Overview:
This 2000 Audi TT has a lot to offer to the sports car enthusiast but there are some things to consider before you put thirty grand on the table. Is there trouble lurking around the ownership corner reminiscent of some cars from Audi in the past?
I wonder if making a fashion statement is worth the cost. Surely the handling is very capable and you’d have to spend double the dough to improve on it. Yes it’s fun to drive much like the VW Beatle is fun to drive. Since the designer is the same, you too will see the resemblance. It’s like they mashed down and stretched out the Beatle, took the Vaase out and put in a bunch of aluminum tinsel for highlighting.
Cynical, I guess, but there were some things that turned me off. This 1995 concept car turned production has some bugs to be worked out. I recommend waiting for future versions. That was the case with the Dodge Viper. It was a bucket of bolts in the first days of production but has turned the corner, big time, for 2000. If the demand for this TT is good enough now, I predict that it will be a fabulous car in the future.
What will strike you is that it feels solid and although some feel it is a road hugging car, I felt a little less confident in that area. Some of the competition is much more comforting in the corners. In particular the Mercedes SLK, Corvette, and the Acura NSX come to mind. But the price tags loom ominous as well. Like I say, for the dough it ain’t bad. Perhaps the cost control comes from the fact that it shares the same platform as other VW products like the new Beatle and the Golf. VW products, you say! Well that may be good news to many and even reason enough to buy the Audi over other competitors at any price.
I think you’ll be as impressed with the power you get from the 1.8-liter 180-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. It’s quick, with acceleration of 0-60 mph in 7.4 seconds. It’s a version of the engine in the VW Passat and Audi A4. But you won’t find much use for the rear seat except to put the seatbacks down to enlarge the trunk. Visibility is only average and rather poor for shorter drivers who will find themselves stretching their necks to see over the nose. The rear roof pillars also cause blind spots. And I know it’s a little nit picky but the cupholders are awkward to reach.
While I was driving this car, it drew a lot of attention for sure, because it’s a one-of-a-kind auto. The first question I got was “is that one of those electric cars?” Another was – “does that come in a convertible?” I got lots of thumbs up so the popular vote is positive. The real ooo’s and aah’s come when they look inside at the truly imaginative and artful interior and an exaggerated attention to detail. Other things are almost invisible, like the power window switches on the doors. By the way, the car doesn’t come in an electric model but will arrive convertible likely in the spring of 2000. Also, TT” stands for the Tourist Trophy races in Europe during the early part of the “soon to be” last century.
The competition:
Porsche Boxster, BMW Z3, Mercedes Benz SLK.
Good News:
Fun to drive, fast, unique styling, true sports car look and feel, space age imaginative and simple interior.
Bad News:
Wouldn’t want to own early release, troublesome shifting, poor visibility.
Standard Equipment:
1.8 liter 4-cylinder 180 horsepower turbocharged engine, 5-speed manual transmission, front wheel drive, sport suspension, 8-speaker sound system, remote keyless entry, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, automatic climate control, power/heated mirrors, power windows, trunk and fuel-filler releases, anti-lock disc brakes, traction-control system, front and side airbags, power steering.
Gas Stats:
22 City and 31 Highway MPG.
Pricing:
MSRP $30,500
