We know what you're thinking: this sleek-looking Audi TT Clubsport concept is all very nice, but it'll never make production.Think again – Audi says that if reaction is positive enough, the roofless speedster could go into very limited production later in 2007. Not only that, but the TT Clubsport is also the first official clue from Audi about a high-performance version of the company’s two seat coupe, to be badged TT S. The TT Clubsport is a wider, lower chopped down TT Roadster with more power and a simplified body.
Low, wide…
Although recognisably a TT, the Clubsport's bodywork has been heavily revised. The roof has been removed altogether, and the height reduced to as low a level as possible. The most striking visual attribute is the one-piece wraparound windscreen that does away with the entire A-pillar and windscreen surround assembly. Wider wheelarches, necessary to cover the car’s 80mm wider track, flow into meaty sill extensions, and at the front the split grille has become one-piece. At the rear there’s a new, deeper bumper that surrounds a huge stainless exhaust silencer with wide twin oval tailpipes. A cover with two headrest fairings behind the seats takes the place of the carbrio’s tonneau. Ceramic brakes, derived from the A8 and RS4’s, are tucked away behind a set of 20-inch alloys wrapped in 265/30 R20 tyres
…and powerful
The TT Clubsport is not just a concept car. It has been built as a fully driveable sports car, and features some neat touches designed to save space and weight. The engine compartment has been stripped of most of the ancilliary equipment such as the anti-lock brake module, which has been relocated to the interior. The alloy front strut brace not only ties the suspension struts together, but it also doubles as the coolant expansion tank. The engine itself, which doesn’t have the usual black plastic cover, is a tuned version of Audi's 2.0-litre four-cylinder TFSI engine, with over 300bhp. The drivetrain is four-wheel drive, with a DSG transmission controlled by a conventional manual lever. The aluminium lever and the H-gate surround are lifted from the R8 supercar.
Just pray it doesn't rain
Like the exterior, the interior is recognisably TT but with some motorsport-inspired alterations. The standard seats have been replaced by the RS4’s buckets, with four-point harnesses, and a TT logo laser etched into the leather. The middle of the three round air vents in the dash centre has been replaced with an interface for a Bang and Olufsen MP3 player. The forthcoming Audi TT S will use the Clubsport’s high-output engine and most of the car’s styling cues, including the wider arches and big air intakes. It’s due later this year – expect the production version to show up at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
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