|
2008 Audi TT Cabriolet
Point A: The W Hotel, San Francisco
Point B: Sonoma Valley
Ladies, don’t forget your ponytail holder. The Audi TT convertible is a tough talking drop top. If you think my growl is all hype on your favorite two-seater roadster, try zipping through the hills of California wine country in the passenger seat for the car’s coming out party for the U.S. media. The TT has always been sweet as a 16 year old, but the new TT is as sassy as a grown woman. It was high time for the TT to grow up, without a styling change since 1998. Like a real lady, TT just gets better with age – it is more scrutinizing and savvy with experience, and overall a more solid piece of work.
There were two of us on board for the voyage. Make no mistakes. I drove first. When I had my turn behind the wheel, my ride was smooth and the car easily coasted through the gears.
 I started off going uphill from the W Hotel in San Francisco, located on a steep incline in the bumpy Bay Area, adjacent to the art museum. I easily pulled out with the manual transmission and made my way with no problem. We cruised over the Golden Gate Bridge, attracting all kinds of glances as the TT’s aluminum accents glinted in the sun.
As we descended into the greenery that makes the Bay Area a place people never want to leave, it was time for the real driving to begin. I coasted through my turns, and exhaled as I felt the engine open. While the design is stunning, this is not a wimpy roadster that gets by on looks alone. It’s actually a car for gearheads. Try a 250-horsepower, 3.2-liter naturally aspirated V6 with a six-speed transmission. Even the 2.0-liter base turbo is a spunky go-getter. Sometimes baby cars can feel a bit like canned soup on the road when a big semi roars by, but not the TT. Think of TT like the New York Knicks Nate Robinson, compact, but one that can outdo the big boys any day.
 Soon enough it was time for the switcheroo. Tranquility no more. The wild man took the wheel. Whoosh — that’s the serenading sound of the trees in the breeze, but things are quiet and calm in the cabin as we nestle in our racing-style bucket seats. I eased up my tension – he’s got too many kids to kill both of us, I thought.
However, if we crashed on a turn, I was positive that Audi TT would be a trooper. That’s due to state of the art safety additions – front air bags for the knees.
TT might seem a bit familiar in stature – sharing a platform with the Volkswagen Rabbit, Jetta, GTI and Audi A3, but TT’s stunning redesign quiets the comparisons. Some find the design a jolt, others pleasantly pleased, but it’s true that Audi is going for more pizzazz one way or another.
So why no hardtop? My theory: This is a performer, and TT is going for numbers. A hardtop adds extra pounds, and we all know it’s hard to be fierce with junk in the trunk, so softtop it is.
 Where TT stands tall is in the pricing category. Honestly, if you’re looking for a goodtime one-night stand roadster, the practically priced, but impractically designed Saturn Sky might be more up your alley. But if you want a little guy to take you for the long haul, TT is an ideal road dog, that’ll get you there in no time, with room to spare. And there I was, back at the W, with time to hit the museum gift shop for some funky jewelry before dinner.
|
|