2008 Audi TT First Impressions

My first series of tests with the 2008 Audi TT had to be cut short because of the atrocious weather conditions that recently besieged the Greater Montreal area. But neither the lashing rain nor the strong winds or the heavy melting snow prevented me from appreciating the masterfully executed design of the new, second-generation TT. The result is even more remarkable considering that it's always risky to alter a design that holds a special place in contemporary automotive history. 2008 Audi TT First Impressions from (http://www.auto123.com/en/audi/tt-coupe/2008/review?carid=1080601600&artid=80897)

Too bad Mother Nature did not cooperate.

As you probably remember, the first TT made quite a splash upon hitting the market in 1998. It rapidly became an icon, which created kind of a problem: how do you keep the styling fresh without compromising the original charm? The same dilemma happened at Mazda (Miata), BMW (MINI), Volkswagen (New Beetle) and Ford (Thunderbird). Some succeeded. Others failed miserably. Has Audi found the right solution? You be the judge. As far as I'm concerned, my answer is a resounding YES.

A pure sports car?
The first phase of the "TT mission" is therefore completed. But since Audi executives want to talk about a sports car, the TT must offer much more than just looks. It has to know how to move, and not just in a straight line.

Consequently, Audi designed a new chassis mostly made of aluminum in order to reduce the car's weight and increase its stiffness. Actually, 70 percent of the architecture is made of aluminum, which makes the TT lighter than the first generation. That allows for superior power and fuel economy. Also, the steel parts are mainly located at the back so as to optimize the overall weight distribution. How ingenious! The front suspension and, obviously, both engines also use aluminum. The first is a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 200 horsepower. It's so good that an international jury recently awarded Audi the "World Engine of the Year" title. There is also a 250-hp, 3.2-litre V6. However, don't let these impressive numbers fool you; these are two very different powerplants. With 207 lb-ft of torque available between 1,800 and 5,000 rpm, the 2.0T's performance is surprisingly spirited. Yes, the V6 is more potent and achieves higher torque figures (236 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm), but it must propel an additional 115 kilos (1,260 kg for the TT 2.0T compared to 1,410 kg for the TT 3.2 quattro). The V6's fuel consumption is also higher.

The Audi TT 3.2 quattro is more powerful but has to carry more weight.

2008 Audi TT First Impressions

Zell am See, Austria - As with all great Alpine roads, the one that winds its way to the top of the Grossglockner, the highest peak in Austria, is an incredible stretch that features tight hairpin turns and breathtaking drop-offs. It's also a great road for testing out the latest and greatest version of a genuine automotive icon, the 2008 Audi TT.

(Photo: Audi)

For the launch of this new coupe, we tested out two specific models. The first: a front-wheel drive iteration with a 6-speed manual transmission connected to a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. This direct-injection, 4-cylinder turbo develops 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. The second: a quattro all-wheel drive TT with a 3.2-litre V6 linked to the dual-clutch gearbox formerly known as DSG and now called "S tronic". This engine develops 250 horsepower and 237 lb-ft of torque; its estimated 0-100 km/h time is a reasonably swift 5.7 seconds. (The strength of the package, though, is the 6-speed S tronic; it's simply the most refined "semi-automatic" transmission on the market.)

Physics being what they are, the turbocharged model proved to be the better choice for scaling the Grossglockner. While the V6 ran out of breath as the atmosphere got thinner, the turbo kept right on spinning right up to the peak. In terms of pure power, neither engine is capable of pushing the TT up a category from "sport coupe" to "sportscar"... but then again, that's not the car's intent.

(Photo: Audi)

On the handling and ride front, the new TT offers a more involving and all-around better driving experience than the original. The first TT was imperfect over bumpy roads, displaying a tendency to "hop" that detracted from its overall appeal. The new version, courtesy of a completely redeveloped suspension system, offers vastly improved ride and roadholding.

The steering, too, is more direct and the side-to-side transitions when taking high-speed S-turns is far better. The front-wheel drive TT exhibited some understeer when launched into and accelerating out of extremely tight bends, while the quattro version showed a distinct edge in terms of its ability to carve corners and respond to directional changes.

For improved high-speed handling characteristics, all of the new TTs also feature a rear spoiler that automatically deploys at about 80 km/h. Optional will be the Audi magnetic ride system, which features 'Sport' and 'Normal' settings; this system adapts to road conditions and the driver's shifting habits within a few milliseconds to create the proper damping effect at each individual wheel.

(Photo: Audi)

One note on the driving experience: In our first run down the mountain in the 2.0 TFSI, we encountered some technical difficulties. Warning lights came on and then the throttle disappeared. The problem went away by stopping the car and restarting it - essentially, rebooting the car's computer. Given that we were testing very early pre-production models, this was not a big deal; an easily fixable technical glitch was the consensus from the Audi technicians.

Performance characteristics aside, the raison d'être for the Audi TT is as follows: A stylish, high-tech ride that will look fresh for years to come. That was certainly true of the original TT, introduced as a 2001 model, and it's definitely true of the new coupe. 2008 Audi TT First Impressions from (http://www.auto123.com/en/audi/tt-coupe/2008/review?carid=1080601600&artid=73504)

2008 Audi TT First Impressions

My first series of tests with the 2008 Audi TT had to be cut short because of the atrocious weather conditions that recently besieged the Greater Montreal area. But neither the lashing rain nor the strong winds or the heavy melting snow prevented me from appreciating the masterfully executed design of the new, second-generation TT. The result is even more remarkable considering that it's always risky to alter a design that holds a special place in contemporary automotive history.

Too bad Mother Nature did not cooperate.

As you probably remember, the first TT made quite a splash upon hitting the market in 1998. It rapidly became an icon, which created kind of a problem: how do you keep the styling fresh without compromising the original charm? The same dilemma happened at Mazda (Miata), BMW (MINI), Volkswagen (New Beetle) and Ford (Thunderbird). Some succeeded. Others failed miserably. Has Audi found the right solution? You be the judge. As far as I'm concerned, my answer is a resounding YES.

A pure sports car?

The first phase of the "TT mission" is therefore completed. But since Audi executives want to talk about a sports car, the TT must offer much more than just looks. It has to know how to move, and not just in a straight line.

Consequently, Audi designed a new chassis mostly made of aluminum in order to reduce the car's weight and increase its stiffness. Actually, 70 percent of the architecture is made of aluminum, which makes the TT lighter than the first generation. That allows for superior power and fuel economy. Also, the steel parts are mainly located at the back so as to optimize the overall weight distribution. How ingenious! The front suspension and, obviously, both engines also use aluminum. The first is a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 200 horsepower. It's so good that an international jury recently awarded Audi the "World Engine of the Year" title. There is also a 250-hp, 3.2-litre V6. However, don't let these impressive numbers fool you; these are two very different powerplants. With 207 lb-ft of torque available between 1,800 and 5,000 rpm, the 2.0T's performance is surprisingly spirited. Yes, the V6 is more potent and achieves higher torque figures (236 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm), but it must propel an additional 115 kilos (1,260 kg for the TT 2.0T compared to 1,410 kg for the TT 3.2 quattro). The V6's fuel consumption is also higher. 2008 Audi TT First Impressions from (http://www.auto123.com/en/audi/tt-coupe/2008/review?carid=1080601600&artid=80897)

The Audi TT 3.2 quattro is more powerful but has to carry more weight.