Cars.com takes a look at the 2008 Audi TT at the Road America Race Track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Transcript
Since Audi introduced the TT Sport Coupe late in 1999, not much has changed, until now in the completely redesigned, re-engineered model. It's grown more than five inches in length and has a sleeker, less bulbous profile and improved aerodynamics.
The headlights recall the new Audi R8 sports car. Around back, Audi has created tail light clusters that are complex and three-dimensional without the usual silver backing. The first generation TT had a rear lip spoiler that was added in its first year after high speed stability problems in Europe prompted a recall. The new generation has a powered spoiler that raises automatically at high speeds or at the touch of a button. The result is the uninterrupted line the car's designers originally intended. The interior is larger in terms of volume, though, the front seats dimensions are practically the same. A full nine inches has been added to the back seat, which should help long-legged passengers, but the headroom remains a ridiculous 32.6 inches. The leg room also knocked down the cargo space behind the backseat by three and a half cubic feet. The car we tested had the larger 250 horsepower engine, a 3.2 liter V6 that carries over from the previous generation. The power and torque are just right in this car, especially with the standard six speed manual transmission. Audi also offers the dual-clutch sequential automatic S-Tronic. The biggest improvement is in the car's handling. The previous generation had chronic understeer, always a bit too willing to push wide in turns. The weight distribution is pretty much the same as 60% in front, but the quattro all-wheel drive now can send more power to the rear wheels than the front. It's not the perfect arrangement, but you can balance things out in corners like you never could before. Perhaps the biggest shortcoming in the new model is rear end squat that's about as profound as we've experienced in a long time. Both off the line and when upshifting under hard acceleration, the TT's hindquarters squat down like a scooting dog. The new multi-link rear suspension and optional adaptive damping are theoretical improvements, but something here is a miss. I'm Joe Wiesenfelder from cars.com. For any more information on this car or any other, go to cars.com and our blog, KickingTires.
