There are three DSG transmission modes to choose from: manual, automatic, and sport. In the auto-shifting sport mode, the gearbox delays upshifts, triggers early downshifts, and reduces the gearchanging time to a very brisk 0.2 second. Automatic and sport modes are again the two positions offered by the optional MagneRide dampers.
The previous TT used a steel unibody, but the new version combines an aluminum spaceframe structure with steel body panels. The aluminum elements, which amount to 69 percent of the body-in-white's total weight, are either hydroformed, cast, or pressed. This layout is not only 48 percent lighter than an all-steel matrix, but it also helps to undercut the outgoing model by about 175 pounds. Torsional stiffness has increased by 50 percent. To make the most of this rigid shell, the engineers developed new electromechanical steering, a modified front axle, and a redesigned multilink independent rear suspension fitted to both two- and four-wheel-drive cars. Previous generation two-wheel-drive TTs were compromised by a torsion-beam design.
Other four-wheel-drive sports cars will understeer at the limit, wag their tails when you feather the throttle, throw in a four-wheel drift for good measure, and regain grip at random, punishing you for the slightest frivolity in steering angle and torque feed. The TT does none of that. It remains neutral and balanced and predictable, no matter what. This car can cope with rough inputs and grotesque entry speeds. There is no mean oversteer to be corrected, no sudden instability to be mastered, no mid-engine misbehavior to be controlled, no price to be paid for a laissez-faire weight transfer or a brusque downshift. The challenge in the new TT is not to apply opposite lock. Instead, you simply read the road, apportion the appropriate amount of forward thrust, and conduct the required changes of direction.
The TT's fat, ventilated brake rotors don't provide much feel or feedback, but they are responsive and have excellent staying power. The very aggressive front-to-rear brake force distribution, new high-friction pads with fifteen percent better performance, and ABS and stability control systems programmed to intervene at the last possible moment also help.
This to-hell-with-nuance philosophy also applies to the steering. Despite the conventional gearing, the TT's leather-rimmed helm tightens the reins the instant you wind on lock. Other racks are more communicative, talking you through a corner by feel and touch. In essence, the direction-finder of the Audi is more of a joystick. It gets the job done with total precision.
Boasting a slippery 0.30 drag coefficient, the new TT is a very quick autobahn car that produces ample oomph in the 100-to-155-mph range. At the same time, it is a certified back-road special. The S-tronic transmission's gears are keenly spaced for brisk overtaking maneuvers; the VR6's torque curve plateaus between 2500 and 3000 rpm, where 236 lb-ft is on tap; and the MagneRide system reduces roll and pitch--unfortunately, to a level that can be painfully uncompromising on uneven blacktop. The modified Quattro hardware offers a 100 percent variable torque split.
This Audi is a paragon of efficiency, a resolutely pragmatic sports car, a beautifully executed lifestyle object, and a fast, fuss-free means of getting from point A to point B. However, it isn't particularly challenging to drive, and it's the wrong choice for alpha males wishing to show off. But in terms of unique style, effortless functionality, and sheer speed, there isn't much else quite like it.