Audi TT: The Queen's New Dress

When you look at the press photos of the new Audi TT, it doesn't grab you at first: the familiar features of the entire modern lineup, sleek surfaces, and the feeling that designers simply styled the car to match the general look. You expect some breakthrough, but you see yet another unification. But when I saw the car in person and spent two sleepless days with it, I had to admit I was wrong. Before me is one of the most attractive cars of recent years. If the TT used to be associated with feminine curves, now it's a truly masculine image. The new model has genuinely supercar-like proportions, unlike its predecessor. It's no surprise that at a gas station, a BMW 5 Series driver pestered me with questions: "How many horses under the hood? Probably a hundred in four seconds, right?" No, the performance is more modest—5.7 seconds to 100 km/h. And it's not a racing machine, and the badge on the grille isn't Ferrari or Porsche. But how beauty transforms people! Thank you, Walter de Silva, for keeping the bar high and knowing how to so effectively defy expectations.

Naturally, the TT is not a supercar. Under the hood is the well-known 3.2-liter gasoline V6 producing the same 250 hp, the same engine was in the previous generation. This, by modern standards, modest herd of horses is sent to all wheels via the proprietary Quattro all-wheel drive, paired with a robotic sequential transmission that marketers dubbed S-tronic. In reality, it's the same DSG with two clutches working alternately. You can shift gears in three ways: via the classic selector, Formula-1-style paddle shifters, or by trusting the automatic S-tronic. I don't know how it is on the track, but in everyday use, all modes work perfectly. Sequential shifts happen instantly, and when skipping gears, the delay is no more than with a manual gearbox. So, the powertrain and gearbox are from the past; what's new here is only the body and interior. The car has become taller, wider, and longer, but at the same time lost a hundred kilograms—thanks to extensive use of aluminum. The hood, fenders, roof, parts of the suspension, and even the front longitudinal beams are made of this metal; the rest is steel. This not only reduced weight but also improved axle balance: the front is maximally lightened, while the rear is entirely steel. The center of gravity dropped by 9 mm compared to the first TT. The interior has shed its doll-like quality, gaining touches of luxury: a massive front panel with three central vents and a neat console with the MMI system. The front seats—comfortable buckets with pronounced lateral support—are ideal, and a person of average build will easily fit behind the wheel. The steering wheel has shrunk and lost its lower segment, becoming flat-bottomed—another sporty touch. Is it comfortable? Not necessarily. It's believed that with proper seating, hands don't touch the lower quarter of the rim, but not all drivers are perfect enough to match the ideal TT. However, the "wheel" looks very stylish, well-chosen in thickness and diameter, though it stands out from the soft, rounded interior. In the back, as before, it's a bit cramped, but the trunk has grown, and there's even a net for securing items. Everything else is familiar, sometimes painfully so, like the audio system, where "Bose" is just a name. Among the audio settings, there's a mysterious "Gala" mode that doesn't improve the sound at all. Fortunately, the V-six has always had a good voice—so we listen to it. Sound insulation is also top-notch—even at high speeds, there's almost no aerodynamic noise. By the way, once you reach 120 km/h, a spoiler emerges from under the rear window, increasing downforce. You can also raise it manually—via a button on the center tunnel. Not enough ruby rear lights and two exhaust tips on the bumper edges? Here's another gimmick.

In city traffic, the new TT is a comfortable and cozy car with a moderately sharp steering and light handling. The feeling that you're actually driving, not stuck in a jam, only appears past 140 km/h. And the real fun begins after 180 km/h. Up to that mark, the speedometer needle flies in a matter of seconds. In principle, 250 "horses" on 1410 kg isn't that much, so the TT doesn't feel insanely fast. Smooth acceleration and the S-Tronic's desire to quickly engage sixth gear hint at a "touring" nature rather than sport. However, there's plenty of speed and drive here. On a straight, the TT is a bullet, and in corners—almost a kart. The stability control intervenes with a noticeable delay, designed for an active driver, and the "gearbox" does everything faster and calmer than a human. In manual mode, fourth gear reliably pulls to the desired 200 km/h, and the remaining two gears bring it to the top speed of 250 on the speedometer. But you'll likely feel uncomfortable: the body and suspension stiffness have increased compared to the predecessor, so on longitudinal waves or ruts, the car literally bounces, and in a corner, it tends to shift outward from the intended line. The suspension is clearly tuned for "autobahn-quality" asphalt, which we, unfortunately, have little of. Nevertheless, despite this, the TT remains very obedient and predictable. I've never experienced such G-forces as in this beauty: the sport seats mercilessly torment a weak body, reminding of the harsh superiority of German technology. And on transverse waves, the roof sadistically hits your head. The feeling is like a roller coaster. So be it, let the spine creak and the crown of the head be rubbed against the ceiling—it's worth the liters of adrenaline that the drive of the second-generation Audi TT pumps into your blood.

In the options list, there are Magnetic Ride dampers that stiffen the suspension in corners, adding stability and completely eliminating body roll. The technology, where magnetic particles are added to the damper fluid and controlled by a field, was invented by American Delphi many years ago. Until now, it was used on overseas SUVs, and the Germans decided to adapt it for a European sports coupe. However, despite the abundance of "high-tech" in all forms—bimetallic body, xenon, tire pressure sensors, which first appeared on the TT—Audi doesn't create the feeling of an "electronic sandwich."

Even the price of this beauty doesn't scare you—from $57,000 for a front-wheel-drive TT with a 200-hp turbo engine. The coupe with proprietary all-wheel drive and the 3.2 V6 engine (250 hp) costs from $70,000; add another $2,300 for the clever "gearbox," and you get a quite impressive sum comparable to the price of an Audi Q7 with a diesel engine of similar power, or $10,000 more than the 250-hp A3 3.2 V6 hatchback. But everything is known in comparison—Ferrari and Porsche, with which the TT is compared in looks, cost several times more.

Leonid Pavlov