Serious handling
My German highway virginity was quickly lost as my partner and I left the Munich airport headed for Ingolstadt, in a... TT RS. This is the craziest out-of-the-box TT ever. Featuring a 340-hp, turbocharged 2.5L 5-cylinder and a 7-speed variant of Audi's S tronic gearbox, I was rapidly reminded of how capable this car's chassis really is. Taut, tight and responsive, barring some understeer, the car will do what you want it to. And that's regardless of the trim or powerplant. And, for the second time, we've been told that it will be coming to Canada.
A 170-hp, 2.0 TDI TT (not coming to Canada) was also briefly evaluated by yours truly and although this is not the performance version of choice, the brakes, the steering and the handling are on par with all TTs. There is a wonderful sense of one-ness that develops between the driver and the car in very little time. It's not as tactile as in certain BMWs, but if you like to be involved in and with what you're driving, the TT can become seriously rewarding.
More with less
Audi is gearing up for the future. Mild hybrids, full hybrids and even EVs will all be realities in the Ingolstadt-based firm's plans for more sustainable means to get around. Engine downsizing, weight reduction, less heat and friction and easy-to-apply technologies such as regenerative braking and start/stop are making their way in the line-up as this is being read.
While the TT will never become an econobox, the deletion of the V6 and the availability of TDI engines actually make it a sensible sports-car choice. Or, if you like to be oogled as you drive by, getting a TT in the right shade of red or orange (in the case of a TTS) will allow you to pretend that your car is a gas-guzzling supercar with 600 hp.
My German highway virginity was quickly lost as my partner and I left the Munich airport headed for Ingolstadt, in a... TT RS. This is the craziest out-of-the-box TT ever. Featuring a 340-hp, turbocharged 2.5L 5-cylinder and a 7-speed variant of Audi's S tronic gearbox, I was rapidly reminded of how capable this car's chassis really is. Taut, tight and responsive, barring some understeer, the car will do what you want it to. And that's regardless of the trim or powerplant. And, for the second time, we've been told that it will be coming to Canada.
 |
| The Audi TT RS features a 340-hp, turbocharged 2.5L 5-cylinder and a 7-speed variant of Audi's S tronic gearbox. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre/Auto123.com) |
A 170-hp, 2.0 TDI TT (not coming to Canada) was also briefly evaluated by yours truly and although this is not the performance version of choice, the brakes, the steering and the handling are on par with all TTs. There is a wonderful sense of one-ness that develops between the driver and the car in very little time. It's not as tactile as in certain BMWs, but if you like to be involved in and with what you're driving, the TT can become seriously rewarding.
More with less
Audi is gearing up for the future. Mild hybrids, full hybrids and even EVs will all be realities in the Ingolstadt-based firm's plans for more sustainable means to get around. Engine downsizing, weight reduction, less heat and friction and easy-to-apply technologies such as regenerative braking and start/stop are making their way in the line-up as this is being read.
While the TT will never become an econobox, the deletion of the V6 and the availability of TDI engines actually make it a sensible sports-car choice. Or, if you like to be oogled as you drive by, getting a TT in the right shade of red or orange (in the case of a TTS) will allow you to pretend that your car is a gas-guzzling supercar with 600 hp.
 |
| If you like to be involved in and with what you're driving, the TT can become seriously rewarding. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre/Auto123.com) |
Article Gallery