Introduction
Remember when the original Audi TT was getting all the headlines back in the late 1990s? Here was an irresistibly sporty coupe or convertible with head-turning style, turbocharged acceleration and an exquisite interior that included creative options like baseball-glove leather upholstery. It was so cool that heartthrob Hugh Grant drove one in a movie. In the years that followed, however, the TT began to lose its mojo, relegated to also-ran status by its increasingly capable rivals.
That’s where the all-new 2016 Audi TT comes in. The force is strong with this one. No, it doesn’t offer baseball leather (though last year’s TT still did), but it does give you chiseled, mini-R8 styling that hints at sharper driving performance. On the road, that’s exactly what the all-wheel-drive TT delivers, gripping tenaciously thanks to its standard summer performance tires and sophisticated all-wheel-drive system. It also lunges forward on an urgent wave of torque that makes the 220-horsepower four-cylinder engine seem seriously underrated. We’re prepared to call the TT a real sports car now, even without the TT-S model’s extra speed. It’s a driver’s car like no TT before it.But this Audi shines in more sedate scenarios, too, thanks in large part to its truly cutting-edge cabin. The centerpiece is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster known as the “Audi virtual cockpit,” which combines gauges and infotainment functions into one dynamic interface behind the steering wheel. There’s no longer a central display screen as in previous TT models (or in any other car, for that matter); all of that stuff now shares virtual space with the speedometer and tachometer, which slide seamlessly from center stage to the periphery depending on how you’re using the interface. The TT’s pioneering use of this technology makes it feel like a car ahead of its time, as do other features like the rakishly styled center console, LED ambient cabin lighting and standard full LED headlights.
2016 audi tt
we estimate its base price will be just north of $40,000The 2016 TT’s dramatic improvements are bound to shake things up for shoppers. We used to mention the Nissan 370Z as an appealing alternative, but now the Z just seems old and unrefined by comparison. The Ford Mustang and the redesigned 2016 Chevy Camaro are less expensive and faster (in basso-profondo V8 form) than the TT, but they’re not as nimble around turns and they can’t match the Audi’s interior sophistication. Other alternatives can be found within German borders, including the BMW 2 Series and Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class, but their fashion sense is far more subdued. Of course, the Porsche Boxster and Cayman siblings are great to drive, but they cost more and feel less contemporary inside.
In sum, there’s nothing quite like the 2016 Audi TT, and we mean that in the very best way. It’s hard to make a splash in today’s saturated marketplace, but just like the original TT, this new one stands apart.
