We often hear about the transfer of racing technology to the road, but usually it amounts to little more than some stick-on carbon fibre bits and a racing driver's signature on the boot lid. Fiat Seicento Michael Schumacher edition anyone?
Audi, though, is setting out to prove that its 'Audi ultra' motorsport programme is more than just marketing puff. Ultra is the name given to Audi's lightweight construction techniques, many of which have been pioneered on the R8, R10, R15 and R18 Le Mans racers. Instead of one technology, it's an umbrella term that encompasses many different techniques, including the use of aluminium, carbon-fibre and other exotic materials.
Now, the 'ultra' brand is taking a step closer to the road with the unveiling of the TT ultra quattro concept. We have become used in recent years to manufacturers crowing about removing 10-, 20-, 30- or even 100kg of weight from a new car compared to the model it's replacing, but Audi has gone a step further here. Several steps further. 300 steps in fact, as the TT ultra is 300kg lighter than standard.
With the TT already being a pretty lean and sinewy car (thanks to being made partly from aluminium) that pushes its weight down to 1,111kg at the kerb, or about as much as a well-specified Fiesta. That would be enough to give the car, which uses the 2.0-litre TFSI petrol engine, a significant performance boost, but Audi has gone further again by tweaking the engine up from 200- to 310hp. The 0-100km/h time drops to 4.2 seconds as well, which is quicker than the standard TT RS - which uses a 340hp five-cylinder turbo engine. Top speed of the TT ultra is knocking on for 290km/h.
That 2.0-litre engine itself contributes to the weight loss, with modifications to the sump, crankcase and securing bolts giving a 25kg saving. Astonishingly, Audi's engineers have shaved a whopping 43kg from the body structure alone - a remarkable figure considering that the standard TT body weighs just 206kg anyway, hardly giving much scope for action. Much of the saving comes from binning the steel and aluminium and using instead CFRP (Carbon-Fibre Reinforced Polymer). It's similar in strength and weight to the carbon-fibre used on F1 and Le Mans cars, but is simpler and cheaper to manufacture.
The ceramic front brake discs and CFRP wheels contribute another 20kg, especially useful because that figure comes off the unsprung weight.
A major innovation is the use of FRP, or Fibreglass Reinforced Polymer, for the suspension springs, replacing conventional steel springs. The core of the all-new springs consists of long glass fibres twisted together and impregnated with epoxy resin. A machine wraps additional fibres around this core, which is only a few millimetres in diameter, at alternating angles of plus and minus 45 degrees. These layers support each other and act like a conventional spring. Neat.
Interestingly, the TT ultra quattro concept doesn't use the expected weight saving measures of chucking out cabin equipment. It still has air conditioning and electric windows and a handbrake. Which rather suggests that at some point, Audi may well be whipping off the 'concept' badge and putting a price sticker on in its place. The current TT is up for replacement shortly, so a limited-edition TT ultra might just be the way to give the current version a bit of a high-octane send-off.
Here's hoping...