2005 Audi TT Review

Specifications

Performance to the Fourth Power

The Audi TT coupe I tested this week performed to the 4th power - four turbo-charged pistons driving four pavement-etching tires via four driving wheels. A few other noteworthy numbers include “5,” in reference to the number of valves per-cylinder and “6″ in relation to the number of cogs spinning in the manual gearbox. Rounding-out the equation is 225 horsepower and 207 foot-pounds of torque. Factor in a lean curb weight of 3,223 pounds and the TT adds up to a coupe capable of delivering sole-stirring performance and exhilarating fun.

Built in the spirit of the worlds great sports cars, the TTs resemblance to the Auto Union racers of 1934 to 1939, or Porsches of the 1950s is no accident. Neither is its “TT” nameplate, which arises from a European motorsport-racing event, called the Tourist Trophy, dating back to 1905. The modern day TT was first unveiled in 1995 as a spectacular looking concept vehicle. Congratulations to Audi for carrying the project through. The tight-as-a-drum coupe was launched into production for the 2000 model year, with a roadster arriving in 2001. Owners may have difficulty accepting this fact, but the TT is built on the same architecture as the Volkswagen Golf, New Beetle and Jetta. But that shouldnt be considered a stigma, given the desirable road manners of VWs compact lineup. Besides, Volkswagen AG owns Audi, so not re-inventing the architecture makes prudent business sense, and for that matter the only reason a car as cool as the TT exists at all.

Its hard not to feel like a “rebel without a cause” when driving the TT, due
to its 50s sports car styling. I admire Audi for retaining the styling boldness projected by the original concept, as the production cars overall low profile, overhanging roof and narrow side windows reach back to yesteryear, adding an element of retro-styling that everyone, young and old, can identify with. The TTs long flat hood and large, flared wheel openings accentuate the retro-design features. Dominating the side profile and tail treatment of the athletic little Audi is a broad shoulder-line running the length of the vehicle, culminating in a short rear deck and beautifully rounded backside. Although the daring, sassy styling of the TT is visually stimulating and artistically exciting, it imposes a few ergonomic challenges, beginning with a long drop to a seat cushion. Once a butt does contact leather, a purposeful drooping of the head is necessary to pull it under the extremely low roofline without creating a cranial collision of sorts. And throughout this body-wrenching ordeal, dont expect to support yourself on a center console armrest, there isnt one. Once the body has safely landed, reaching back for the distant seatbelt requires further contorting of the human frame, but alas, once buckled-in the TT goes to great lengths to reward the effort. Post reward, the entire body warping ingress process is reversed for egress - its kind of like uncoiling a spring.

The TT cockpit is very accommodating, even to those with large frames. Headroom is surprisingly generous, provided the head in question occupies a front seat. Legroom up front is exceptional, to the point of outstretching my beanpoles - which are lengthy, or so Ive been told - and shoulder room is sufficient to allow decent separation between driver and passenger biceps. These space allotments apply only to the two front seats. Unfortunately the two rear seats are torturous to all human forms tall enough to shop in the adult section. With little regard for my own safety or physical well-being, I twisted and turned like Houdini performing a death-defying stunt and managed to plunk my lithe form into a rear seat. Once there, the back of my head was mashed against the rear window, which created a 90-degree kink in my neck, and my knees were rubbing my ears. Based on my death-defying stunt, I can boldly avow that the rear seats are best suited to small children, or passengers with femurs of rubber and no heads. It is unrealistic to consider the TT as anything close to a 4-passenger coupe. Fortunately, when not occupied by miniature humans or a pair of Chihuahuas, the rear seats can be folded flat, creating a cavernous stowage area in relation to the TTs overall diminutive size. Accessing the cargo real estate is as easy as popping open the coupes amply sized hatchback.

As with all models in Audis line-up, the TTs interior is flawlessly assembled using the best of materials and parts. Except for its rugged, industrial looking metal trim pieces, the entire cabin of my test vehicle was finished in a black theme, which I must say looked better than it sounds in print. The heated, leather upholstered front seats of the TT provide exceptional support, especially under the thighs, which is often lacking in low-slung sports cars. Side bolstering, while not adjustable, wraps around the ribcage as if in a body cast.

Located beneath a half-moon canopy in the dashboard is a four-part gauge cluster consisting of a large circular speedometer, twinned by a neighboring tachometer. Atop the two primary gauges sit two small dials dealing respectively with fuel and engine temperature readouts. The entire gauge package is completely visible through the upper-half of Audis ergonomically perfect, leather wrapped steering wheel.

In addition to engineering one of the best driving positions Ive sampled in a sports car, Audi has installed a sturdy, triple-E size dead pedal, left of the three functioning ones. This wide, flat footrest is fabricated from stainless steel, with a series of soul-stopping rubber pad grips applied. When braced against this expanse of steel and rubber, the left foot is going nowhere, and neither is the body attached - which is a good thing considering the TTs wild handling thresholds and strong acceleration.

Thrusting my athletic, little performer from one bend to the next was Audis potent 225-horsepower intercooled, turbocharged 1.8-liter inline 4-cylinder. Producing 207 pounds-feet of torque, this all-muscle mill is connected to the TTs four corners by Audis polished, quattro drive technology. Audi also offers an optional, naturally aspirated 250-horsepower V6 engine with the quattro setup joined to a sequential-manual paddle-shift actuated transmission. I should also mention the base engine is a 1.8-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, which kicks out 180-horsepower via the front wheels.

The dynamic little mill propelling my tester held the heart of a lion and expressed a lions roar. Acceleration from a standing stop, or from any speed for that matter, was brisk to say the least. Even in the rpm-basement the four-banger pulled with decent bravado; but once the tachometer shot past the 3,000 mark power came on with a vengeance and refused to back off anywhere under the 6,600 rpm redline. Its in the mid- to high-rev range that the full meaning behind the TTs turbocharger and 5-valves per-cylinder becomes evident. This technology allows an engine to breathe with far less restriction than a non-turbocharged conventional setup.

Very little turbo lag accompanied an immediate demand for power. Apart from a muted whistle, which was overshadowed by the TTs aggressive exhaust note, the turbos operation is seamless and mostly undetectable. And I say mostly, because there is no difficulty in detecting the considerable oomph it brings to the TTs I-4. Putting that oomph to the roadway is a 6-speed manual gearbox connected to Audis quattro all-wheel drive system. Although Audi now offers a clutchless 6-speed manual transmission, termed a Direct Shift Gearbox, or DSG, I prefer the real thing when it comes to mixing cogs, especially when the mix-master works as well as Audis. The stick I palmed over and over in the TT moved with great definition, clicking solidly into one gear after another, until all six had been granted a spin or two. The throws were on the short side, but not as short as other 6-speed sticks I have danced with, such as that in Chryslers flaming Crossfire. What the Crossfire doesnt have over the TT, though, is traction at all four compass points.

Even on slick, rain soaked streets the TT never broke free or struggled to keep its grip. Launching the car mid-bend on pavement looking more like a fast flowing river than a roadway, was as secure as launching most cars in a straight line on desert-dry tarmac. As the revs climbed high and the clutch locked up the TT hunkered down and burst forward with remarkable thrust. Apart from a nanosecond of front wheel spin, the connection between rubber and pavement was never compromised as the 225 horses galloped the TT to 60 mph in a scant 6.3 seconds (according to Audi) and ate up whatever twists and turns confronted it. Its this ability to feverishly devour serpentine roads, regardless of weather, that makes the TT such a standout in the sports car segment, not to mention its ability to do so without pulverizing spinal discs.

Balancing the TTs ride quality with sensational handling is a fully independent suspension setup that utilizes MacPherson struts, coil springs, gas-charged shocks and an anti-roll bar up front. Keeping the rear in form is a multi-link design, incorporating coil springs, gas-charged shocks and a complementary anti-roll bar. Within reason, the calibrations Audi has chosen for the TTs suspension components favor sharp handling over a smooth ride, but not by much. The exceptional solidity of the cars tough little body structure provides an excellent base from which the suspension performs the double duty of absorbing road harshness while facilitating class-leading handling. Most road disturbances get absorbed without distress, however, major aberrations can jolt the passenger compartment excessively. In spite of various levels of road disintegration, I found the TT tracked incredibly well. On tram inducing, rutted surfaces the TT rolls arrow straight without being drawn from side to side, as can be the case in performance cars fitted with wide tires and firm suspensions.

Thanks partly to its quattro drivetrain, the TT also tracks accurately and predictably when cornering. Following a chosen line through a high-speed curve is as easy as holding the steering wheel firm and staying gently on the throttle. The TT gives the sense that it is digging into the pavement, keeping everything on-course - even with the Pirelli 17-inch, 4-season tires affixed to my tester. Pushed hard in a turn, and I mean hard, the Audi coupe will engage slight understeer, which given its wonderfully balanced chassis, is confidence inspiring. This is a vehicle that doesnt know the meaning of twitchiness or unpredictability. Enthusiastic cornering generates only slight body roll, although more than I experienced in BMWs Z4 with its Dynamic Ride Control technology. Rapid transitions side-to-side failed to upset the TT. Such maneuvers occur quickly, with agility being the operative word. The nailed-down coupe responds instantly to steering input, with very little body sway accompanying aggressive lane changes. Should the level of aggression out-gun the drivers level of expertise, electronic governance in the form of Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) will take over and do all thats physically possible to regain control of a wayward TT.

In addition to ESP, the TT is kept out of harms way via antilock, 4-wheel disc brakes featuring electronic rear brake-pressure regulation. These binders felt typically German in their functionality. Light pedal pressure is all that was required to rapidly immobilize the car, regardless of how much speed it was carrying when the brake-squeeze hit. Stops were always easily controlled, even on the aforementioned wet surfaces, where the 4-season capability of the TTs tires proved beneficial. The TTs antilock apparatus only entered the arena when directed to do so by additional pedal pressure, allowing the driver greater administration in emergency braking.

Although the TT is a fairly small, lightweight fighter, Audi didnt go light on additional safety equipment to protect those experiencing the coupes energetic personality. Driver and front passenger next-generation frontal airbags are standard issue, as are driver and front-passenger seat-mounted chest and head side-airbags.

When it comes to loading the TT with options, there isnt much to choose from because most of what anyone could want is already there, such as self leveling xenon headlights, fog lights, Nappa leather seating, climate control, power windows, cruise control, remote locking and a driver information display. But nonetheless, larger 18-inch alloy wheels are available along with a premium 6-disc audio system, HomeLink, an Alcantara-covered steering wheel and a small-screen navigation system. In keeping with the TTs stretch and twist ergonomics, Audi has placed the 6-disc CD stacker in a slot situated in the sidewall on the drivers side next to the rear seat. Now Im certain little space exists elsewhere, but this is a particularly nasty locale, which can only be accessed when standing outside the car, leaning into the drivers door and twisting to the right. A chiropractor on retainer may not be a bad idea, but better would be to integrate the multi-disc changer directly into the audio head unit, like most every other manufacturer (outside of Germany) manages to accomplish no matter the size of vehicle in question.

By any sports car standards, the Audi TT coupe is a passionate ride. Rather than allowing a driver to merely occupy its cockpit and toil with its controls, the TT absorbs the driver, merging his or her soul with that of its own when the switchblade key is twisted. Although this peppery performer is capable of revitalizing the human spirit, it presents the quirky ergonomic bottlenecks lamented-on earlier; however pain stimuli is a very effective learning tool. After a day or two of head “thumps” I modified my ingress and egress methods, eliminating the cranial versus roof-edge conflict. I also practiced and successfully refined my travel-mug-placement technique, getting it into the awkwardly placed cupholder without diverting my attention from the road ahead.

Whether in coupe or roadster form, performing to the fourth power is what the TT is all about; four turbocharged cylinders igniting life into four alloy wheels ringed in four swatches of low profile sticky rubber, all four receiving power via quattro all-wheel drive. The 2005 Audi TT quattro coupe makes performing to the 4th power utterly gratifying.