Emotionally charged: Audi TT

Emotion. For natural born gearheads, there is nothing more compelling, nothing more essential in picking out a car than emotion. For natural born gearheads blessed with the task of both test-driving and writing about vehicles, there is nothing more helpful than emotion in getting those creative juices flowing. (Imagine a soulless, characterless machine trying to draw out words from one’s unexcited head…)

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) when PGA Cars, distributors of Audi cars in the Philippines, sent the brand spanking new second generation Audi TT this writer’s way, I was overwhelmed by one compelling emotion – anger. It’s not that I didn’t appreciate the fact that I was being leant a potentially fantastic car, it’s that at the time the car was sent to me, I had to deal with conflicts enough to drive one insane. And so, fueled by a volatile mix of rage and exasperation, I took the head-turning beauty that is the new Audi TT for one spin after another on a weekend more draining than any other workweek one can imagine. Which turned out to be a good thing.

The new Audi TT, you see, with its flared wheel arches, twin tailpipes and wide track, just screams I AM A BONAFIDE SPORTS CAR out to the world. What better way, then, to experience the sheer brutality and confluence of road grip and speed that a sports car can deliver than by driving it hard? The chance opened up one Friday night when, after a hearty dinner, the sheer number of people that trooped to the newest hotspot in town, Serendra at The Fort, became rather… unbearable. A quick call to a friend who had an ST Ford Focus later, and I was off to the much quieter southern part of Metro Manila at close to midnight.

The fact that my pal was driving a particularly potent Ford Focus is essential to the story because he literally had to keep pace with a rather heavy-footed dude in an Audi TT. While we did not exactly break the speed limit (yes, we do follow the road rules that govern us all), quick-shifting and tight yet still calculated maneuvering was the name of the game once the regularly traffic heavy but suddenly almost car-free South Luzon Tollway presented itself to us. The modest on paper but ample in real life 2.0 liter four cylinder turbocharged powerplant of the Audi TT performed admirably, with nary a sluggish response to my inputs. While the Audi TT displayed just the slightest tinge of torque steer coming off the initial push at first gear, firm control can be had once you go up the gear configuration. Best of all, the engine threw the occasional gargling "whir" in between gear shifts to remind us that this is one car that does understand what fury is all about. The gratifying grunt sends the car’s message to the driver straight on – "I feel you, buddy". On straights and quick turns, therefore, we can attest to the Audi TT’s formidable abilities.

Speaking of quick turns, the Audi TT is equipped with an Electronic Stability Program that links all of the car’s active safety systems and in turn supports braking and engine management. The result is a noticeably agile and in-control car. So, really, despite the Audi TT’s general demeanor and willingness to indulge in any form of road hostility, it’s actually very easy to tame from behind the wheel.

The Audi TT’s cockpit, meanwhile, is inviting, to say the least. It’s no-nonsense in that the driver is given access to an instrument panel that presents all pertinent information quite admirably. The smart mix of aluminum, leather and carbon fiber not just in the cockpit but throughout the Audi TT’s interior is also notable. And I have to admit it, that gratifying to use, tactile-friendly sports leather steering wheel with its flattened base has to be a favorite.

The new Audi TT is 13.7cm longer and 7.8 cm wider than its immediate predecessor. Seating configuration in the front row is therefore laudable. However, the twin backseats, which are understandably tight, seem to be there only for emergency use. I did not even begin to try to climb into the back seats, lest I feed my anger further – or damage my already fragile back (which would have probably fed my anger further).

All things said, the new Audi TT delivers on the aesthetic and performance promise that it carries innately. I just wish now that I was in a much better mood when the car was with me. Perhaps I’d have flashed a wicked smile more often instead of the game face I most probably showed too often. Oh, could’ve, would’ve, should’ve… With my first crack at the Audi TT being an emotionally charged experience, I have no doubts that another turn at the wheel can be just as moving. Perhaps a second crack at the Audi TT, this time at the more potent 3.2 liter V6, can solve the dilemma?