Classic TT circular motifs have also been continued in the cockpit, but several revisions make it an even more comfortable and user-friendly environment. The passengers are greeted by redesigned, highly supportive seating, including, for the first time, fully electric adjustment for the driver's side. The seats are placed lower for a more sporty driving position, but the hood was also lowered to provide excellent forward vision. A handsome, flat-bottomed and small-diameter steering wheel, like the one fitted to the RS 4 and Le Mans Quattro sports car prototype, is trimmed in leather. The dash console is angled slightly toward the driver, and the wide center console's sides have new contours to better support the driver's and passenger's knees when cornering. A new info-tainment center, three air inlets for the climate control system, a new shift knob, and a large digital speedometer in the standard driver information system are other distinctive interior features. The coupe's larger size also provides additional legroom and shoulder room, and when the two rear seats are folded flat, luggage space increases from 10.2 to 24.7 cubic feet with a length of almost 70 inches.
What makes the new TT something entirely different is in the driving. To underscore the new car's abilities, Audi took it to the Nurburgring and was able to knock a full 15 seconds off the lap time of its predecessor, due mainly to the elaborate new chassis, which includes a lower center of gravity. The wider tracks and longer wheelbase virtually eliminate highway chop, and the new multi-link rear axle tightens up the handling to sports car levels. The front-drive 2.0T still tends to understeer when pushed too hard into a corner, but the revised suspension tuning and precision steering provide an easy fix to any awkward transitions through the corners. The Quattro chassis is nothing less than scintillating. Normally, the system sends about 85 percent of engine torque to the front wheels, but it's also able to transmit 100 percent of the drive to either axle. New mapping of the control functions also delivers a wider range of control over the Quattro system, ensuring the greatest degree of sportiness without compromising safety.
Much higher stopping forces result from the entirely new braking system, which in front drivers features 312mm front discs and 286mm rears, and in Quattro models 340mm fronts and 310mm rears. Stopping distances are further improved via revisions to the ABS system and higher friction front brake pads.
A notable new option is Audi magnetic ride. This continuously active damping technology relies on shock absorbers filled with a magneto-rheological fluid, in which small magnetic particles change their alignment when subjected to a magnetic field, thus altering the damping characteristics of the shocks in both rebound and compression. The driver can select Normal or Sport modes via a console switch, and the results are readily felt, especially at high speeds, when body roll is reduced and steering response is sharpened.
We could go on for several more thousand words about the technological improvements made to the new TT, but they all can be summed up simply: Where the former TT was a sporty car, the new TT is a genuine sports car. Its chassis is so accomplished that we could only wish for more engine power, and Audi has openly admitted it will be attacking that challenge in the near future. Twin turbos, anyone?
2007 Audi TT3.2 QuattroLayoutTransverse front engine,all-wheel driveEngine3.2-liter V6, dohc,four valves per cylinderTransmissionSix-speed manual ;optional six-speed S-TronicSuspensionMulti-link rear,optional magnetic rideDimensionsLength x Width x Height (in.): 164.5 x 72.5 x 53.2Wheelbase: 97.2 in.Curb Weight: 3,109 lbPerformancePeak Power: 250 bhp @ 6300 rpmPeak Torque: 236 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm0-62 mph: 5.8 sec.Top Speed: 155 mph (limited)Why we love it:At last, the TT is a true sports carWhy we don't:There isn't one in our fleet... yetThe Price Tag: $42,000