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The basics

Base price/as tested: $42,900/$48,020 Fuel economy: 19.7 miles per gallon in Globe testing/premium fuel Annual fuel cost: $2,164 (at $3.28 per gallon, premium, 13,000 miles per year)

The early line

Tighter, more fun than ever. The TT has earned its spot among great sports cars.

The specifics

Drivetrain: All-wheel drive Seating: 4 Horsepower: 250 Torque: 236 lb.-ft. Length: 164.5 inches Wheelbase: 97.2 inches Height: 53.2 inches Width: 72.5 inches Curb weight: 3,200 pounds

The skinny

Nice touch: Gone are the annoying — and painful — aluminum struts that went from dash to floor at center console. Annoyance: None Watch for: A diesel to crawl into the Audi lineup?

The 2008 Audi TT Coupe 3.2 S-tronic quattro has a long name, but it does properly describe today’s test car, an iconic, snout-to-the-ground sports model. The car uses all four wheels to grip the road, with powered transmitted from the subtle blast of direct injection into its six cylinders.

It’s hard to believe that the Audi TT has been around for nearly a decade. In Germany, where speed is need, some drivers discovered that the first versions tended to go airborne at 130 miles per hour and faster. But thanks to a wing that rises aft when needed, that problem has been fixed.

What we have today is a tight, somewhat Spartan, high-performance car that is ready to run against some Porsches, Nissan Zaniacs, Mustangs, Corvettes, and other pulsing performers. How do you pick one over the other? Wallet and wishes are the only parameters, but you can’t go wrong picking the all-wheel-drive quattro as long as you find its looks satisfying.

In its current form, the TT stands up to the best of what is available in the $40,000 to $60,000 market. (For a relative bargain, check out a Mustang at 300 horsepower and a price of about $30,000 or under).

There are cars that must be coaxed into and out of corners, cars that float and roll, and cars that carve like a scalpel. And then there are cars that are “worn” like a fine suit: the car grabs the driver, “talks” back, and lets him feel all that is happening. That is the 2008 Audi TT. From the start, it is a car that is comfortable to push, coax, and over extend — just for fun. But it can be done safely and in surprising comfort.

With its heavily bolstered leather seats, oval and chrome-rimmed air ducts on the dash, informative collection of gauges behind the wheel, and compact center pod controls for climate and sound, it feels like being in the cockpit of a small aircraft.

If our test car version is just too powerful for your needs, a 200-horsepower, front-wheel-drive turbocharged model with just four cylinders is also available. But the 3.2 quattro, with a V-6 engine, has the muscular feel that many drivers will desire.

With the liberal use of lightweight aluminum, Audi has been able to produce a performance car with real snap. And all-wheel drive — good for not only bad weather, but also wet, gravel, or sandy roads — is a major plus.

The test car came with options that included an “enhanced” leather seating package ($1,100), an upgraded sound system ($1,000), souped up wheels, spicier headlamps, and iPod and Bluetooth capabilities. Together, they drove the $43,000 base price to more than $48,000. But in this atmosphere, who haggles over price?

Significantly, standard safety features include the previously mentioned rising rear spoiler to prevent lift offs, antilock brakes, and electronic anti slip controls. There are also dual threshold front air bags as well as driver and passenger side bags and knee air bags. And don’t underestimate the significance of such electronic safety systems. Studies have shown they cut the risk of getting into an accident by more than 40 percent. If you are involved in an accident, safety systems mitigate the severity, reducing the chance of dying by nearly half.

The TT is a world-class warrior, looking, at least from its looming snout, like a racer off the Nurburgring, circa 1938. But its classic style is wrapped in modern engineering, making it a car to consider if you’re shopping for a sporty ride.

Royal Ford can be reached at ford@globe.com.

Shop it against:

FORD MUSTANG You could go for the 500 horsepower Shelby GT500 and pay the price. But I’d recommend the 300 horsepower V8, with classic lines and great leather interior at about $30,000.

MAZDA MX-5 MIATA Go for hard top drop top and enjoy a ride that harkens back to classic roadster, even with only 170 horsepower. A great car to drive, and priced at under $30,000.

MINI COOPER S A go- kart for everyday travel, it holds corners unlike any vehicle . Surprisingly large inside, despite its name. Who’d have thought that 175 turbocharged horsepower could be this much fun, at less than $30,000?

NISSAN 350 Z Like the Mini and the Miata, this car is a throwback. With 300-plus horsepower from its V6, along with some classic lines, the Nissan is a great buy at under $40,000.