by  TCC Team

(2008-02-20)

MORE PHOTOS: 2008 Audi TT Roadster

Would you trade some of your good looks for a better forehand, a better jump shot, or a better spiral? That's what Audi's done with the new version of the TT Roadster.

When Audi introduced its TT Coupe and Roadster in 2000, both bore the distinct hallmarks of Art Deco-inspired styling. It didn't matter to many that the underpinnings of the new sportscar were more humdrum Volkswagen parts-bin pieces--the TT's fabulous style telegraphed a modern twist on a past era, while delivering sportscar levels of performance and the grip of Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Fast-forward to the 2008 model year, and the TT's returned. Only the Deco style's been detuned for something a little more mainstream. And the TT itself has been dialed up a couple of notches. Instead of being a parts-bin Frankencar, the new TT's made on its own chassis, which is made from lightweight aluminum. It's distinctly harder-edged, from its flat-bottom steering wheel to its close-coupled gearshift and powerful direct-injection engines.

It's far less secretary-special, far more boy racer than ever before. But is that for the better, or for worse?

STYLING

It's impossible not to notice how good-looking Audi's new sportscar is, even if its themes are more generically modern than in its first edition. No more Bauhaus bones or Deco details--today's TT is sleeker and crisper.

On the outside, the '08 TT is substantially longer and wider than before. The wheelbase has been extended by about two inches, giving it a bit more usable interior room, which we'll discuss in a bit. But the overall shape's still the familiar inverted bathtub with "chopped" roofline that defined the original, albeit with slightly more masculine (and even Porsche-like) cuts to it.

It's certainly attractive. But to me, the profile doesn't have the "wow, check that out!" quotient of the first-year TT. Too many other cars are too similar. For example, Nissan's 350Z can easily be mistaken for a new TT.  

The distinction blurs in the cockpit as well. In the past, the TT wore aluminum trim on the dash, on the shifter, and on the air vents like jewelry. There even was an optional seat-trim package that stitched the TT's buckets like baseball gloves. This time, the cabin is far more purposeful, the dash more compact, and the details better integrated. The aluminum trim's there, but it's more subdued--and the center console's main feature now isn't a metal panel to hide the radio, it's a big screen for the Audi multimedia interface and navigation system, when so ordered. It's less playful, a bit more somber, and definitely more for sport than for show.

PERFORMANCE/FUEL ECONOMY

Though there's a choice of a $35,575 front-drive TT roadster with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic, or the $45,275 V-6 TT roadster with all-wheel drive and a six-speed manual (the automatic's an option), we drove the turbo four roadster that's closer in spirit and in pricing to the first TT we drove eight years ago.

The 2.0-liter turbocharged four delivers 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. It's a muscular four-cylinder with one of the most linear power deliveries of any turbo powerplant we know. A little whistle while it works is the only clue that there's no massive, big-displacement engine lurking under the TT's shapely hood. It's 20 horsepower more powerful than the 1.8-liter turbo four in the old TT, and it gets better fuel economy, too, at 22/29 mpg. Audi says with the 200-horsepower four you can shoot to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds.

(A new TTS version, by the way, comes this November and boosts the four's power to 272 hp.)
 
If you just have to have the expensive TT Roadster, the 3.2-liter six-cylinder has 250 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque and has a six-speed manual transmission standard. Its growl is considerably throatier than the turbo four, and it does deliver some additional power, along with a hefty increase in price--but not that much more speed. Its 0-60 mph run takes about 5.7 seconds, Audi estimates.

A note about the transmission: conventional manual gearboxes might give the ultimate control over shifting, but VW/Audi's dual-clutch automatic is one of our favorite substitutes. By effectively mating two automatics in one transmission housing, the TT's "S-tronic" automatic can prepare downshifts and upshifts on one clutch while the other is releasing, giving it smooth and swift gearchanges with little driveline lash. It's such a good idea, it's being copied around the automotive world--by BMW in the new M3, by Dodge in Euro versions of the new Journey, and no doubt many more to come.

RIDE/HANDLING

Like most any modern sports car, the TT has very high levels of lateral grip and is capable of taking corners at high speeds before either the tires or the chassis even begin to approach their thresholds of comfort. The electric-assist steering's pretty good, too--neither over-boosted nor anesthetic. It's not as sharp as what you'd find in a BMW or  even a new Lexus GS, but it's certainly a step up from the previous TT.

On V-6 versions of the Roadster, Audi offers a magnetically damped suspension that constantly changes its reflexive behavior as the road surface changes. While we've driven cars outfitted with the system, we tend to prefer Audi's normal suspension settings on the four-cylinder model. Its basic MacPherson strut front suspension and four-link rear end have a basic goodness dialed into them that allows the electric power steering to respond somewhat naturally--and these systems don't always have good feel. The ride's fairly comfortable for a small, short-wheelbase roadster that sits close to the ground--but we wouldn't advise ordering the optional S-line package and its 19-inch wheels, unless you live near perfectly smooth roads.

Even on the standard 17-inch wheels, with the electric power steering, the TT enjoys being hustled through the chutes about as well as anything else in its price class. Braking feel and performance seems much improved on this generation. And the extra effort put into the TT's aluminum construction shows. The only updates Audi says needed to be done to the Coupe's structure in its transformation to a Roadster include an extra crossbrace underneath the rear, reinforced construction of the aluminum side sills, and steel tubes to beef up the A-pillars. Audi claims a torsional rigidity is 120 percent better than the last TT Roadster, and you can feel it through the car's taut responses and quiver-free body.

COMFORT/UTILITY/SAFETY

The TT is a larger car than before, and the extra space makes the two passengers happier passengers. It's grown considerably in length to 164.5 inches, a rise of 5.4 inches compared to its predecessor. Width and height have only increased 0.3 inches, to 72.5 and 53.5 inches, respectively, while the wheelbase now is up 0.2, to 97.2 inches.

The TT's seats are quite supportive, but even with the flat-bottomed steering wheel that's installed, leg room is a little tight inside the TT. And with the convertible top raised, taller drivers will certainly feel the world's a little tinier place, with the headliner coming within a hair's width of their heads.

It's a nice, taut convertible top, but on the four-cylinder model it's manually operated. Opt for the V-6, and you get a power-operated top that takes 12 seconds to raise or lower itself, and can be used up to 31 mph. Audi is the first in the segment to offer an electrically extendable mesh wind deflector. It's not only very convenient not to have to get out of the car to install it, but it doesn't use any luggage space, as it sits behind the seats when retracted.

With or without the roof folded into the luggage compartment, the capacity of the trunk is the same, 8.8 cubic feet, or large enough to swallow two hard suitcases or two golf bags plus a small weekend bag.

The Roadster's safety package is complete. Anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control are standard, as are dual front and side airbags. Those side airbags have extensions that give some head protection to the convertible's passengers as well. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet rated the TT Roadster for crash protection or rollovers.

QUALITY/FEATURES

Standard stuff on the new TT includes automatic climate control, a 140-watt audio system and cruise control. Options include Sirius satellite radio, a navigation system, and an iPod interface that plugs in the audio system to your essential playlists. Those big 19-inch wheels are available as a part of the S-line package, which adds other cosmetic trim.

Few cars equal the attention to detail you'll find in any Audi, especially inside. The cabin is fitted out with unusually high quality (or at least, quality-looking) materials that are installed with precision. Even the fonts used for the gauges seem to have been chosen with great care.

When cruising at 80 mph, the soft top isolates noises very well. When lowered and with the wind deflector raised it is surprisingly quiet in the cockpit. We also did not notice any vibrations and were especially impressed by the quality feel of the entire car, from its body structure to the tight graining of the plastics used on the dash.

VALUE/CONCLUSIONS

Audi's traded some of the TT's uniqueness in crafting a better car that's more responsive, more substantial and more roomy. But they've also made it a little less distinct, and that might have been what the TT's early success was all about--its pointed styling references and its iconic appeal.

There are some expressive cars in the same niche, like Nissan's 350Z Roadster, or BMW's Z4 roadster--not to mention a whole class of four-seat hardtop convertibles from the Volvo C70 to the BMW 335i, which range from the high $30,000 range on up. Each has its own flavor, especially the Nissan--which, from many angles, the new TT resembles.

Make no mistake: the new TT's a good-looking, great-performing roadster. It's enjoyable to drive, and hasn't got any major flaws or downsides, other than its fairly steep price. It's still glorious to look at, and a lot more engaging to drive, but it no longer makes the stunning statement that the original TT made for Audi at the start of the decade.

2008 Audi TT Roadster

Base price: $37,575

Engines: Turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, 200 hp/207 lb-ft

Transmissions: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic, front-wheel drive

Length x width x height: 164.5 x 72.5 x 53.5 in

Wheelbase: 97.2 in

Curb weight: 2659-3285 lb

Fuel economy: 22/29 mpg

Safety equipment: Dual front and side airbags; anti-lock brakes; traction and stability control

Major standard equipment: A/C, power windows/locks/mirrors, AM/FM/CD player

Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles