Power without delay.
The Wörthersee Tour in the Austrian town of Reifnitz has always been a place for automotive (especially Volkswagen and Audi) enthusiasts to gather for a festival. The show has also been a stage for Audi, Volkswagen, Seat, and others to show off their latest and greatest performance concepts. This year, the Audi TT clubsport turbo Concept will be sealing the show from May 13th to 16th.
While the term “electric” strikes fear and disgust into many automotive enthusiasts today, it’s something to get really excited about in the new Audi TT clubsport turbo Concept. The new show car boasts a bi-turbo 2.5-liter inline-five cylinder engine with a traditional turbocharger and an electric turbocharger. The latter is an innovative, almost production-ready technology that provides instantaneous response and allows for power in any situation.
“The electric bi-turbo signifies a new dimension in driving enjoyment; it boosts sprinting ability and torque and enables high peak power,” explains Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi Board Member for Technical Development. “In our TDI engines, we are close to production readiness with this technology. We are now presenting it in a TFSI – here too, we are the first automaker in the world to do this. For our fans at Wörthersee, we have packaged the electric bi-turbo in a very sporty show car.”
The engine beneath the hood of the Audi TT clubsport turbo is a bi-turbo 2.5-liter inline-five cylinder unit that produces 600 horsepower at 479 lb-ft. of torque from 3,000 to 7,000 RPM. That equates to an impressive 240 horsepower and 191.8 lb-ft. of torque per liter of displacement. But the most intriguing part of the engine is its new electronically-driven compressor. The electric turbo instantly revs up to maximum rpm without any perceptible delay and provides boost pressure when there is not enough exhaust-gas pressure to drive the conventional turbocharger. The bi-turbo system is designed so that the electronically-driven turbocharger provides instant boost pressure during low engine speeds while the conventional turbocharger provides boost as the engine speeds and exhaust gasses grow for even more power.
The electronic, bi-turbo system ensures that power is accessible in any situation without any kind of perceptible turbo-lag. A racing-type radiator keeps things cool while the exhaust system is constructed to keep backpressure to a minimum. A side pipe exit sits directly after the racing muffler and delivers a burbling, throaty note.
A dedicated 48-volt electrical sub-system powers the electric turbocharger and energy is stored in a compact lithium-ion battery located in the trunk. Energy is stored inside of the batter after it is generated from the energy recuperating system that is activated by coasting.
Power is sent through a gated six-speed manual transmission in the Audi TT clubsport turbo to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system with multi-plate clutch positioned at the rear axle for optimum weight distribution. This, and the instant power delivery helps the concept accelerate to 62 mph from rest in 3.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 192.6 mph.
Dynamics are also part of the Audi TT clubsport turbo DNA. A full coilover suspension allows the ride height, compression, and rebound to be adjusted for a specific track while an electric lifting function helps to prevent damage from any obstacles on the street. Electronic stability control and torque vectoring help to sharpen things up on the digital side of things for drivers. New six twin-spoke 9.5J x 20 gloss turn and matte black finished wheels wear 275/30 tires and hide carbon fiber ceramic discs at the front and rear axles, the former measuring 370 mm in diameter.
Even without the power, the Audi TT clubsport turbo Concept manages to grab attention thanks to its motorsport-inspired design and Ferro Titanium paint. The front and rear fenders extend outwards to emphasize power, making the width 5.5 inches wider than its standard factory counterpart. Each fender has an open area behind the wheels to help dissipate heat generated by the brakes. Up front, a single-frame grille sits between air intakes and their dominating vertical fins that house LED lights that carry over from the Matrix LED headlights above.
At the rear, a large manually-adjustable carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) wing generates downforce and is similar to that found on the Audi Sport TT Cup cars. The Audi TT clubsport turbo car’s wing is 7.9 inches wider than the Cup version and proudly wears the four-ring badge on both side wings. Lightweight CFRP also makes up the air inlets, front splitter, new side panels, sill trim pieces, and the large diffuser positioned beneath the rear bumper.
Inside, the Audi TT clubsport turbo is all business. Ultra-high-strength titanium tubes create a protective cage for driver and passenger and reinforce the cockpit. Lightweight racecar bucket seats are featured with four-point harnesses and wear coral orange Alcantara with contrasting stitching and piping. The doors and center console feature large CFRP parts with the former being closed by pulling on a tube-shaped grip with Alcantara inlay. The digital Audi virtual cockpit gives drivers the ability to control various driving features and parameters via steering wheel mounted buttons.
The new Audi TT clubsport turbo Concept car will be on display at the Wörthersee Tour from May 13th to 16th. Although it is just a concept, expect the new technology such as the electrically-driven turbocharger system to quickly make its way into the Audi lineup.
Audi TT clubsport turbo Concept Specifications
Engine:
Displacement: 2.5 liters
Number of Cylinders: Inline-five
Aspiration: Twin-turbocharged (one conventional, one electronically-driven)
Maximum Horsepower: 600 / 441 kW
Maximum Torque: 479.4 lb-ft. / 650 Nm from 3,000 to 7,000 RPM
Transmission:
Type: Six-speed manual
Drive: quattro all-wheel with torque vectoring and rear-mounted multi-plate clutch.
Performance:
Acceleration 0-62 mph: 3.6 seconds
Top Speed: 192.6 mph / 310 km/h
Wheels, Tires, Brakes, and Suspension:
Wheels: Six twin-spoke with bi-color finish
Wheel Size: 9.5J x 20
Tires: 275/30
Brakes: Carbon ceramic discs; 370 mm front
Suspension: Adjustable coilover; electronic lift
Unladen Weight: 3,077.7 lbs. / 1,396 kg
Audi TT clubsport turbo Concept Gallery
Source: Audi
Are you excited about the new Audi TT clubsport turbo and its electronic turbocharger setup?
