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I've been waiting years for Audi to apply the "S" treatment to the TT, and finally my patience has been rewarded. Available as either a coupe or a convertible, the new TTS features a 265 hp/258 lb-ft version of the base TT engine (65 hp/51 lb-ft more than the standard 2.0T and 15 hp/22 lb-ft more than the optional V6), Quattro all-wheel-drive, lightweight components, two-mode magnetic-ride suspension, electric power steering, and twin-clutch automatic transmission. So was the TTS worth waiting for? Read on.
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- Electrifying to drive -- provided you keep the revs up
- Not too much more expensive than the V6-powered TT
- Lots of turbo lag
- Rock-hard ride
- Power top is optional; manual top comes standard
- New high-performance version of the TT; available as a coupe or a roadster
- Price range: $46,235 - $52,050
- Model tested/price: 2009 Audi TTS Prestige, $50,600
- EPA fuel economy estimates: 21 MPG city/29 MPG highway
- Observed fuel economy: 18.9 MPG (ouch)
- Best rivals: Honda S2000 CR, Porsche Boxster
Here's the deal: If you never drive on curvy roads, don't bother with the TTS -- the V6-powered TT 3.2 is the car you want. Buying the TTS means spending an extra grand for a rock-hard ride and sluggish off-the-line acceleration.
But if you do drive on curvy roads, then by all means, buy the TTS. Now. As in right now, as in why are you still here when you should be out buying a TTS?
I spent my first day with the TTS wondering what all the fuss was about. Then I headed for the About.com Cars Top Secret Curvy Test Road, and the TTS ate the damn thing for lunch. It reminded me of the R8 -- near-perfect steering, near-zero body roll, and seemingly infinite grip gave me that same feeling of invulnerability, while standard electronic stability control kept me from prematurely facing my own mortality. As I zipped through the curves, I kept thinking This is what Audis are all about. That, and I should have brought a change of underwear.
The TTS' Kryptonite is turbo lag. Floor it off the line, and you can sleep through the first two seconds -- but when the tach hits 3,000 RPM, all hell breaks loose. Good thing the TTS comes with Audi's S-Tronic twin-clutch automatic -- no way could my left foot and right hand keep up with the onslaught of power. Even so, the S-Tronic's usually-perfect "Sport" mode occaisionally lets the revs drop too low, flicking off the TTS' fun switch. Nothing a yank on the paddle shifters can't fix, mind you.
The TTS' suspension has two settings, "brutal" and "punishing", which is why I recommend that all but the most hard-core drivers go for the TT 3.2 Quattro. (The basic front-drive 2.0T is a bit of a wet blanket, but it's a lot less expensive.) But if you live for the curves, the TTS is the only way to go.
So was the TTS worth waiting for?
As the gambler said to the snake charmer, "You bet your asp." -- Aaron Gold
