The Audi TT is a car that stands out for its styling. The exaggerated profile, the cuts and creases, it all just looks fabulous. Where the car has fallen short of expectations, has been in the performance department. But Audi has taken all this criticism quite seriously and now, the third-generation car has supposedly got the guts to match the flair.
This third-generation TT is based on the VW group’s MQB platform and while it may have the bones of a mass-market car, the MQB platform’s aluminium-intensive construction has helped shed a good 50kg – great if you’re a sportscar. Apart from a leaner body, Audi has also stuffed more power under the hood.
Chic styling has been the TT’s defining trait and Audi hasn’t experimented much with this working formula. So, overall proportions and dimensions are quite similar to the car it replaces. That’s pretty much where the similarity ends. The new TT now wears a tighter skin and almost every surface has been chiselled. So, while the essence of the familiar curves hasn’t been lost, the generous use of angular creases and cuts has significantly sharpened up the TT, and in the flesh, it looks like it means business.
Underneath that striking exterior sits a 227bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged four pot motor mated to a dual-clutch, six-speed gearbox. Power is channelled via Audi’s four-wheel-drive Quattro system which can vary the bias towards the rear (in Dynamic mode) and in extreme cases, can apportion all the 227 horses to the rear end to limit understeer. And this time around, you get adjustable suspension as well. While folks abroad can opt for a hairier 306bhp TTS version (same engine with more boost from the turbo), for now, we will get just the ‘milder’ 227bhp state of tune.
Once you’re done staring at that sexy silhouette and decide to get in, the TT dials the aesthetics up to 11. The beautifully put together cabin sews top-notch quality (something Audi does very well) with high-tech instrumentation that the carmaker calls its Virtual Cockpit system. Essentially, this system does away with analogue dials and a dashboard-mounted screen, and in its place is a crisp, high-resolution 12.3-inch screen that also doubles up as the display for navigation and infotainment. Screen transitions are as fluid as high-end smartphones and all the information you need is right in front of the driver.
You can switch the display between Classic View – dominated by a large speedo and tachometer – and Infotainment View, which gives prominence to things such as music or navigation map. However, the system does take a bit of getting used to. I initially struggled a bit to work my way around the blend of steering-mounted media buttons and conventional MMI knob.
What isn’t hard to figure out are the gorgeous turbine-like air vents with integrated climate control settings that do away with the conventional cluster of air-con buttons and add to the elegant, minimalist fascia. Rotating the dials on the air vents adjusts temperature, fan speed and flow direction and can be clicked on as well for more settings – quite intuitive.
Comfort in the leather-clad seats is great too, only if you treat it as a two-seater, that is. The tiny rear seats are practically unusable by anyone except small children; it’s best to flip them down for additional luggage space. Getting into the perfect driving position is easily done via the electric seats and the pneumatically adjustable bolstering in our S line trim car holds you snugly in place while attacking corners.
What’s impressive though is the largely unrestricted visibility you get from the driver’s seat, meaning the TT is much easier to navigate through chaotic traffic. While 227bhp doesn’t come across as jaw-dropping (especially amongst Audi’s hairy RS cars), in the real world, the TT packs enough punch to plaster more than just a smile on your face. Thanks to its quick- shifting six-speed dual clutch gearbox, it whooshes forward with zeal, letting out a loud ‘braap’ from the exhaust when trading up a cog. And engaging the more focussed Dynamic Mode pipes additional engine sound into the cabin, enhancing the experience. Flat out, it’ll sprint from 0 to 100kph in just 5.8 seconds before eventually being reined in at 250kph by the electronic nanny.
So, while style and straightline ability isn’t a deal breaker, has Audi finally given the TT the dynamics to be called a proper sportscar? Well, yes. The TT turns into corners eagerly with immense grip and very little understeer – there’s definitely a lot more ‘sportscar’ DNA in the way it negotiates twisties. Also, the steering is very precise and doesn’t feel overly light either. Driving down the quick succession of corners on the way to Aamby Valley, the TT’s ability to dig into the tarmac and balanced handling made it easy for me to dart from apex to apex without any nervousness. That said, if only the TT’s steering allowed for more dialogue, it would have been almost perfect.
While the slightly numb nature of the steering makes the TT less engaging to drive than some of its rivals, what sets it leagues ahead of its peers is the way it rides. With the suspension set in comfort, it handles broken tarmac with the kind of elegance that isn’t far from most compact luxury cars. There’s no doubt then that this is the best Audi TT yet. It looks fantastic, the cabin makes you feel special, and it now drives a lot more in sync with the way it looks. Now, with an expected price of over Rs 60 lakh, this new TT will be more expensive than the older one. However, for that price, the blend of style, performance, usability and its ability to make you feel like a million bucks is hard to match.
