Cars
Perhaps it’s age or jaded eyes. Maybe it’s a desire to move the conversation forward. It might even be experience. One way or another, I’ve become increasingly less likely to allow exterior styling to garner more than a passing mention in my reviews of cars, trucks, SUVs, crossovers, and minivans.
But after feasting my eyes upon a second-generation Audi TT sitting in my driveway – even in 90s yellow; nearly nine years after we first saw the second-generation TT and some 16 years since the first TT went on sale; with the third-generation TT already revealed and about to go on sale – how can my lips be silent?
This 2015 TTS Coupe Competition convinces me that the second TT is the most attractive of Audi’s three TT iterations. I grew to dearly love the first, but it could be faulted for looking the same coming and going. The forthcoming Mk3 TT seems somehow more formal, more serious, and less visually distinct from the (handsome) Volkswagen Scirocco.
This, however, is a visual stunner in both overall form and in detail.
From the bulging fenders to the artfully arched roof and the properly proportioned grille, it’s deserving of credit for its general aesthetic alone. But the aluminum-finished mirrors and rear wing struts are eye-catching details, the 19-inch wheels are conversation starters, the strakes that lead into the foglights bring further cohesion to the front end. Moreover, the design as a whole testifies to the fact that new cars don’t all look the same. And though it originally went on sale around the time Peyton last won a Super Bowl, the Mk2 Audi TT appears wonderfully current.
At least on the outside.
You’ll use a key to start the car. There’s no backup camera or much of the on-alert safety gear (there are backup sensors but no blind spot monitoring, for instance) you now expect in $35K+ mainstream sedans, let alone premium brand cars costing around $65,000. The navigation screen, which works with a less than impressive version of Audi’s MMI, is a bite-sized 6.5 inches. The cabin certainly doesn’t rank among the quietest I’ve encountered in the last number of months, either.
None of this is unexpected for a car which traces its design back to the era of the sixth-generation Chevrolet Malibu. (Yeah, it’s that old.) But no matter how good the TTS looks outside, and no matter how high the material quality is inside, these specific elements recall a bygone era, and not in a nostalgic way.
What the outgoing TT lacks in modernity it ultimately makes up for by consistently providing a memorable experience. Granted, the TT, even in this special edition one-of-500 TTS Competition guise, is not among the purest driving sports cars. Yellow baseball stitching and a freaky rear wing can’t make it so. The steering lacks feedback. The brakes may be slightly overservoed in grand Audi tradition. The ride is ultra-stiff when sport mode is engaged and just plain busy when left in normal.
Yet with less than 3300 pounds to cart around, a quick-shifting dual-clutch 6-speed transmission, and all-wheel-drive traction, 265 horsepower is a far larger number than it initially sounds. The TTS Coupe accelerates to 60 mph in five seconds, shifting more intelligently and promptly the harder it’s driven. It’s a delightfully compact package, and with torque to spare, it darts through traffic like an 80s French hot hatch on nitrous.
While not quite as practical as an 80s hot hatch (or a current Volkswagen GTI, for that matter), the TT does feature a (barely accessible) rear seat, a usable 371-litre cargo area, and the ability to send power to all four wheels. The BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK, and Porsche Cayman can not make the all the same claims.
The departing TTS starts at $62,795, about $9000 more than the base TT. Our test car, supplied by Audi Canada, rang in at CAD $65,295, or about $3900 more than the Chevrolet Corvette.
But the Corvette chases a different market, right? Sure, in the sense that the Corvette is intended for a buyer who still exists.
See, the TT’s market may have moved on, not just from the TT but from its compatriots. Oh, the arrival of a new TT will produce a short-lived spike in demand. But is it any wonder BMW’s own sales boss, Ian Robertson, questioned whether the sports car market will ever fully recover from post-recession lows?
• Historical Monthly & Yearly Audi TT Sales Figures
• 2014 Audi SQ5 Driven Review
• 2014 Audi S4 Driven Review
Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche combined for more than 40,000 TT, Z4, SLK, and Boxster U.S. sales in 2003 but only 15,000 TT, Z4, SLK, Boxster, and Caymans last year. While the Corvette was roundly outsold by the aforementioned quartet in 2003, Chevrolet sold 34,839 Corvettes in 2014.
Corvette vs. TT? Hey, if I’m the self-appointed final arbiter on the subject of Audi TT styling, shouldn’t I also be the one to decide which car to buy when all 500 global copies of the Coupe Competition are snatched up?
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Cars
2015 Audi TTS Coupe Competition Review - She's Got The Look
But after feasting my eyes upon a second-generation Audi TT sitting in my driveway – even in 90s yellow; nearly nine years after we first saw the second-generation TT and some 16 years since the first TT went on sale; with the third-generation TT already revealed and about to go on sale – how can my lips be silent?
| THE GOOD • It looks so good • Real cargo space • Delightfully compact • Plenty of power • It looks so good | THE BAD • Lots of dollars • Rides stiffly • Rides more stiffly in Sport mode • Cayman steers/handles more sweetly • Wait for the new one? |
This 2015 TTS Coupe Competition convinces me that the second TT is the most attractive of Audi’s three TT iterations. I grew to dearly love the first, but it could be faulted for looking the same coming and going. The forthcoming Mk3 TT seems somehow more formal, more serious, and less visually distinct from the (handsome) Volkswagen Scirocco.
This, however, is a visual stunner in both overall form and in detail.
From the bulging fenders to the artfully arched roof and the properly proportioned grille, it’s deserving of credit for its general aesthetic alone. But the aluminum-finished mirrors and rear wing struts are eye-catching details, the 19-inch wheels are conversation starters, the strakes that lead into the foglights bring further cohesion to the front end. Moreover, the design as a whole testifies to the fact that new cars don’t all look the same. And though it originally went on sale around the time Peyton last won a Super Bowl, the Mk2 Audi TT appears wonderfully current.
2015 AUDI TTS COUPE COMPETITION Base Price: $ $62,795 * As-Tested Price: $65,295 * Drive Type: all-wheel-drive Transmission: 6-speed dual-clutch automatic Engine: 2.0L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinder Horsepower: 265 @ 6000 rpm Torque: 258 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm Curb Weight: 3263 pounds Length: 165.3 inches Width: 72.5 inches Height: 53.0 inches Wheelbase: 97.2 inches Tires: Dunlop Winter Sport Tire Size: 255/35R19 Passenger Volume: 2093 litres Cargo Volume: 371 litres Max. Cargo Volume: 699 litres EPA City: 22 mpg EPA Hwy: 31 mpg NRCAN OEE City: 11.7 L/100km NRCAN OEE Hwy: 8.4 L/100km Observed: 16.9 mpg Observed: 13.9 L/100km * Canadian dollars, includes $1995 in fees. MPG fuel economy ratings from the Environmental Protection Agency. L/100km ratings from the Canadian Office of Energy Efficiency's new 5-cycle testing for MY2015 vehicles. |
You’ll use a key to start the car. There’s no backup camera or much of the on-alert safety gear (there are backup sensors but no blind spot monitoring, for instance) you now expect in $35K+ mainstream sedans, let alone premium brand cars costing around $65,000. The navigation screen, which works with a less than impressive version of Audi’s MMI, is a bite-sized 6.5 inches. The cabin certainly doesn’t rank among the quietest I’ve encountered in the last number of months, either.
None of this is unexpected for a car which traces its design back to the era of the sixth-generation Chevrolet Malibu. (Yeah, it’s that old.) But no matter how good the TTS looks outside, and no matter how high the material quality is inside, these specific elements recall a bygone era, and not in a nostalgic way.
What the outgoing TT lacks in modernity it ultimately makes up for by consistently providing a memorable experience. Granted, the TT, even in this special edition one-of-500 TTS Competition guise, is not among the purest driving sports cars. Yellow baseball stitching and a freaky rear wing can’t make it so. The steering lacks feedback. The brakes may be slightly overservoed in grand Audi tradition. The ride is ultra-stiff when sport mode is engaged and just plain busy when left in normal.
Yet with less than 3300 pounds to cart around, a quick-shifting dual-clutch 6-speed transmission, and all-wheel-drive traction, 265 horsepower is a far larger number than it initially sounds. The TTS Coupe accelerates to 60 mph in five seconds, shifting more intelligently and promptly the harder it’s driven. It’s a delightfully compact package, and with torque to spare, it darts through traffic like an 80s French hot hatch on nitrous.
The departing TTS starts at $62,795, about $9000 more than the base TT. Our test car, supplied by Audi Canada, rang in at CAD $65,295, or about $3900 more than the Chevrolet Corvette.
But the Corvette chases a different market, right? Sure, in the sense that the Corvette is intended for a buyer who still exists.
 |
| All Photo Credits: Timothy Cain ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net Click Any Of Images For A Larger View |
• Historical Monthly & Yearly Audi TT Sales Figures
• 2014 Audi SQ5 Driven Review
• 2014 Audi S4 Driven Review
Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche combined for more than 40,000 TT, Z4, SLK, and Boxster U.S. sales in 2003 but only 15,000 TT, Z4, SLK, Boxster, and Caymans last year. While the Corvette was roundly outsold by the aforementioned quartet in 2003, Chevrolet sold 34,839 Corvettes in 2014.
Corvette vs. TT? Hey, if I’m the self-appointed final arbiter on the subject of Audi TT styling, shouldn’t I also be the one to decide which car to buy when all 500 global copies of the Coupe Competition are snatched up?
- 2015 Mercedes-benz Gla250 4matic Review - Mercedes-benz Makes A Better Cla, And It's Called The Gla
OK, so where does this fit? For consumers who prefer names like Accord, Cruze, Explorer, and Camry, the Mercedes-Benz family tree is about to become even more complicated as the automaker prepares to relaunch a number of products with new names. But...
- 2016 Acura Ilx A-spec Review - Substantially Upgraded
For the entry-level Acura’s fourth model year, the ILX is undergoing a complete powertrain transformation. LED headlights and trim-line changes further differentiate the refreshed 2016 ILX, but the less visible changes are the real difference makers....
- 2015 Chevrolet Malibu Ltz Review - Wait For It... Wait For It...
The Malibu was pretty good. It looked good. It drove nicely enough. It sold in decent numbers. But that was between 2008 and 2012. THE GOOD • A new one's on its way • A 2.0T is available • Decent ride quality • Attractive...
- 2015 Buick Lacrosse Awd Review - Probably Not Your Kind Of Car
Full disclosure: this is not my kind of car. Buick sold 1557 LaCrosses in Canada last year, a modest increase compared with 2013 but the second-lowest total in the the LaCrosse/Allure history; down 89% compared with 2005 levels. Yes, that 2005, the...
- 2015 Honda Cr-v Touring Review: It Does Most Things Better
The Honda CR-V was Canada’s best-selling SUV in each of 2015's final two months, just as it was in America in seven of the last eight years. (We’re using the term “SUV†loosely here in order to avoid constant delineation.)...