Dropping the pounds with some new technology.
Every year, Audi enthusiasts from around the world gather at Wörthersee, Germany for the annual Wörthersee Festival and every year the automaker brings a concept car to show off to the crowd. This year, the focus will be the new Audi TT Ultra Quattro Concept that is all about being light as a feather. The new concept uses a host of new materials, technology, and more to drop weight by a total of 661 lbs. (300 kg) to result in better overall performance.
The Audi TT Ultra Quattro Concept weighs in at just 2,449 lbs (1,111 kg). But the automaker didn’t just sprinkle some magic fairy dust on the car and voila, the weight magically disappeared. The TT was built with a special hybrid body shell that weighs 454 lbs. (206 kg) and wears 216 lbs. (98 kg) of detachable body work. A total of 95 lbs. (43 kg) adding to a total savings of 220 lbs (100 kg) for the body. The rear-end, B-pillars, roof, and center tunnel is all made from Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) while the floor and hinges are made from magnesium.
The concept car is dressed in special crystal white color paint while the roof, flanks, and tailgate flaunt their bare CFRP makeup. A large rear carbon fiber spoiler with a milled aluminum base shows the motorsports background and athletic nature of the TT Ultra Quattro Concept.
Audi even rolled out an innovative lightweight type of springs for the TT Ultra Quattro Concept. The Fiberglass-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) springs are used instead of the traditional steel units and uses long-glass fibers wrapped together and impregnated with epoxy resin, covered in more fibers to reduce weight by 40 percent while still maintaining traditional spring characteristics. New CFRP wheels with lightweight aluminum spokes and front ceramic discs with fixed aluminum calipers hide the springs and, along with the titanium exhaust system, cuts weight by another 44 lbs (20 kg).
Beneath the hood of the TT sits a tuned 2.0 TFSI turbocharged inline-four that is also lighter than its production counterpart. The crankcase, crankshaft, balancer shafts, flywheel, sump, bolts, and other bits were modified to reduce weight by an additional 55 lbs. (25 kg). The turbo-four has also been given a little tune as well, as output rises to a total of 306 hp (310 PS) and 295 lb-ft. (400 Nm) of torque between 1,900 and 5,000 RPM. The increased output and low overall weight enables the TT Ultra Quattro Concept to reach 62 mph in just 4.2 seconds and hit a top speed of 173 mph.
Inside, weight has been dropped but without sacrificing comfort and quality. The front seats are CFRP units borrowed from the R8 GT to 49 lbs. (22 kg) while CFRP is worn by the door trim and center console. The rear seats have both been removed and replaced with a new CFRP cross-brace. All of the comfort features like AC, electric windows, etc. all remain and both of the side mirrors were replaced with cameras that display images inside the cockpit for the driver.
The new Audi TT Ultra Quattro Concept won’t enter production and was made specifically as a one-off for the annual Wörthersee Festival. The lightweight technology and materials used throughout the car will definitely make their way into future Audi models, so keep an eye out!
Audi TT Ultra Quattro Concept Gallery
[Source: Audi]
Is the Audi TT Ultra Quattro Concept light enough for you?
