ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $52,825
AS TESTED PRICE: $58,500
DRIVETRAIN: 2.0-liter turbocharged DOHC I4, AWD six-speed automatic
OUTPUT: 292 hp @ 5,400-6,200 rpm, 280 lb-ft @ 1,900-5,300 rpm
CURB WEIGHT: 3,230 lb
FUEL ECONOMY: 23/27/25 mpg
(EPA City/Hwy/Combined)
PROS: Clean design inside and out, plenty of power and seamlessly integrated technology
CONS: For the money, that BMW M2 is going to be awfully tempting
Audi's high-tech answer for the sport coupe enthusiast
It’s safe to say I would have liked this car better had I not just driven the $4K cheaper BMW M2. That car was awesome. I rate this one down a notch to quite good.
It rides on the VW Group’s MQB platform and uses the corporate 2.0-liter turbo four. Both are excellent, as I’ve said a thousand times. The six-speed dual-clutch is the only trans available, according to Audi’s site. For the first time, the quattro’s behavior is tied to the drive select system, adjusting torque distribution according to mode and steering angle.
PHOTO BY AUDI
The interior is simplicity itself. Instead of the display screen popping from the dash like many others, the TTs’ is in front of you where gauges usually are, handling the usual functions -- showing speed, rpm, time, etc. Climate control and seat heater controls are in the circular air vents. It all makes for a clean, uncluttered interior.
The four sounds nice and throaty when you lay into the gas, and oomph is plentiful. I dug the dual-clutch. It felt quick and timed its shifts well. With quattro, there’s grip aplenty, and the ride is decent in comfort mode. I say decent because over the rougher stuff ,the ride is on the harsh side and the suspension gets a bit clunky sounding, especially from the rear. I blame the low-profile tires for at least part of the ride’s foibles.
PHOTO BY AUDI
PHOTO BY AUDI
The M2’s engine is smoother and more powerful -- you can get it with a manual transmission, it doesn’t ride as rough as the TTs, and as I said, it costs thousands less. A no-brainer.
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