Auto Dunia’s Star of the Motorshow
Without a doubt, one of the big attractions of the motorshow was the Audi TT Roadster at the Auto Dunia stand which also had the Audi A4 1.8T Avant (a stationwagon version of the locally-assembled A4 1.8 Turbo) and the Audi A6.
The Audi TT Roadster is a follow-up to the TT Coupe which Auto Dunia had earlier introduced. The version offered for sale in Malaysia at around RM372,100 (excluding insurance/roadtax) is a top-of-the-range model with a quattro (full-time 4WD) drivetrain. It has a 1.8-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged engine which produces 165 kW (225 bhp) with a maximum boost pressure of 1.8 bar. This makes it capable of rocketing to 100 km/h from standstill in a claimed 6.9 second and then on to a top speed of 237 km/h.
The design of the TT Roadster is a ‘no-compromises’ functional one which has been styled to look very appealing with the top down. Though it seems like just the TT Coupe with the hardtop removed, development of the TT Roadster was actually more extensive and additional structural engineering was needed to ensure that the bodywork stiffness was maintained.
A sturdy windscreen frame with double anchorage inside the A-pillars, additionally reinforced by a high-strength steel tube-in-tube system is incorporated for that purpose. There are also extra reinforcements in many areas of the bodywork to give the TT Roadster torsional rigidity that, only a few years ago, would have earned high praise even for a sedan body.
All the extra strengthening also increases the safety levels of the TT Roadster, a major consideration with its exposed cabin area. Making open-topped cars in modern times is something that Audi has had a lot of experience with and the company was, in fact, one of the first ones to offer convertibles when regulations and safety provisions allowed them to be re-introduced in the late 1980s.
With the TT Roadster, Audi has opened a new chapter in open-top car safety. This is evident in the two roll-over bars which are more than just striking features with the satin gleam: they contribute significantly to passive safety of the car. There are also crumple zones front and rear plus large-volume sill sections and thicker metal in many areas. The TT Roadster is able to satisfy prevailing safety requirements in Europe for side impact collisions and already meets future standards for frontal impacts. Needless to say, there are frontal and side airbags for the two front occupants which work with the pyrotechnic seatbelt tensioners and belt-force limiters.
The TT Roadster also has high levels of active safety, one of which is the full-time 4-wheel drive system Audi calls ‘quattro’. It is the only other volume-produced roadster (the other being the much more expensive Lamborghini Diablo Roadster) with such a drivetrain that won Audi many world tally championships in the 1980s.
In the cockpit area, the attention to detail and the styling flair complement the exterior looks. Unlike roadsters of the 1950s and 1960s, the TT Roadster has as much comfort and convenience as an Audi sedan with high-grade leather upholstery and top-notch audio system. The soft top is easily lowered for stowage and for extra money, the owner can get an electrically-operated system. Turbulence, which is inevitable at high speeds, can be moderated by an electrically-operated glass windbreaker which is installed adjacent to the roll bars (it can be lowered when not required).
According to Tan Chee Keong, Auto Dunia’s Executive Director, response to the TT Roadster has been very good and rides on the success of the TT Coupe, of which 20 units have ben sold by the company in the past year.
“We expect to sell 20 units of the TT Roadster this year and at least half of them have already been ordered at the motorshow,” he revealed. “For people living in Penang who could not come to the motorshow, we will be bringing one unit up for The Women’s Show 2000 at Island Plaza shortly.”
As a special motorshow promotion, Auto Dunia is giving three lucky visitors to its stand at the KLIMS 2000 a chance to spend a week with the Audi A4 1.8T sedan (with RM300 of Shell petrol and a RM100 toll card thrown in!). All they have to do is fill in an entry form there and sign ‘AUDI’ in the most creative manner. The contest is open to Malaysian residents aged 18 and above and who have a valid driving licence.
THE NEW BEETLE
Just round the corner from the Auto TT Roadster, Auto Dunia’s VW division had a crowd-stopping yellow car on display – the New Beetle. Priced at RM199,100 (without insurance and roadtax), this modern reincarnation of the much-loved VW has a 2-litre 4-cylinder engine which is at the front and not the rear like its predecessor. In fact, other than the name and profile, the New Beetle is really a different car altogether.
At least 15 units have already been ordered through Auto Dunia, according to a company source, with eight now going to customers. The second batch will be available towards the end of the year. At the end of 2001, it is likely that the company will also bring in the high-performance Beetle 1.8 Turbo. The version presently offered has a 4-speed automatic and fabric upholstery but customers can also order leather upholstery at extra cost.
The New Beetle is a cute car that makes you smile, and really defies elaboration so it is best that you go see it at the motorshow or visit an Auto Dunia/VW showroom!
