JMaTT

Audi goes on the offensive
.
- ESP offered to customers for retrofitting at the plant
- TÜV Süddeutschland confirms the TT’s high driving safety standard
- Chairman Paefgen: "We apologise...".
Audi is offering the owners of the sports car TT the chance to have their vehicle retrofitted with the Electronic Stability Program (ESP). This was announced by Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, at a press conference in Munich today.

The announcement comes in response to growing uncertainty among TT customers. This has been provoked by criticism about the handling of the Audi sports car and increasing reports of accidents. Customers are also starting to worry that this will result in a considerably lower resale value for the TT without ESP.
"I wish to apologise formally to our TT customers for the uncertainty which has emerged in the last few months. Our offensive is intended to put an end to this uncertainty," declared Paefgen.

According to Paefgen, the company has continued to work intensively on analysing the handling of the Audi TT, at the same time looking for suitable solutions to satisfy customers. In order to provide an objective assessment of the car’s handling performance, TÜV Süddeutschland (South German Technical Inspection Association) was commissioned to carry out a detailed inspection of the Audi TT compared with the competition. TÜV’s summary:

"The Audi TT – including its original versions – is, compared with the competition, a better-than-average sports car and is in keeping with the state of the art."

As Paefgen remarked, Audi is very satisfied with this result as it confirms Audi’s statements in their entirety. But customer letters have made it clear that a satisfactory solution can only be found if ESP is retrofitted. Audi had always stressed that retrofitting work as complex as this is not technically

possible at the workshops of Audi dealerships. It can now be performed on an industrial scale. An assembly hall specially converted for this purpose at the Ingolstadt site will soon allow ESP to be retrofitted in accordance with high technical and quality standards.

Thanks to this series-like process, vehicles retrofitted in this way will be fully equivalent in all respects to the latest applicable series production status. This will dispel fears in particular of a value loss compared with current models with ESP.

ESP was introduced as standard equipment for the TT in the course of model enhancement measures at the end of last year. At the same time the list price in Germany was increased by DM 650. The same price difference will be charged for retrofitting, which Audi is now offering optionally.

The retrofitting of vehicles is expected to commence at the end of March. Paefgen: "We will be able to retrofit more than 20,000 vehicles within six months." All customers will be provided with a loan vehicle free of charge while their car is being retrofitted.

(Feb. 4, 2000)

Joe

Maybe I'm just cynical, but part of me wonders if the "increasing" accidents are partly the result of folks who, seeing the fuss that started over the "high speed stability issue", and knowing that something is likely to come of it, deliberately went weed-wacking in their TT's and then sat there holding their necks.

People can't be that bad, can they?

evan

I'd like to think most of us are above deliberatly wrecking a beautiful 35-40K car... lets hope.

Neil McL

It sounds like if you want ESP fitting to your existing TT you will have your car sent back to the plant in Germany, they will also charge you for the work done.

Although the promise to give you a loaner whilst your car is getting upgraded it might be gone for some time - is it worth it ?