ago, I for one can say that I don't intend to change a thing, (though a few more horse power would be nice). Be that as it may, the car's handling in original trim is very neutral, i.e. it is responsive to driver input near the limit. Back off the throttle and weight will transfer rear to front thus a loose rear end/oversteer; accelerate and weight transfers front to rear thus a pushing front end/understeer. This makes it all very simple....DON'T GO GETTING ON THE BRAKES WHEN CORNERING! Slow the car, if needed, in a straight line before entering a corner and STEER, hold steady on the throttle until starting to exit. If your natural tendency is to go for the brakes when getting into it a little to hot, then the revised suspenssion with its tendency to understeer,(a more forgiving characteristic) is probably a good idea..or you could learn to drive....(intended jokingly)...

Best of luck and enjoy.

Dr. Lane

beaking while cornering. This is a big NO, NO. Under braking, the contact patch on the rear wheels of ANY car is decreased while increased on the front wheels. It doesn't take much understanding to realize that with more grip on the front tires and less on the rear tires that something is going to happen. This is called oversteer when the tail comes around on you.

So, I don't percieve this problem to be a defect with a car, but as a defect with the driver. And yes, I used to have that defect until I took the Skip Barber course.

Anyway, the final result is that each car handles differently and knowing your limits and the car's limits are the key to safe driving.

Dr. L

greg

Obvoiusly I do not brake while cornering. I'm not a race car driver, I do know the limits and this is a real thing. The back end has never come around, but the lack of stability / sure foot-edness is obvious and real

greg

Jim you may know it all but San Mateo is no where near the Santa Cruz mountains and I said mountain roads not 280 or 85 (wide open fwy). As said before, MOUNTIAN roands. Hwy 9, bear creek. Major winds and turns everyday. This is not a sometimes drive, all the time. Does that provide the credentials? I am drove Porsche, Audi, BMW.

greg

I do not brake while cornering.sometimes before I hit the corner. I have 13 miles of non-stop tight coerners. I ma not a race car drivrer, but I do fairly well. Not after 12 hours, but 6 months withc the TT.

Dr. Lane

I was not meaning to disprespect anyone, but some of these problems may be due to driver error. Just trying to help!!

Jon Clinch

It seems that the reason people are responding that Greg shouldn't brake in corners is because Greg's own message says as follows.... "But when going into the corners and braking at aggressive (but not necessarily real high speeds, I..." and so on. Perhaps it was a communication problem?

Jon

Marius B

Have some respect for the original chassis set-up. Just like the designers "had their way" with the initial absence of the rear spoiler, there is also reason to believe that the handling specialists in the chassis development department had THEIR way with the chassis set-up. For once they were allowed (paid, even) to spend thousands of track hours honing the chassis set-up to their own liking. The one fault they may be accused of were to forget the erroneous driving skills of us customers. Maybe they went over the top creating a fun car for themselves, forgetting how difficult car driving really can be for us less-than-expert drivers.

Incidentally, german magazine "Gute Fahrt" just printed their report on the chassis modifications. This magazine is known for being very, very close to VW/Audi. While they are an interesting source of inside news about hidden details and future developments, they are the closest you can get to "Audi apologists", never printing any serious critique against VW or Audi products. Still, they are rather negative to the new set-up, implying in so many words that the TT may now become safer, but some of the the thrill is gone. They say, in a convoluted manner, that the modifications make the chassis safely understeering under high lateral G’s, not providing the same delightful balance as the original set-up.

For my own credentials, I’ve spent the last 5 months fishing for oversteer or trail-braking tailslides in a 225, never getting much more than I bargained for. I’m starting to wonder if i should take the spoiler (for autobahn purposes) but avoid the chassis mods, to keep it the way I like it for everyday stuff.