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Hi-performance Audi TT's ... A real sports car?
It's been debated whether Audi would build an RS version of the TT. According to Edmunds, they're doing it. The S-model will come first. Both models will compete with BMW and Porsche.

This news is certainly welcome for Audi TT lovers. The question is, who is that exactly? At the price point these cars will demand, will anyone choose a TT over a Cayman or 911?

Can the Audi TT--with its feminine looks and its history of being a show car--become a real sports car? Is the styling amazing, or merely too precious?

Will a real enthusiast drive around what's been called a chick car, no matter how many ponies are under the hood?

Audi is making the TT as strong as it can to find out. Would you buy a TT or is a nice car for someone else? Read Article

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RupertRupert - 10/5/2006 5:52:53 PMView My AgentSpace
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and the z3/4....????

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S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/6/2006 10:52:31 PM
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Exactly, Rupert... the Z3 and Z4 may be the most chick-cars in their classes.

And they're not even good-looking.

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GermanNutGermanNut - 10/5/2006 9:47:14 AM
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I agree and there is nothing like having a wife pull up to a stop-light and smoke the pants off of a Cayman or 3-series.

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RupertRupert - 10/5/2006 5:52:21 PMView My AgentSpace
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don't stoop so low logical, that is so childish and frankly offensive. oh wait, this might mean a ban.
ban him agent001!

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crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/6/2006 11:23:23 AM
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Can't we let people be surly without looking for a ban? You aren't going to like the atmosphere that comes up when every word that's posted can be sent to some higher authority for a ban. Please just let it go.

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IamEvilHomerIamEvilHomer - 10/5/2006 11:27:42 AM
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Logical - go away!

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S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/6/2006 10:53:23 PM
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Yes, can't he leave the site? Forever? And not come back?

Logical, what do you say? We'll pay you to leave.


NeverfollowNeverfollow - 10/5/2006 11:53:47 AM
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I've seen more "chicks" driving Caymans than dudes. In fact, the same can be said about the MB SL, C Class, GL/ML, BMW 3 series, X5, Escalade, Hummer H2&H3, Tahoe, Suburban, and anything Jag makes. Shall I go on?

Is there really anything left out there that can be considered exclusively male oriented? Women purchase, or influence the purchase of 80% of all cars sold in the US. I guess, aside from the Subaru WRX's and Mitsu Evo's rice burners, the "chicks" have free rein to buy whatever.

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Autoegr525Autoegr525 - 10/5/2006 12:24:40 PM
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it's no more of a chick car than a z4 or a boxter and less of one than an slk, but a fair amount of people who can justify spending so much money on a cute little roadster are women, so thus...chick car. But then again, most drivers of suburbans are women, is that a chick car? No doubt all these roadsters are driver's cars, if you can get past the image thing...

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macpowahmacpowah - 10/6/2006 7:34:00 PM
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Oh my god! I thought we were all car enthusiasts here.

Who the hell cares if a car is considered a "chick" car? Why do so many men have to be that insecure about their "manliness". If you like the car, buy it for god's sake? Plain and simple, the new TT is gorgeous, and anyone that hasn't tried the 2.0T engine is missing out. I own an A3 2.0T 6MT.

To me, any car with a high level of refinement )and performance (like the new TT)can't be a "chick" car because the majority of female car owners couldn't give a crap about that. They just want something that looks good. Of course there is an exception to every rule.

Look at the Mazda MX-5. A great looking car - but a real sports car. Do you think most female owners even know that it's rwd? For this reason alone it makes this car desireable. Slick 6 spd shifter, RWD and a quick drop top. Nothing can be better at this price.


crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/6/2006 10:02:14 PM
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Certain cars lack a gravitas that is required to have me climb into it and out of it on a regular basis. That's my own opinion. I myself think the old TT was too soft for owning. Certainly 1 opinion. I don't think the subject of chick cars is an insecure discussion. It's simply accepting the realities of softer design cuees vs. more masculine aggressive ones. If you have ae problem with that, then maybe we should arm wrestle.


crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/5/2006 12:28:04 PM
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A chick car is a car that looks feminine. Doesn't matter who drives it.

The TT is nice looking, but it has baggage for enthusiasts. Too soft looking. This car is being called a Cayman S-fighter, etc., but I'm not sure the TT is the car Audi can use to compete head-to-head with Porsche and BMW. Even with 350 hp. 'Cause it'll cost about $60k by then.

The R8, that's another story. It looks strong.

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crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/5/2006 1:57:08 PM
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I dunno. The TT does not look like the R8 to me. Because it's made by Audi and shares some lines doesn't make it so. The deal is, why take the TT seriously? It's a turn-on to art directors and design students but I don't know 1 person who drives one here in L.A. Audi's equation of S and RS equaling top dollars, basically putting in the performance you want at a base price but charging up the waz for it, I don't think is going to help the TT's cause. It's Audi's SC. Better to build another stronger car to build your lower-end coupe around, something with credibility and credentials right off the bat, and keep this TT SC for the SC crowd. I'm not getting one that's for sure. I'd never pass up a Porsche for this.

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CarNutCarNut - 10/5/2006 3:59:22 PM
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TT and R8 and a lot different, except for the badge

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golfer38golfer38 - 10/5/2006 4:15:21 PMView My AgentSpace
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I agree carnut, I don't see much similarity besides the basics either. I also agree with Crackity, "chick" cars are vehicles with a soft feminine design and overall execution and yes, it is a chick car. I couldn't see someone like John Wayne getting into his little Audi TT?!

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chewychewy - 10/5/2006 6:31:53 PMView My AgentSpace
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The TT 3.2 Quattro is already faster than the BMW Z4 3.0 and the Cayman. The TT S will probably still be cheaper than the Cayman S, the TT RS will cost about the same, maybe a bit more. The RS4 is cheaper than the 911, there is no way that the TT RS will even aproach the Porsche 911 in price (performance maybe)

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DarkOneForceDarkOneForce - 10/6/2006 8:58:45 AM
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Wrong Chevy, the TT is SLOWER and is LESS OF A DRIVER's CAR.

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DarkOneForceDarkOneForce - 10/6/2006 8:59:17 AM
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But it's (way) better for everyday use.

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lewissalemlewissalem - 10/6/2006 10:27:43 AM
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"Can the Audi TT--with its feminine looks"

How is Bauhaus feminine? Please crackityjones enlighten us.

TT Buyer's Demographic (2000):

- median age: 40
- median household income: $100,000 with a signifigant percentage above
- male: 70%
- college grad: 70%
- married: 60%
- households with children: 20%

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crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/6/2006 11:21:25 AM
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Google "Audi TT Feminine Looks" and here's what you get:

"I like that it's more aggressive than the old TT, which always wafted a bit feminine."

"The new TT looks much better. It definitely has a tougher looking stance, and is certainly less feminine."

"...all of which give the new car a highly aggressive, less feminine look."

"The TT has a much better following in Europe than it does in the US. I think it needs serious power before it will be taken seriously over here.. And maybe not look quite so feminine..."

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crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/6/2006 11:39:55 AM
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The original TT was a show-car, a pretty object that had sport-y features but was universally underwhelming as a sports car.

This new TT looks better and promises to drive better (but still not sharp, from various sources). The question of the post was, is the TT ever going to be taken seriously. Does its looks-first show-pony heritage put it in a hole with enthusiasts?

Will anyone who wanted a Z4M or Cayman S ever go to a TT-RS? That's the question of the day.

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crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/6/2006 1:32:45 PM
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Logical, we're talking about the high-performance variants of the TT, the S and RS models which are all quattro. Not the base FWD model.

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Anim8orAnim8or - 10/6/2006 5:04:51 PM
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The new TT is already a massive sales hit in Europe, and more importantly, already reviewed as a true class-leading sports coupe.

The new TT has already been compared to the BMW Z4, and won. It also tied with the a higher-up spec'd Porsche.

Even the Front-Drive variant is lavished with praise, but its the AWD version that is beating out its rivals in Euro comparos.

Top Gear, England's top car show, has rated the new TT as 'Brilliant', and a 'True sports car'.

So its quite safe to say that the new TT is not only a true sports car, but arguably the best in its class.

Living in the US I haven't had a chance to test it myself, but I will the moment it lands on our shores, especially since it's currently competing (and routinely beating) BMW and Porsche in the dynamics department.

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crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/6/2006 9:59:40 PM
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That's good info. Thanks for giving the Euro perspective. People in the US do not have the interest level of Audi in Europe (at least not yet) so it's good to hear what enthusiasts there are saying about the revised TT.


DarkOneForceDarkOneForce - 10/6/2006 5:37:17 PM
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The TT won and also lost compared to the Z4.
It won in those magazines interested for everyday practicticability, and in those were driving dynamics and performance and feeling came first.

The Audi TT LOST TO BMW/PORSCHE IN THE DRIVING DYNAMICS DEPARTEMENT.
PLS. understand this.

Even when it wins (= better all rounder) IT CONSTANTLY LOOSES IN THE DRIVING DYNAMICS DEPARTMENT.

The new BMW 2 series coupe will be a real competitor.

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LarryLarry - 10/6/2006 9:53:16 PM
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another cut and paste VW beetle/golf audi car.

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S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/6/2006 10:54:18 PM
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And yet, it's so completely different from the Golf that that statement is laughable.

Do you think anyone on the street, if seeing a GTI and a TT coupe next to each other, would even have the slightest idea that it was on the same platform?


crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/7/2006 3:52:26 PM
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I would not see any similarity between a GTI and a TT.

However, I do see a resemblance between practically every Lexus ever made before 2005 and its lower-end Toyota counterpart.


crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/7/2006 10:32:05 PM
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I truly don't see the resemblance between the A3, TT and Golf. I really don't. I don't think people do. I think the car press brings up the Golf platform in every article about these cars because it's something to say. And no, the Phaeton doesn't say A8 either.

VW and Audi have different styles to my eyes. It probably helps that VW does a good job with design.

Lexus, until just a couple years ago, didn't have a distinct design style. It was vanilla Japanese, so it looked like Toyota--which is also vanilla Japanese.

Trying to drag VW/Audi down into Toyota's design problems just isn't going to work on most people. Design is a high point of VW/Audi and only recently a point at all with Lexus. Sorry not to see the similarities of these cases.

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crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/8/2006 8:56:46 PM
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Will, you're apparently tired of a lot of things as of late. I see you melting down more often in posts over the slightest of perceived slights. You're like John Reed and Communism, with a platform and a passion to convert everyone to your moral crusade to love and respect Lexus in just the same way that you do.

You should take that Lexus fervor and go put it to productive use. You could do quite a lot more good.
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