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Updated for 2008, the look is even more dramatic and daring- less tubby and vastly more meaningful and stirring. The tall front grille is flanked with bi-xenon headlights, while energetic lines adorn the wind-swept body which is outlined in a classic 2 2 silhouette.

The TT terminates in back with a set of 3-D taillights perched atop dual outlet exhaust. Its styling is truly memorable- sure to go down in the books. It doesn’t look even slightly like an overturned bathtub, anymore.

Audi’s small sports car ideal for technophiles and track-day enthusiasts alike.
If you want to check out a fantastic pair of TT’s, you needn’t look much farther then your local Audi dealership. The hot new models are in, with slim, sexy styling, muscular lines and scandalous figures. I hear that one of them will even go topless on demand, for a bit of extra money. That’s the TT Roadster, by the way.

The high tech “S-Tronic” transmission lets you make the tachometer needle dance to your hearts content. The shifter can be left in drive, in a sport mode, or parked off to the right allowing for steering-wheel mounted paddles to send gear-change commands down into the computer. Swapping of gears takes place in milliseconds, blipping included. There’s even a computer guided launch control function to extract the best possible off-the-line acceleration while keeping the transmission shop’s phone number out of your speed-dial.

S-tronic is a treat, and enables an F-1 soundtrack and a real euphoric rush. But the transmission can sometimes become clumsy in slow traffic: occasionally displaying a confused state of mind, holding a gear too long, selecting the wrong one for the situation, or lurching abruptly for no apparent reason.

These occasional clutzy decisions and the resulting harshness are unbecoming of a car wearing a $70,000 price tag.

The suspension has an adaptive sport setting that can be selected to intelligently firm up the struts and actively tighten the Audi TT’s death-grip on the road. A speed-deployable rear spoiler helps in this department too, and always gets noticed by the occupants of the vehicle behind you.

The overall effect is an unimpeded connection with the road- the steering offering plenty of feel, tightness and excitement, though perhaps not as razor-sharp as something like an S2000. The ride is tight, bouncy and often a bit jarring, but there’s a softness dialed in around the edges which makes it more than tolerable.

The brakes are crushing- both precise and linear, they stop the 2008 Audi TT from high speeds with plenty of ease and minimal dive, reacting to even the slightest change in pressure. It’s a rewarding car to drive quickly, and makes a confident partner for some late night spins through back roads with adaptive xenon headlights that look where you steer.

As far as a sports car goes, it’s not as cramped as you might think, if at all. There’s a fair drop down into the seats, but unlike some of its competitors, getting out doesn’t make you feel like your being born again.

Head, shoulder and hip room are plentiful, and reasonable visibility exists except while reversing. The rear seats are each sized perfectly for a bag of groceries or your favorite briefcase. A bit more storage would have been welcomed, and there are drawers fitted underneath each seat to help- as long as you buy the $1,500 interior upgrade package.

The hatch and rear seats will accept two coolers, two sleeping bags, a tent, a pair of pack-sacks and other assorted gear for a weekend of camping without much fuss- making it a usable weekend getaway coupe.

3.2 litres of German V6 serve up 250 horsepower that don’t have much metal to move. Off the line or passing, power is rewarding, if not nearly excessive, and every dip of the throttle results in an instant increase in velocity.

Sound effects are mellow and raspy, with a wail coming in at higher revs and a distinctive tinny buzz at mid-rev, heavy throttle situations. It’s not Audi’s quietest engine though, and although it is a sports car, some may find it noisy and harsh when pushed to its limit.

Mileage on the highway holds around 8.5L/100km with spirited city driving around 13L/100km.

You needn’t necessarily have your TT with the 3.2 litre V6 engine or the S-Tronic box. You don’t have to have it with Quattro either, or even a roof for that matter. It’s this level of choice is a key success factor in sports cars that stand the test of time. Additionally, the fully loaded TT 3.2 costs as much as the opening bid for the base-model Porsche Cayman.

Audi TT