One of the Biggest Surprises of Targa Tasmania 2011 Was the Speed of Matt Close’S Audi TT RS
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ROAD SECTION CLOSE UP! One of the biggest surprises of Targa Tasmania 2011 was the speed of Matt Close’s Audi TT RS. Placed second outright for much of the event, a podium was sadly lost in the 11th hour. We find out what’s gone right, and what went wrong. STORY: DEAN EVANS I PHOTOS: PERFECT PRINTS HOBART (ACTION), JOEL STRICKLAND PHOTOGRAPHY (STATIC) t 36km, Riana is the third longest stage of Targa Tasmania, but there’s a focus just south of the small town of Natone. An arrow-straight 1.5km road is punctuated by a hump, which at the road legal speed of 100km/h is little more than an elevated section that provides a better view of the vast countryside. But on leg four of Targa Tasmania 2011, it’s a tempta- tion for competitors to see if they have to courage to tackle the event’s biggest jump – flat out. Many cars reach 200km/h, but the Audi TT RS of Melbourne’s Matt and Casey Close are touching 235km/h as they approach the crest. This is no time for caution; the Audi is sitting second outright, between a pair of Nissan GT-Rs, with a Abrace of event winners and fast cars close behind and poised to strike over the final two days ofracing. 50 TARMAC MAGAZINE I ISSUE 12 ISSUE 12 I TARMAC MAGAZINE 51 Seconds after his jump, Matt and Casey head into Natone’s iconic drop corner. On his eighth Targa, Matt holds the throttle flat and the 2010 TT RS leaves Earth. All four tyres The decision to swap his Porsche 911 Turbo lift clear, before touching down nose first, grabbing traction and then speeding off towards Natone’s famous drop-away right-hander. for an Audi TT RS proved to be an inspired choice. “I don’t think I’d do that again, it was a bit scary,” explains Matt after the event. “I’d probably be a bit more cautious next time but I knew we still had to push.” Sitting in second outright at that point, the husband and wife pairing were holding off the likes of Dean Herridge’s Subaru STi, Nissan GT-Rs and Porsche GT2s, but it wasn’t without its risks. Faster in the dry, Matt was more cautious in the wet and bled time to third-placed Herridge over four following wet stages. Going into the final stage of day four, the wet George Town’s prologue was a Matt Close specialty, 33km Rinadeena, Matt pushed a little too hard and winning the stage twice before in his Porsche 911 Turbo. In just 1km into the stage while trying to aggressively the Audi, his time of 3m:20.4s was 10th fastest. warm the tyres, lost control and spun into a small ditch: bogged, undamaged, but his podium lost. It was a harsh result for a promising effort and Porsche 911 Turbo, Matt wanted something that Of course it isn’t devoid of all its luxuries, with the LEFT: Going from 19s to 18s widened tyre what would probably have been his best result offered all the qualities of the 911, but at a higher air-con and sat nav both remaining on board. choice and dropped weight too. ABOVE: Trick KW Race suspension with after finishing seventh, sixth and fifth at previous level: all-wheel drive, a torque-laden turbocharged “The problem was,” explained Matt, “most of remote reservoirs was one of the most Targas, plus it would have been the perfect way engine and surefooted handling in the dry and – the weight saving came from the rear end, so I important upgrades. to bounce back from his disappointing 2010 Targa crucially in Tasmania – the wet. The TT RS ticked could have gone further, but not from the front, BELOW: Revo Technik tune increased crash due to component failure. the boxes on paper, but it wasn’t until the car hit where I wanted.” power output from 250kW to 310kW. But the underlying point was that the Audi TT the stages – and the top five – that the decision Not that it understeers, as a full set of KW RS was the right choice. Having sold his 2000 was ratified. Competition external canister coil-overs trans- The standard specs of the TT RS are already forms the car. “If I made just one change, it’d be the impressive, the 2.5-litre five-cylinder making KWs,” says Matt. “With the low- and high-speed 250kW and 450Nm. Through Revo Technik ECU tuning, they make a huge difference to its grip and tuning, and a boost increase from 0.9 to 1.4 bar roadholding.” At $12,000, they are arguably the along with a single three-inch exhaust system, most serious performance upgrade. power increased to around 310kW, with around The brakes also got upgraded, with the standard 580Nm of torque, on 98 octane pump fuel. four-piston callipers being replaced by RS4 eight- The other changes include a more efficient piston front callipers and rear discs. intercooler and pipe, and a serious lightening Probably the most difficult part of running the session. Starting with 1450kg, Matt changed the TT RS has been development and idiosyncrasies. wheels from 19s to Volk 18s, removed the rear seat Of course the manual six-speed is up to the task, and trim, carpets and heavy front seats. He fitted but it doesn’t allow for left-foot braking, cutting QUICK SPIN a lightweight battery, while a chrome moly cage the throttle if there’s any crossover of pedals. And Tarmac supported Matt Close during Targa Tasmania was welded in, along with race seats, harnesses the dual-clutch gearbox due in Australia soon is Rear end was where most of the weight was removed. The heavy battery is removed 2009 when his Porsche 911 Turbo twice set the fastest and extinguishers; the net result was a saving of still unproven in competition. Tuning the ECU time around the George Town Prologue. for Targas, while the extensive roll cage offers incredible safety and strength. 85kg, shedding around six percent overall weight. was also a challenge, at least until AUdvolks 52 TARMAC MAGAZINE I ISSUE 12 ISSUE 12 I TARMAC MAGAZINE 53 Aircon and satnav are retained. Matt’s not a barbarian, after all. Faster than a Porsche 911 Turbo, able to park in front of tall buildings with a single bound. The Audi is a right bullet, appreciably faster than the Evos and STis, using its torque to punch out of every corner. Stack tyre pressure monitor checks all four tyres’ pressures and temps. TT ON DEBUT At Targa 2010, Matt’s Audi TT RS made its debut and was Matt fitted a ‘guard’ around up to sixth place when he hit a railway crossing too hard the ESP button to prevent and broke a front suspension arm, sending him into a knocking it during shifts. fence and letterbox – which he dutifully replaced! Melbourne found the Revo Technik, but frustrat- still allows the TT to shift its weight around under overall balance and confidence the TT inspires is ingly Audi HQ is always trying to develop new braking and accelerating to maximise traction. Its far better in every way – the times we’re doing now ECUs and parts to hamper aftermarket tuners. The slippery aerodynamics don’t hurt either, with Matt smash the Porsche’s!” Revo unit comes with a controller allowing users seeing 255km/h on the Cethana stage at Targa Targa Tasmania 2011 was looking like a very to set defined parameters, so it needs somewhat of this year. Top speed, in standard trim, is 278km/h, strong event for the Closes. From 10th in prologue/ an experienced hand like Audvolks. provided the limit-free option is chosen from qualifying, they moved into seventh after day one, But the biggest issue has been the lack of similar the factory, identified by the carbon fibre engine and an incredible second outright after day two, cars running elsewhere in the world, with Matt cover. which they held until the final stage of day four being a pioneer for TT RS road tuning to this level. Lined up on the drag strip with our VBOX, it when the self-confessed silly mistake sent them, So far, it’s been getting faster with each event, and rolled off a 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds, against the undamaged, into the muddy ditch. there’s still development to be done. standard car’s 4.6 seconds, on the way to a 12.4 Though irritated at his lost podium, Close With Matt distracted, we jumped behind the quarter-mile. The key is its massive 193km/h trap rejoined the race after being pulled out and went wheel, and discovered that this TT RS is a right speed – not far off a Dodge Viper SRT10 and the on to set some sizzling times, winning stages and bullet, appreciably faster than the Evos and STis, second fastest car we’ve tested! fighting back to win his class in the inaugural three- AUDI SPORT RS and using its torque as its forte to punch out of “Moving up from the ageing 996 Turbo was the round 2011 Australian Targa Championship. Matt’s TT RS isn’t the only RS racer in the world, with the factory building the Audi Sport slow and medium speed corners. best thing we did,” explains Matt. “The technology An Audi winning rally stages? It’s like the TT RS, in front-drive, for the VLN German endurance series.