Audi has come further, perhaps, than any other German car company. From the brink of extinction in this market, Audi has delivered continuous product improvement, continuous product line expansion, vast improvements in quality, and a couple of wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans thrown in for good measure. It's a car company on the way out of the lower luxury segment and into the upper, and a company that deserves watching. There have never been as many distinct Audi models to choose from, from the basic Audi A4 sedan to the $90,000 Audi A8L limousine.
One of the products that has brought new buyers into Audi showrooms is the TT, Audi's first true sports car. The TT is a two-seater and comes in both coupe and roadster form. The TT offers Volkswagen's superb quality and attention to detail in a sportier, more upscale design. It features solid VW mechanicals and durability underneath. And for 2004, the TT offers the 3.2-liter narrow-angle V6 to create an entirely new model.
The Audi TT has much to offer. Its styling is pure and retro, recalling Audi's sports car heritage that goes back to the 1905 Tourist Trophy race on the Isle of Man. That theme is carried through inside with a stylish interior in top-quality materials and fit and finish. These cars feel very refined and quite stable, like their riding on rails. The brakes are excellent. The 225-horsepower 1.8 T is quick and the new 3.2 is very quick indeed; Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system comes on these models to put the power down on clean, dry pavement as well as on mud, snow, slush or rain-drenched roads. The standard 180-horsepower 1.8 T lacks the verve of these other two, but is a delightful sports car by nearly anyone's standards.