Has Audi’s sports coupe become a sports car?
What it is
Let’s see – runway models in sheer clothing that clings, a German glamour puss named Tatjana Patitz, and the
2008 Audi TT. Do you sense a theme to Audi’s press conference at the 2006 New York Auto Show? If you guessed contemporary fashion and beautiful design, give yourself a gold star and smack it onto your forehead! By unveiling the 2008 Audi TT in Manhattan using Patitz, a supermodel-slash-actress who couldn’t read a Teleprompter if her life depended on it, and fashion designer doo.ri, who could be the superhero costume designer E from
The Incredibles incarnate, the automaker attempted to underline its assertion that the TT sports coupe is a “global design icon.” Aside from decorating the stage with gorgeous women, the effort was lost on the mostly male audience.
Audi may have felt it needed to shake reporters out of their complacency, because at first glance the new 2008 Audi TT appears to be no more than a freshening of the existing 2+2 sports coupe. However, this a complete redesign that is 5.4 inches longer and 3.1 inches wider than the original TT. Shaped to reflect the original TT’s design vocabulary, the 2008 version clearly employs current Audi styling cues, such as the single-frame grille which is clearly seen in the car’s face. Established design themes of circles and domes continue in the new car, preserved though Audi wanted the new TT to appear stretched, taut, striving to move forward even when standing still. Audi has employed its ASF Space Frame architecture to the new TT, but in a 69/31 blend of aluminum and steel for optimum balance. At the rear, a spoiler automatically deploys at 75 mph to increase downforce and high-speed stability.
A convertible version of the 2008 Audi TT will also be available shortly after the car arrives in the spring of 2007.
Why it matters Until the
2009 Audi R8 arrives complete with its
Lamborghini Gallardo V-10 engine and concept car styling, the 2008 TT is the closest thing to a
sports car that Ingolstadt sells. And since the
2006 Audi TT cannot be sold in California or the New England states because it doesn’t meet emissions regulations, the new 2008 version cannot arrive soon enough to sate the desires of affluent image-makers in Boston, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
What’s under the hood Under the 2008 Audi TT’s hood, your choice of two engines is offered. The standard powerplant is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 200 horsepower, a six-speed manual transmission, and an acceleration time to 60 mph of 6.4 seconds. If that’s not fast enough, try the 3.2-liter V6 good for 250 ponies and a 0-60 time of 5.7 seconds. The 2008 Audi TT 3.2 comes with Quattro all-wheel-drive, while four-banger TT 2.0 turbos are front-drive only. Audi’s Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) sequential manual transmission is an option for those who cannot operate a clutch pedal. Other upgrades for the 2008 Audi TT include an all-new “self-steering” suspension with optional magnetic ride dampers, adaptive front headlights that swivel to illuminate around curves and wheels that range in size from 16 inches to 19 inches.
What’s inside Inside the 2008 Audi TT, the circular metallic elements that made the first TT a breakthrough in interior style are retained, though the cabin is all new. The front seats feature significant bolsters, and are offered in three different shades of leather upholstery. Most buyers will fold the small rear seats and use the 2008 Audi TT as a two-seat sports car with a giant 24.7 cubic foot trunk under an easy-access hatchback. If you need to use the rear jump seats, cargo volume is cut to 10.2 cu.-ft. A flat-bottomed steering wheel, automatic climate control, park assist, Bluetooth wireless communications, and a new range of audio systems are available.
What we think The Audi TT has always inspired controversy over its upside-down bathtub design, and when style inspires love-it-or-hate-it response from the general public, that’s usually a good thing, the kind of thing that leads a company to refer to its own product as a “global design icon.” We like the way Audi’s current design vocabulary translates to the 2008 TT, especially in front, where the sharp-edged headlamps and single-frame grille combine with sharper hood and fender creases to create a more aggressive visage. Better yet, at a glance this new car is recognizable as a TT. And if it drives anything like other Audi and Volkswagen models equipped with this turbo four and sweet V6 and the DSG gearbox, well, maybe it shouldn’t be called a sports coupe anymore. The 2008 Audi TT might actually qualify as a sports car – even if it does have a couple of rear seats.
Photos by Ron Perry and courtesy of Audi
