Audi TT (1999 - TO DATE)
MODELS COVERED: (3 dr coupe, 2 dr roadster 1.8T, 3.2 petrol, quattro, Quattro Sport)
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
To many, the
Audi TT is an aspirational bauble of aluminium detailing, casually oozing post-millennium European cool, effortlessly dripping with the Bauhaus architectural design cues popularised by Gropius in the 1930s. Others will see it as a grotesquely mutated
Volkswagen Golf. Whichever camp you reside in, the Audi TT cant be ignored and it has proved an important model for Audi, not only as an image builder, but also as a sales winner in its own right. The sort of scares over its high-speed handling that would have severely dented the used values of many other cars barely caused a ripple on the TTs residual values when they surfaced in 1999.
With approved modifications to cure this alleged instability at speed, the car is rock solid: without its certainly lively.
| Build |
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| Comfort |
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| Depreciation |
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| Economy |
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| Equipment |
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| Handling |
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| Insurance |
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| Performance |
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| Styling |
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The TT is one of the most conspicuously styled cars of recent years. Everything about the design of the interior and exterior has been created with function first, but visual impact a very close second. Slide into the drivers
seat and other cars instantly seem very bland. Inside, as would be expected of
Audi, everything is soft touch, beautifully damped in a motif of retro-cool aluminium, industry-functional rubber and taut, shiny leather.
Every switch has a well-oiled motion, a solid detent and hidden 'surprise and delight' features that betray a worrying attention to detail amongst Audi engineers. Depress the aluminium throttle pedal to the floor in one fluid movement and - click - metal on metal; an exemplar of the surgical excision of mush or flab that marks the TT. At a standstill, there's no debate; the TT leaves its rivals floundering. The coupe is rather tight on the inside, with a notice on the tailgate warning rear seat occupants that if they tower above the height of 411 their heads will smash through the rear screen when the tailgate is closed. Up front, the turret-slit windows and low seating position can feel slightly claustrophobic, and in town a TT would never keep up with a briskly driven Audi S3 all round visibility is just too poor. Want to anger a TT driver? Just let them go first at a traffic light queue.
There you will witness Darwinism reversed, as human momentarily becomes Galapagos tortoise, neck craned forward in a desperate attempt to see the traffic signals. Luggage space in the rear of the coupe is pretty impressive, especially with the rear seats folded, certainly shaming other coupe rivals such as the
Alfa Romeo GTV in this respect. The roadster model is very impressive indeed, although the decapitation process has radically altered the essential character of the car. The sleek swoop of the roofline has gone, replaced by a well sculpted but chunky hood that gives the car a profile that best resembles a Tonka rendering of a
Porsche Boxster.
Hood down, the car maintains its aggressive, almost caricature, buggy look. The wheels appear larger, the frontal aspect more bullish and the unfashionable lack of tension in the flanks suddenly becomes a laudable design aspect. The options list is long and includes a curious baseball glove interior styling package that sees the upholstery trimmed in butterscotch leather with bright yellow stitching and threaded together with yellow leather tape. Whilst more reminiscent of something rejected on the grounds of bad taste by Gene Autry and almost totally lacking in lateral support, it's proved popular. The hood itself is not as slick as rival offerings from Mercedes or Porsche and although single skinned, is built to an impeccable standard, resisting wind noise admirably. A thoughtful touch is the electrically operated glass wind deflector that slides up between the seats, protecting the occupants from buffeting. Look at how slick this is, and then compare it to the system on the
Volvo C70 convertible.
Then youll realise why people want TTs so badly.
The Audi TT is no longer the bulletproof financial proposition it once was, but it still clings on to its residual value remarkable effectively. The first of the 1999 180bhp coupes will still be worth in the region of £12,000, whilst the 225bhp version hovers around the £13,000 mark. Used coupes are still quite a rare sight in main dealers, although enterprising private sellers may well have early cars available, although it would be wise to check the cars history. Prices for used roadster models start at £12,500 for an early 1999 180bhp version, or £13,500 for a 225bhp variant of the same vintage.
Expect to pay between £500 and £1000 less for cars that dont have the full Audi-approved modifications package of suspension changes, rear spoiler and ESP stability control system. Insurance for all 1.8 TT models is Group 18, although it pays to shop around, especially if youre angling for a 225bhp car. Prices for the 3.
2-litre V6 models start at £22,800 (Coupe) and £23,900 (Roadster) while TT150 Roadsters are available for £17,500 all of these rates are for 03-plate models.
The TT is based on the proven mechanicals of the
Volkswagen Groups 1.8-litre turbo engine, so there arent too many scares with the powertrain or transmission. The biggest concern for TT owners is whether the handling modifications prescribed by Audi have been carried out. Without these changes, the Audi is certainly lively at the back end, and many owners were shocked by the experience of their four-wheel drive car snaking out of corners, the tail swinging to and fro like a pendulum.
Perhaps Audi were a victim of their own successful advertising here the public generally believing that quattro meant the ability to stick infallibly anywhere, in any conditions. The work carried out includes the ESP stability control system and rear suspension changes which certainly quell the cars predilection for sideways motion, and also a rear spoiler of dubious cosmetic benefit which claims to add aerodynamic downforce to the rear. Several owners understandably specified ESP and the suspension changes but baulked at the idea of bolting on a spoiler, so dont make the mistake of believing an unspoilered TT to be completely unmodified. Check tyre wear problems.
The TT is very sensitive to any errors in suspension set up and very small tracking problems can generate big tyre bills quickly. The car is also very colour sensitive. Silver coupes sell far easier than black although denim blue has proved popular. This problem is exacerbated in the roadster range.
Aside from silver, the initial batch of roadsters introduced to this country wore some very unflattering colours, especially the grey that was variously described as elephant, primer or Tirpitz grey by most who saw it. Many TTs will have been imported from Europe. Always have a close look at the accompanying paperwork and familiarise yourself with UK specifications and options to ensure that somebody is not making a quick buck or, indeed, Euro at your expense as many European models are front wheel drive only.
(approx based on a 1999 180bhp Coupe) Audi consumables once had a reputation for costliness, but whilst they are a bit pricier than
Ford or
Vauxhall, spares are by no means exorbitant. An air filter costs in the region of £60, whilst a fuel filter is £20 and an oil filter £30. A set of spark plugs will be around £65.
Prior to modifications, the TT was the sort of car beloved by magazine road testers. On the safety of an airfield or test track they would corner the TT at unfeasibly sideways angles, their huge egos satisfied by the heroic pictures that would be produced. For the rest of us, whilst the TT occasionally had the ability to make us feel part of that club, most of the time it was benign, easy to drive and willing. Characteristics that delight expert drivers often horrify mere mortals and when the pace went up, the TTs other side could emerge.
It wasnt a fault with the car per se; more a fault of Audis marketing, misjudging the cars target audience. If you feel capable of dealing with a snappy tail-slide, the unmodified TT will appeal, but to most, the safety net provided by the modified cars is a far more comforting prospect. These cars are slightly less fun, but feel firmly glued to the road a feature most drivers will enjoy. Performance of both 1.
8-litre models is strong, the 225bhp cars especially so. With a rest to sixty time of just 6.1 seconds on the way to 145mph, the TT 225 will out-accelerate a Porsche Boxster. The steering and gearchange, whilst not top of the class, are both perfectly acceptable, the only disappointment with the coupe being the lack of aural stimulation.
This is solved bythe 3.2-litre V6 Coupe or, alternatively the roadster model. The turbocharged engine, which feels distant and characterless in the coupe, comes alive when every pop and whistle can be heard in surround sound. Other aspects of the roadster are equally surprising.
Structural rigidity, usually the significant downside of roadsters, is notably excellent. There's an almost total absence of scuttle shake or body flex, and the mirrors remain clear at all times. Aside from losing some visual purity and those token rear seats, the roadster loses little of the TT coupes driving appeal and gains quite a bit of its own.
If you want a pure feel-good car, that is slick, fun and wont prove to be financial suicide, a new Audi TT will be high on most shortlists. As a used buy, it makes slightly less sense, with low-mileage used cars often priced above new list prices. Another factor to bear in mind is that the TTs extreme styling may well date quickly, with a corresponding effect on used car residual values. Availability of sensibly priced cars is getting better with many buyers opting for parallel imports from Europe, driving the cost of used cars further downhill.
You may have to search for your desired specification or colour but the payback comes the moment you drive one away.
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