Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi of Melbourne

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Walk Around

When Audi introduced the TT as a coupe for the 2000 model year and a roadster for 2001, the German luxury maker wasn't aiming at big sales numbers. Rather, Audi was looking to add some spice to its image. The TT was never a breakout seller, but Audi considered it successful in its own right, and the sporty image it gave the company was felt across all model lines. When it was first introduced, the TT's rounded look and geometric shapes were unlike anything on the road. It was well-received, and the design solidified the TT as a choice for those who wanted something different.

Audi has done a fine job of making the new TT an evolution of the old. The 2008 Audi TT is sharper than the previous model, with more angular lines and crisper edges.

Audi's single bar grille, the new corporate face, is black plastic on 2008 Audi TT 2.0T models and painted gloss black on 3.2 quattros. The side of the car features a character line that leads to prominent wheel flares. The coupe's graceful roofline resolves into a rounded rear end, giving the TT a hint of Porsche 911 styling. Rather than opting for a convertible hardtop, which is all the rage these days, Audi has chosen a traditional soft top for roadsters. Both body styles have a mechanical spoiler that pops up at 75 mph and retracts at 50 mph. An interior button allows you to deploy or retract the spoiler at any time.

At 164.5 inches long and 72.5 inches wide, the Audi TT fits right in the heart of the premium sports car segment. It is longer and wider than the BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK. It is more than six inches shorter than the Porsche Boxster and Cayman, but is still a more than an inch wider. These dimensions give the TT decent cargo and passenger volume and contribute to fine handling characteristics.

Below the surface, the TT is all new for 2008. It uses the fourth generation of the Audi Space Frame (ASF) architecture. Audi says the space frame is made of cast, extruded, and stamped steel and aluminum components, as opposed to a traditional unibody structure that has only steel stampings. The coupe's space frame is 69 percent aluminum and the roadster's is 58 percent aluminum. The roadster is reinforced behind the seats to make up for the rigidity lost due to the lack of a top. Audi claims the new coupe is 50 percent more rigid than the last model, and the roadster is 120 percent stronger. Audi says the new-generation roadster is more rigid than the last coupe, an impressive claim.

The base roadster's top is manually operated, but most TTs will come with the power top. The power top is extremely easy to use. There are no latches to work, and it opens in 12 seconds and closes in 14. For those sudden weather changes, the power top can be operated while the car is moving as fast as 25 mph, a handy feature.

Interior

2008 Audi TT

Inside, the 2008 Audi TT is wonderful. Highlighted by standard leather seats and real aluminum trim, the interior is well put together, with tight tolerances and sturdy, soft-touch materials. The design is contemporary, simple, and attractive. The gauges are trimmed in silver with black faces, and trip computer information is displayed between them. The dash is black, and models with the Enhanced Interior package get black leather around the gauge cluster.

All of the controls are within arm's reach and they move with precision. Without the optional navigation system, the controls are easy to find and operate. With the navigation system, however, the TT gets a version of Audi's Multi Media Interface (MMI). This system absorbs the audio controls, and adds several steps to simple tasks like changing the radio station. MMI might appeal to techies, but most of us would prefer something less complicated.

Sports cars are notoriously hard to enter and exit. While entering the 2008 TT requires a step down, it's not as much of a crouch as the last model and the flat-bottom steering wheel in most TTs provides a modicum of extra knee room. Once inside, the TT has more room for the driver than most sports cars. A 6-foot, 7-inch friend said he fit well in the TT, but found the Z4 to be cramped. The front seats are comfortable and have nice bolstering to help keep you in place in fast turns. Visibility is good to most angles, but there is a notable blind spot to the right rear in coupes and in roadsters with the top up.

The leather upholstery is attractive, and the Enhanced Interior package makes it even more so, with contrasting stitching and a leather-covered instrument pod. Audi offers numerous interior color options, as well as the Baseball-Optic leather package that features a Madras Brown color and thick stitching inspired by baseball gloves, a TT tradition.

The rear seat in coupes is inhospitable for humans and is best used for holding packages and purses. Small children may fit back there, but they will certainly complain.

The rear seats fold down, however, which creates a flat load floor and plenty of cargo space. Cargo space is even good with the seats up, but with them down it expands from 10.2 to 24.7 cubic feet. That's more than twice the space of a Z4 coupe and is plenty of room for groceries or luggage for two. The roadster is available with a ski pass-through that improves its 9.1 cubic feet of cargo room, and it's nice that the convertible top doesn't intrude on trunk space. Unfortunately, neither the coupe nor the roadster have enough interior storage for small items.

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