Short Take Road Test
Well, the company did it. Audi managed to make the second-generation TT as stunning to look at as the last. Even after we saw the 2008 TT in pictures, far before we ever saw it in metal, we doubted that it was really good-looking—it had to be trick photography, right? A sequel can't be as good as the original, can it? Sure it can, and here's proof. Thankfully, the latest TT is more than a smokin' body—it's now an honest-to-Nuvolari sports car, too. (One of the first-gen car's greatest feats was remaining a favorite of enthusiasts—in spite of its less-than-stellar dynamics—almost solely on account of its staggeringly beautiful design. Yeah, we're that shallow.)
Grip, Balance, Go, and Stop
Turn the TT into a corner, and you'll discover three things: There are huge amounts of grip (0.93 g); the TT Quattro feels more balanced than the front-drive TT, even with a similar 59.4/40.6 front-to-rear weight distribution; and Audi still has trouble figuring out how to tune truly communicative steering. The 2008 TT's steering is pretty good, but because its speed-sensitive, variable-assist system is always just a step or two ahead with the boost, the feel through the supercool flat-bottom steering wheel is always a tad too light, and it's hard to discern what the front wheels are up to. The TT's brakes offer good response and stopped the TT from 70 mph in a mere 159 feet.
Our example was fitted with the $1400 optional two-mode magnetic shocks, similar to those found in the Chevy Corvette and Ferrari 599GTB Fiorano. Sport mode doesn't spoil the ride, and there's a noticeable uptick in body control when it's selected. We're kind of old-school and like a bit of body lean into corners, though, so we kept it mostly switched off with little penalty to handling.
The TT rides on the same platform as the Volkswagen Rabbit, Jetta, and GTI, as well as Audi's own A3 hatchback. Our test car was equipped with a 250-hp, 3.2-liter naturally aspirated V-6 and a smooth six-speed manual transmission, but the base engine is the VW Group's awesome 2.0-liter turbo four mated to a six-speed, dual-clutch automated manual (the dual-clutch box is an option for V-6 TTs, and a traditional six-speed manual will be available on 2.0Ts after launch). The V-6 is happy to rev right to its 6600-rpm redline, and with three-quarters of peak torque available from 1000 rpm, there's grunt for the taking all over the tach. It sounds fantastic, too—an ominous, meaty howl underlaid by a thousand sledgehammers striking home—so naturally, we took every opportunity to rip down through the gears just to hear it at full throat.
