By Johan Laubscher The Audi Centre Melbourne Audi TT RS was tipped as one of the front runners at the Targa Tasmania this year. The car, driven by Matt and Casey Close, had performed very well this year. With a string of good results they were very confident ahead of the premiere event in the Australian Targa Championship calendar.
They performed very well at the Targa Tasmania, despite technical problems which lost them time. They were up to a comfortable third overall when turbo related problems unfortunately ended their event.
Other Side Productions have been producing great video coverage of the Targa Championship. They have just released another new video featuring the TT RS at the 2013 Targa Tasmania. It is a great video, and the TT RS sounds brilliant with its five cylinder turbo engine
Faster, stronger and more ready than ever for their 10th Targa Tasmania, Matt and Casey Close go into the 22nd running of the iconic road rally full of confidence with a refined and refreshed Audi TT RS.
The revelation of the Targa field over recent years, proving more than capable of battling with the more established Nissan GT-Rs and Lamborghini Gallardo supercars, the 2.5-litre turbocharged all-wheel drive TT RS has continued to perform stronger and more reliably with each outing, with the Closes being global pioneers of the TT RS in road-based competition.
The latest round of improvements has given the Audi Centre Melbourne-backed crew a boost in confidence going into their 10th Targa Tasmania, and fourth with the TT RS.
“We’ve recently cured our ESP gremlins,” Matt explained. “We’ve been improving the TT RS since its debut in 2010, but it’s always had a minor issue that would inconsistently trigger the ESP, where it either robbed us of time, or never provided the exact setting we wanted. We’ve finally isolated the issue and we’re now confident of being able to push from start to finish without an electronic handicap.”
Having finished with two second-outright finishes in their last two events, the Closes know what it takes to win and compete with the likes of multiple Targa winner Tony Quinn (GT-R) and Jason White (Lamborghini). The husband-wife pairing won almost half the stages at January’s Targa Wrest Point, eventually finishing less than a minute behind Jason White’s Lamborghini Super Trofeo; this backed up another second outright at November’s Targa High Country, and it’s certainly encouraging that their two most recent results are also their best.
The TT RS has also benefited from the recent change from a manual to the S-tronic dual clutch gearbox. “An amazing transformation!” enthused Close. “We’re now running a similar gearbox to the GT-Rs and Lambos, and we can now understand why it’s so much quicker. With launch control and seamless changes, the acceleration is relentless and with the paddle shift, there’s the added control of being able to always keep my hands on the wheel. We’re much quicker than we were last year.
“Ah yes, last year…” Running a strong third outright and just seven seconds off the second-placed Quinn GT-R, the Closes dropped a wheel off the road just enough to induce a crash which put them out of the event with just nine stages remaining.
“We know we need to finish this time,” added Close, “and sometimes you need a small off to refine your perspective of where the limit is; we’ve proved that over the past two events. ‘Win it or bin it’ certainly isn’t our mantra; this year we’re pushing for the podium and while outright victory might need a little luck to swing our way, we know we need to be up there to capitalise on it.”
Other improvements have been quite complementary: the TT RS’s braking system is optimised with EBC Brakes, a long-time supporter of Close; there’s also the KW Competition Suspension which have “improved the car enormously”, says Matt, increasing overall body control and driver confidence; KWs are also fitted to the White Lamborghini and an increasing number of top cars.
Rain, hail or shine – and Targa gets them all – the Close & Close Audi TT RS is ready more than ever for the challenge.
By Johan Laubscher The Audi TT RS of Matt and Casey Close has become a formidable force in the Australian Targa Championship. These tarmac rally events always provide a great spectacle and the TT RS more than holds its own against a field of very potent competitors. The Close pairing have had a very good 2012-2013 season so far, as they are coming off a set of two consecutive second place finishes. This good speed and consistency puts them in a positive position ahead of the Targa Tasmania in April.
Other Side Productions have been producing great video coverage of the Targa Championship. They have just released another new video featuring a closer look at the TT RS and interviews with Matt Close. Enjoy, the sound from the five cylinder turbo engine sounds great on the Australian tarmac stages.
By Johan Laubscher The Audi TT RS pairing of Matt and Casey Close achieved another sensational result in the Australian Targa Championship. They finished second overall for the second consecutive event. The latest event was the Targa Wrest Point and as per usual the TT RS team faced fierce competition from other high powered entries.
The Audi has proven to be a great package on the Australian stages, further enhanced by the new S-Tronic double clutch gearbox which was fitted before the previous round. We have included the event review videos below, which have been produced by Other Side Productions. Enjoy the sights and sounds from Targa.
Five cylinders plus a turbo is a magical mixture deep in the heritage of Audi. Currently an Audi TT RS is campaigned by Matt and Casey Close in the Australian Targa Championship. The current 2012-2013 season is well underway and the TT RS pairing were able to race to an overall second place finish at the previous event.
As we wait for the next round of the championship here is the latest video featuring this Audi TT RS. Other Side Productions have produced yet another great video. This particular feature is very special as it is a “pure sound” video wherein you can enjoy that legendary and equally awesome engine note. Enjoy:
