All Cars, All the Time

Audi TT Reviews








Here are some impressions from Auto Express and Autoweek on the new Audi TT. The previous TT was more eye candy than track star but that is something that has changed with the new model. Much of the improvement comes from the way the new TT is constructed: aluminum space frame and a steel and aluminum body. The car is much stiffer and its weight is better balanced and lower down. This leads to handling that AW calls “fluid and eager.”

There are nits to pick. AE said “It’s hard not to feel a little disappointed when you fire the 3.2 liter V6. The flagship’s engine is smooth…but it’s never particularly exciting.’ Autoweek calls the 3.2 “hugely satisfying.” In the steering department, AW says that the electrohydraulic system “could do with a bit more feel and feedback when it is pushed hard.” AE says that TT’s steering “feels crisper than before.”

Everyone agrees that the hugely improved TT will sell on it’s not only on its appealing design, but on its dynamic merits as well.

My first impression of the TT is that it doesn’t seem to have the same pop as the old design (but that's true for most sequels, isn't it?), but that may change as I see the model on the road. The interior’s design, in addition to becoming more accommodating, also seems to have gone more mainstream as well. I have no doubt that the new TT will do very well for itself. Even with my initial concerns, it’s still an attractive car and now a much more capable one.