Audi TT

The TT is Audi’s sporty two-door, four-passenger Coupe and Roadster, named for the Tourist Trophy, a European motorsports event that was first run in 1905. Both the TT Coupe and the TT Roadster are redesigned for the first time for 2008 and incorporate the third-generation Audi Space Frame (ASF) technology that combines aluminum and steel in the chassis to reduce weight and improve weight distribution. The TT Coupe concept was unveiled in 1995 and arrived in production form for 2000 with very few visual changes from the concept. The Roadster was added for 2001.

Audi skips the 2007 model year for its TT coupe to introduce its redesigned 2008 TT. The new model is larger and racier looking, but loses some of the intimate charm of the first-generation TT.
The first TT arrived as a 1999 model with the visual charm of the iconic 1950-65 Porsche 356. The new TT was styled by Walter de'Silva, who heads the Audi and Lamborghini styling departments. He clearly wanted to break away considerably from the old TT design, while retaining somewhat of a family resemblance to it.
The new TT is initially being sold as a front- or all-wheel-drive hatchback coupe. A roadster follows later this year. It's nearly identical to the coupe, but has some of the old TT's snub-nose look.
Audi's larger new grille, being put on all its models, looks oversized on the new TT coupe. It looks considerably different than its predecessor and appears sleeker and longer than its additional 5.4 inches of length might suggest. The new car also is 3.1 inches wider and a little higher. And there are wider tracks for more stabililty.

Desirable All-Wheel DriveStandard are 17-inch wheels, while 18-inchers are optional. The suspension layout has been redeveloped and retuned. The result is fairly sharp handling, although this nose-heavy car with the standard front-wheel-drive setup lacks the ultimate balance of a rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. You'll notice that if it's driven hard through curves. The all-wheel-drive setup evens out handling a lot by providing better traction.
Stopping power with newly developed disc brakes is nearly as good as that of a Porsche, which says a lot, and the brake pedal has a linear action.
Handling and economy are helped by the TT's Audi Space Frame, a groundbreaking aluminum technology that combined aluminum and steel for the first time. It actually was developed by Audi in the 1990s for its top-line A8 sedan, but has never really been appreciated by most Americans.

The first-generation TT was quick, with a tight cockpit, sports car handling and a rough ride. The 2008 coupe no longer looks chunky, with flared fenders and an arched roof.
Head BumpsHowever, that roof makes it impossible for adults to sit in the rear without bumping heads on the hatchback glass.
The wheelbase is a few inches longer, but still is short at 97.2 inches. That wheelbase and the sports suspension give the car a jumpy ride on some freeways and a rather bumpy one on mediocre city/suburban streets.
The beltline is high and occupants sit low. That means getting in or out of the front seat calls for agility. Entering or leaving the back seat is best left to toddlers or small pets. Long doors are awkward in tight spots.
The front seat area no longer feels cramped with the larger dimensions, despite a console that consumes lots of space. Bucket seats provide excellent support.