Review of the new Audi TT Coupe

I've attended quite a few press launches in my time but none quite like that for Audi's current generation TT. Perhaps attending is an exaggeration. I wasn't there at all. Instead, I was sitting comfortably in my office with a mug of coffee watching the whole thing on a live webcast. Various Audi suits chuntered on interminably before the lightshow started and the TT was unveiled. At first, I was underwhelmed. It looked much like the old car with a new front grafted on. It was only when the official pictures pinged into my inbox a few minutes later that I realised quite what a clever job stylist Walter De Silva had done.

I must admit that I was expecting a train wreck. I was sure that Audi would try once again to shift the goalposts much as the original TT did upon its launch in 1998. Not optimistic about their chances of success, most in the office figured we'd be seeing something that looked as if it had fallen out of the ugly tree and clouted every branch on the way down. Not so. Although De Silva's design could stand accused of playing it safe, it's a handsome car and that, above all, was what sold the old TT. Look a little closer at the technical specifications and it's clear that Audi is intent on progressing the TT as a driver's car, something for which the old model never really garnered a solid reputation.

A series of high profile crashes caused Audi to emasculate the old TT, modifying the suspension, fitting ESP stability control to all models and adding a rather ugly rear spoiler. In reality, all the TT did was what any 'proper' performance car does and that is allow a degree of oversteer when lifting off the throttle. Enthusiasts call this 'chassis adjustability' but the TT didn't sell exclusively to enthusiasts - hence the embarrassing about face. The second generation car offers a smarter solution. All the electronic control systems are in place to keep the averagely skilled driver on the road but real hotshoes can switch them off and access a chassis that's a good deal more focused than any previous TT. There's even a concealed rear spoiler that pops up at speed but which doesn't jar with the styling in the same way the old one did.

''The TT takes the best parts of the old model and fuses them with Audi's latest design direction. Surprisingly it works''

One of the reasons why the TT promises so much comes from its dampers. Bear with me here, because I appreciate that dampers may not seem the most eye-catching part of the TT's specification sheet but they're well worth a mention. Press a button on the gearlever and a voltage is applied to tiny magnetic particles swimming in the damper oil, changing their polarity and, in turn, either firming up or softening the damper in milliseconds.

Weight is a key component in the TT's handling ability. The MK2 TT comes with five engines. There's a 200bhp 2.0-litre turbo front wheel drive variant, the TTS with the same 2.0-litre engine bored out to 272bhp, the 250bhp 3.2-litre V6 and the five cylinder 340bhp TT RS. You can even have a 170bhp TDI diesel version. Only the 200bhp 2.0-litre petrol unit comes with the option of front wheel drive: the others are all 4WD quattro-driven. The entry-level car is, in effect, not hugely different under the skin to a Volkswagen Golf GTI which, if you've ever driven one, is all the testimony you need to realise that this means a serious helping of fun. Whereas the Golf uses steel for its suspension components, the TT uses expensive and lighter aluminium.

What's more, Audi have pioneered a method of using aluminium and steel components in tandem with each other, overcoming the electrolytic corrosion issues that have plagued other manufacturers who have tinkered with this approach. Some 69 per cent of the body is aluminium with the other 31 per cent steel, which means that the 1,260kg 2.0-litre turbo model is 60kg lighter than the old 1.8-litre six-speed car. The S-tronic twin clutch gearbox option (the gearbox formerly known as DSG) adds 20kg to that figure while the 3.2-litre car tips the scales at 1,410kg. To put that figure into perspective, a Nissan 370Z weighs 1,525kg.

As you'd expect given such light weight, performance is strong. The 197bhp 2.0-litre turbo TT posts a sprint to 60mph in 6.6 seconds (6.4 with DSG) before running on to a top speed of 149mph. The 3.2-litre car makes 60 in 5.9 seconds (5.7 with DSG) and hits an electronic limiter at 155mph. Go for the TT RS and sixty is just 4.6s away. That's a whole new plane of performance for the TT and also represents a more sensible product mix.

The cabin of the TT also has high standards to live up to. Even today, the old TT's cabin feels anything but old. Yes, all-round visibility is woeful but that fascia still feels smart, the much-copied aluminium finishes and buttress bars remain slick pieces of detailing. The latest car reprises the old model's look and feel, with the chrome-ringed speedo and rev counter housed in their own cowl and the round air vents, but also adds a few contemporary design touches such as the flat-bottomed steering wheel, the angled centre console and a sportier seating position. There's more rear kneeroom and luggage space but headroom in the back could still be generously described as woeful.

There's a Roadster open-topped model also on offer at a premium of around £2,000 over the coupe, which has added to Audi's full order book. With 2.0-litre pricing starting at under £26,000 and the TT TDI not much more, this car might be more affordable than you thought. You'll need to budget closer to £30,000 for the 3.2 or TTS versions but even so, there's going to be no shortage of takers. A TT to take on the Porsche Cayman? It sounds unlikely but it could well prove a reality.

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