Even on slick, rain soaked streets the TT never broke free or struggled to
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| The 225 horses provided by the engine galloped the TT to 100 km/h in a scant 6.4 seconds. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
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 100 km/h in a scant 6.4 seconds (according to Audi) and ate up whatever twists and turns confronted it. It's 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 TT's 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
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| The calibrations Audi has chosen for the TT's suspension components favor sharp handling over a smooth ride, but not by much. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
multi-link design, incorporating coil springs, gas-charged shocks and a complementary anti-roll bar. Within reason, the calibrations Audi has chosen for the TT's suspension components favor sharp handling over a smooth ride, but not by much. The exceptional solidity of the car's 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.
