Bauhaus Beauty back in town

Audi’s restyled TT comes back with more than just good looks

Four rings, more curves than a Greek goddess and mandatory pop-up rear spoiler, these three elements are the defining design characteristic of the original TT and thankfully Audi has kept the simplified lines and form that made this car an icon even before it was born.

This is one of the most recognisable shape in the automotive world, the rounded tail of the TT made the car iconic but it also gave it a world of aerodynamic problems and this is why all Audi TT comes with a rear spoiler and in the case of the new model, it is retractable to maintain the purity of line when parked to be admired.

I am glad that Audi kept the original spirit of the design and changed just enough to make it more coherent and modern because the TT is simply one of the most fantastic shape to ever come out of any car factory at any price.

The car is so heavily stylised that it can handle photography that has endured the extremes of photoshop tweaking, as you see here without losing an ounce of it’s good looks unlike more sedate and conventional designs.

As you can see from this shot, the TT has retained most of the character of the original, the shape is simple and the lines severe and rigid but the designers gave it enough softness through the details like the headlamps and curves of the tail lamps and the gentler curve of the roof but reinforced the rigidness of the lines through the angular side mirrors, the parallel lines on the grille and of, course the heavily accentuated wheel arches.

The gentle play with surface on the flank also works very well to relieve the eyes from the constant radius curves and straight lines. The gently curving feature crease at the bottom of the door is another brilliant touch to the car, it gives the heavy-set TT a sense of movement and speed.

From this angle, the TT is particularly fetching in my eyes. Well. I better stop going on and on about the design and start talking about the driving experience.

Typical of Audi, the cabin is a tour de force of manufacturing precision and design understatement and the all-black finish makes it very masculine and unlikely to appeal to everyone. A lighter interior with strong colours such as cognac or deep blue would probably lift the cabin and make it more friendly looking.

The flat-bottomed steering wheel may look like a design gimmick but in real life it works very well and helps a lot when larger drivers need to get in and out. The flat bottom prevents the thigh from getting stuck as drivers shift their leg in and out. Like all low sportscars, you get in by sitting bum first and then sliding in your legs.

Once settled in, you can see that the speedometer promises a top speed of 280 clicks per hour but don’t get too excited, that’s meant for the range topping 3.2-litre  with VR6 engine and DSG gearbox, this one comes with the two-litre four-pot and DSG combo that you would find under the bonnet of the Golf GTI. Well they may not be exactly alike but very similar.

This car has a top speed of nearly 240km/h  but getting it up to that speed would require a lot of open road but the good thing is that the car will cruise at double-ton all day long. Natural galloping speed is around 180km/h and by that I mean the speed at which both car and driver feel totally relaxed and comfortable.

When it comes to handling prowess, most people expect the TT to be handicapped by the front-wheel drive format but it is not as bad as you may think, in fact I would say that the steering is accurate and quick while the chassis is willing to change direction despite the front-heavy engineering.

Like all FWD cars, the TT understeers quite early on so if you want to hustle the car into corners, brake a bit late adn a little harder than usual and keep your feet on the brakes when you turn in to unsettle the tail a bit. Then firmly tug the steering wheel to throw the car off balance and lift off the brakes and start feeding power in quite early.

This way, the nose tail sticks out a bit and the car enters corners without too much steering lock and this reduces torque steer and allows the driver to put power down cleanly and early so that the front can pull the car into corners.

If you are sloppy with braking and enter a corner too fast, then all you get is front tyre scrub signaling horrible understeer. The only thing to do when this happen is to tap on the brakes to tuck the nose in and wait for the car to settle down before powering out, by that time you may have missed the apex and be half way out of a corner before you can whip the horses. Uuugh!!

So, yes, the handling is not pure sportscar but that of a very well tuned hot hatch and that will not disappoint owners because the majority of buyers are not looking to whip the TT into a frenzy on twisty roads or track days. They are more interested in looking ultra cool and have a bit of handling reserve for some weekend fun.

Conclusion

The new TT is a fantastic looking car with very decent handling and you really can’t ask more for a coupe that has been designed to be a design icon. If you have 300K or so to spend on something cool and fun, you must take a look at the TT.

SPECIFICATIONS

 Audi TT Coupé 2.0 TFSI multitronic

Engine: 4-Cyl. Gasoline engine 2.0L/147 kw 16V turbo FSI
Transmission: Six-speed dual clutch
Wheels: Cast aluminium alloy wheels, 7 1/2 Jx 16, 10-spoke star design
Tyres: 255/55 R 16

Comfort and Performance equipment
Sport leather steering wheel
Multifunction sport steering wheel with GEAR SHIFT PADDLES
ALUMINIUM FACETTE FINISH GREY INLAY
Speed sensitive rear spoiler
Acoustic Parking system rear
ESP & ABS
4 Airbags with deactivation of front passengers airbag
Electronic vehicle immobilization
Exterior mirrors with memory function
Automatic air-condition with dual zone temperature control
Sports front seats
Electrical Lumbar support for passenger and driver
Audi Radio concert system