The TT’s rapid transit system

The Audi TT has had a somewhat troubled gestation. Revealed as a prototype at the Frankfurt show in 1995, it was a radical-looking car few commentators thought Audi would actually put into production. But by 1999 it was in showrooms, to an enthusiastic reception. It quickly spawned lookalikes, like the Nissan 350Z and the Lexus SC 430.

Within a year, however, Audi announced a worldwide recall of the TT because of perceived high-speed instability following a series of European crashes. Audi fitted the TT with modified shock absorbers, anti-roll bars, a rear spoiler (some customers said it spoiled the looks) and eventually the ESP stability control program. In 2002, the TT was recalled because of corrosion in the front control arms.

The TT has been plagued with reliability problems. The British Consumers’ Association reported last August: "The Audi TT, seen as one of the most stylish new models of recent years, received one of the lowest scores for reliability in years." A Texan owner was moved enough by his problems with his TT (the windows roll down by themselves, it loses power, the radio shuts off, the cruise control and climate system malfunction) to create the Web site www.MyAudiTTsucks.com.

It’s a pity the poor car has these problems because it’s a neat little package, and I do mean little. The back seat is little more than a parcel shelf, with near-zero legroom. I was barely able to squeeze my two kids in. The roofline is very rakish but it’s an entry hazard for taller drivers who, like me, repeatedly bump their heads.

Once ensconced, the TT is very comfortable for the driver and passenger, who sit in supportive (and heated) leather buckets. The controls are very German, meaning they move precisely and require a fair amount of force to operate. A large hatch with wide (but not deep) storage provides some relief for space-challenged travelers.

I tested a neat new model, the 3.2 quattro with the new Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), a contender in the semi-automatic sweepstakes that first appeared in Europe last summer. DSG is essentially two linked gearboxes (one handling first, third, fifth and reverse, while the other takes on second, fourth and sixth) that work in tandem with two automatic clutches that operate in an oil bath. A lever on the shift tunnel chooses manual or automatic, and racing-type paddles are mounted on the steering wheel to make quick up and downshifts.

The shift-by-wire system works well enough in practice (Motor Trend calls it "lightning quick and pro-driver slick"), though wheel rotation makes the paddles hard to reach at times. And though this one comes close, I will never find these clutchless systems as satisfying to use as a conventional standard transmission — it must be something about hand/foot coordination.

The VR6 engine offers 250 horsepower, and makes its presence vividly felt through a flap in the exhaust system that opens as speed increases. Stomp on it and the tailpipe roars. Zero to 60 comes up in just six seconds, and they’re remarkably vivid seconds. Standard TTs make only 180 horsepower, so this one’s a real lion in comparison. The package includes rock-hard suspension that jolts the car enough to make the CD player jump.

Expect minor fuel-economy sacrifices with the 250-horsepower engine, and a fairly significant price premium. Basic TT coupes are $32,500, but the 3.2 model sells for $40,000.