Slammed!
Words by Andrea Balti
Photos by Davide Carletti
“This time I leave it stock” – these are Daniele’s famous last words, just after bringing home his TTS. Not even the time to realize what he said, that his Audi was already unrecognizable. Then, if you share the passion for aftermarket with your neighbor, who also has your same car in the garage, the only limit is your imagination (and money, of course).
Daniele and Riccardo await us on a cloudy and humid day of early December, with their creatures more polished than usual and that leave no room for misunderstandings: they are two of the most badass TT you will ever see. Literally slammed to the ground and made even more aggressive thanks to a myriad of modifications so long that it should shame the Divine Comedy! They look at them with fair expression and with the typical look of those who seek the slightest excuse to make a new mod, add a further personal touch and continue a seemingly endless customization process, but that actually has a specific pattern which is called Worthersee, Mecca for each tuning enthusiast. Riccardo perfectly embodies the spirit of this event which is held annually in Germany, where thousands and thousands of fans from all four corners of Europe, come to show off their cars, customized to the limit of the impossible. His particular project is not yet finished, and when we go printing we are sure that his TTS has undergone other upgrades, just as will happen from here until May, which will lead to the “showdown” in Worthersee. These are not cars for the track, explains Riccardo, they have a structure that make it virtually impossible to use ‘em between the curbs, these two are more than suitable for turning the heads of astonished passers, when he and his friend have a cruise through the city. In Italy, in particular, there is not a strong culture in this sense, and seeing two UFOs like these, does nothing but attract every glance around, mixed between curiosity and astonishment, always seeking to understand the secrets of two so unique and different from usual TTS. The original 272 horses were further increased after the respective remapping of the ECU, and despite near-zero distance between tire and wheel arches, the two cars have maintained that fantastic compromise of a sports car that can offer excellent performance without sacrificing convenience. It can be used in everyday life, obviously by coming to terms with bumps and rough roads.
The 20” rims further amplify the “ground effect” of these TTS, and the attention to detail is maintained in every corner, with blackened spoiler and carbon fiber air intakes, but also in the mechanic compartment, with stiffened and lowered suspension, new braking systems (have you seen those discs and those calipers?!) and two cockpits that host sports seats (Recaro R8 for Riccardo) and a lot of technology. It feels like entering a temple: the cleanliness of Audi’s lines is intact as if we climbed on board of a concept car on display at some Motor Show. There are games of light, immaculate finishes and spoilers, which further decreases the height of the front and rear. The black one, Daniele’s car, seems to be the opposite of the wrapped one owned by Riccardo, but rather than being opposites, it is like watching a single car that is able to evolve to the point of doubling itself. Observing one of them is fantastic, looking at them together is something wonderful. You do not finish to slide your eyes on the surfaces of the first, which begin those of the other, so similar, yet so different. The engines come to life, and other lights invade the cockpit, realizing that they are not only two beautiful objects to be admired, but also want to be driven, carried out in their natural habitat, the road which is a bit ‘as if it were a catwalk on which to parade. Daniele dreams of one of the most beautiful roads in the world, the Transfagarasan, while Riccardo will meet his target in a matter of months, at the most famous tuning festivals in the world. Whatever their path, we are confident that they will do it with the style that distinguishes them and makes their TTS so special and unique, making mine (yes, I too have a TTS!) looks like a shy and wet chicken.
The difference between this type of tuning and what infests supermarket parkings lies in the quality of the objects that we face. They’re not only processed with mind, but with parts and a taste for beauty that arouse interest and not disdain. But perhaps, tuning is to realize your inner self through your car. That’s why there are those who do it well, as in this case, and who only puts neon and exaggerated spoiler (I have also seen some fitted the other way around); they are probably the same people who have not yet learned to conjugate the verb “to have”. Daniele and Riccardo are fortunately of a completely and different caliber: they chose a definitely costly and definitely challenging road, but given the results obtained so far, they can be very proud of what they see every morning when they open their garage door.