Quoted from: http://www.audiworld.com/news/99/1999archive.html
"October 16, 1999
Modifications to European TT sports cars
Easier to control close to the stability limits; no charge for modifications
From the Audi AG Press Release

As announced, AUDI AG today revealed the technical features that are to be modified with a view to altering the road behaviour of its successful Audi TT sports car. The Ingolstadt-based company is thus responding to recent criticism of the car's handling in certain situations at high speed close to the limits of stability.

The scheduled measures affect both the car's suspension and its aerodynamic performance. Modified stabilizers are to be fitted to the front suspension of front-wheel-drive models, and quattro versions will have these stabilizers fitted at both front and rear. A correspondingly modified wishbone will be fitted at the front, together with firmer damper settings at the front and rear.

In addition to these suspension modifications, the TT will receive a rear spoiler.

With the modified suspension settings and the rear spoiler, the TT will retain its satisfying agility, while the limits of stability will be spread over a broader range, with the result that drivers will find the car easier to keep under control.

As of the beginning of December the modifications will start going into series production. Meanwhile, Audi will be requesting all TT owners to bring their car into a workshop to have the modified and additional components fitted free of charge. For production and logistical reasons, the after-sales measures will be implemented in two phases: the suspension modifications will be carried out first, followed by the retrofitting of the spoiler. Once the necessary parts are available, Audi dealers will be able to perform the modifications for customers at short notice.

AUDI AG, Communication - Product and Technology, D-84045 Ingolstadt, Germany
Rudolf Schiller, telephone (+49) 841 89 32100, telefax (+49) 841 89 32817 "

Quoted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_TT, http://listing-index.ebay.com/cars/Audi_TT.html, http://www.answers.com/topic/audi-tt

"All TT models were recalled in late 1999/early 2000 following concerns over the car's handling which was considered unstable under high-speed cornering as the result of throttle lift-off oversteer - a number of modifications were made, which were subsequently incorporated into all future examples: rear-wing spoilers were fitted (to reduce lift) and suspension settings were altered (to increase understeer)."

 

That article is a standard garbled press release. Car companies seldom admit big mistakes... At least not in plain language. The tsb was released after several new tt's lost control and rolled over.

But hey, whatever... There's no point debating the tt here. Let's just say that most of us here are in agreement that the spoiler on the xB is cosmetic only.

 

I had an 05 xB with no wing and the back window got dirty as hell. now with the Penny I do notice
that with the factory wing it does not get as dirty. So it is cosmetic but does have some function.

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sorry to burst your bubble but no one was hurt in a TT (at least in the US) from the lift issue. the NHTSA has no recalls on there website. i assume Audi did for themselfs before anyone got hurt..whats your grudge against Audi? did they date your ex-girlfriend or something?

 

The wrecks happened in Europe.

 

No. . . I just read up. Did books and data dat yours? Like it was stated, the crashes occurred in Europe, where it was released prior to it's US release.

I have no problem with Audi. . . and I LOVE the A6, A8, and the S line of products they have. But the original TT has (or had) some pretty big flaws.

 

I worked at AUDI when this recall went into effect...there were A LOT of angry TT owners...but there were also a lot of thankful ones...

me...I was just psyched that I got to drive all of them! hahahaha...try as I might though, I couldn't get the damn thing to take off! haha

 

on a side note...I spoke to a guy that owned a 1st-gen Countach...I was joking with him that he probably had the only functional wing in Livermore! He laughed, but he corrected me and told me it was purely aesthetic and provided no downforce whatsoever...just thought that was interesting...don't mind me!

 

As chafo wrote, it really starts to kick in at 110mph, but you already feel the affects at 85(my brother had one of those that were recalled). You have to remember that drag, lift, and downforce are not linear in relation to speed (acceleration forces like gravity never are). I really hope that you weren't going 100mph+ in a customer's car... Especially one with a design flaw.

But hey, I won't tell anyone.

 

A cool not about Exotics is that all Ferrari's are expressly designed to NOT need traditional spoilers at any speed, with the exception of the F40. And maybe the Enzo
(I forget whether or not it has an auto-deploying spoiler or not). They get all the downforce they need with proper wind tunnel testing, underbody aerodynamics, and rear diffusers.

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