Forget Your Preconceptions: The New Audi TT Is A Serious Driver's Car

A new Audi TT is a big deal. In the last 10 years in the UK, the ubiquitous sports car has equalled the combined sales of its two nearest competitors, the BMW Z4 and Mercedes SLK.

When the first-generation TT appeared in 1998, its bold styling and curvaceous body really struck a chord with customers. But while the general public was enamoured with the car, many petrolheads lamented its ‘style over substance’ approach; and so the TT’s reputation as a ‘hairdresser’s car’ was born.

The problem for many petrolheads is that the TT has always been aimed at people who just want to pose. For a car to look so sporty yet not to have the performance to make B-roads whimper into submission is a heinous crime among keyboard warriors.

When the second-generation TT arrived in 2006 it brought with it vastly improved driving dynamics, but it still failed to shake its superficial reputation. So the question we’ve travelled to a soaking wet Scotland to answer is this: can the third generation Audi TT prove itself as the driver’s car it’s always fancied itself to be?

Since I’m hoping the car will have broken free from its pretentious past and require Chuck Norris levels of manliness to drive, I shun Audi’s offer of an umbrella and confidently stride through the morning downpour. Keys in hand, I slightly quicken my step as Scotland does its best to wash away my thinly veiled masculinity.

We might be here to talk about how this thing drives, but this wouldn’t be an Audi TT feature if we didn’t first discuss the styling. At a glance, the new car has 911 levels of design revolution. From the A-pillar back, it’s almost imperceptibly different. Its dimensions are near enough identical to the outgoing car, however the wheelbase has been increased by 37mm to 2505mm in an effort to improve handling.

The rear might be a bit samey, but around the front, things are more impressive. Gone are the traditionally curvy TT lines, now replaced by pointy, angular features that are reminiscent of the gorgeous Sport Quattro concept from last year. The large grille, huge air intakes and frowning headlights really accentuate the more aggressive stance.

In the pre-drive press conference, the Audi team made a big deal of the company’s motorsport history and performance credentials; the vertical LEDs in the headlights mimic those in the LMP race car, for example. So, it looks the part and has sporting inspirations - if this doesn’t drive like a miniature R8, the internet will have their proverbial pitchforks out.

Escaping Scotland’s finest meteorological offerings, I slam the door shut and make myself comfortable. I know you want to know what it’s like with your right foot to the firewall, but I need to talk about this interior first. It would be no exaggerration to say that this is the best interior I’ve ever been in. There have been fancier interiors, there have been more because racecar interiors, but none have been so beautifully laid-out as this TT’s innards.

We all know Audi interiors look and feel the business, but the game has been moved on here. This car is the first Audi to get the Virtual Cockpit tech, with a 12.3-inch LCD screen in the instrument binnacle that controls pretty much everything. The satellite navigation fills the screen, and you can flick between large or small speed/rev dials depending on your preference.

All other settings you’d normally find in the centre console can be found here, with steering wheel controls meaning you never have to look away from the straight ahead. The only downside is that it makes it tricky for passengers to fiddle with stuff, but then that could actually be a good thing…

Almost stealing the show from the Virtual Cockpit are the climate controls, which are integrated into the fan nozzles. The vents themselves look like jet turbine engines, with a small turnable dial in the centre housing a screen that displays the temperature, fan intensity or heated seat temperature. It’s a minor feature, but it’s beautifully executed and makes you wonder how nobody has thought of this before. It helps keep the centre console clean and tidy, creating a neat, driver-focused interior that’s a genuine pleasure to pilot from.

But enough of all that aesthetic stuff. It’s immediately clear that the new TT will continue to appeal to the fashion-conscious among us, but it’s time to head out onto the open road to see if it’s the sort of car you and I would buy.

Given the fact that it’s raining (have I mentioned it’s raining?), it’s perhaps appropriate that the hottest car available today - and therefore the one I obviously go for - has Audi’s famous quattro all-wheel drive system.

Power comes from a 2.0-litre TFSI unit, producing 227bhp and 273lb ft, and although it feels quick you don’t feel the rabid performance the figures suggest; top speed is electronically limited to 155mph, and 0-62mph comes and goes in 5.2 seconds with the fabulous S tronic auto ‘box.

Those headline figures are mighty impressive, aided by the new TT’s lightweight construction. Its underpinnings consist of VW’s steel MQB platform, however pretty much everything above the floor is made from aluminium. This results in a kerb weight of 1305kg, a saving of 50kg over the last-generation car.

‘If you want something stylish and easy to use during the week that’ll let you go a bit mad at the weekends, there are few better cars.’

And you can feel it. Turn-in is sharp, and in these conditions the quattro system works its magic, ensuring that every enthusiastic combination of throttle and steering angle is expertly managed. As I carve my way through fast sweepers and mid-speed bends, the Scottish highlands doing their best to throw unexpected yumps and off-camber corners my way, I’ve got a huge grin on my face.

But, and there is a but, after stepping out of the car I’m not left desperate for another go. It’s a fantastically capable car, and that S tronic gearbox is as perfect as ever, but the car’s just not involving enough. I champion the VW Group’s DSG at every opportunity - I’m not one for getting nostalgic over manuals, believe me I’d get the Leon Cupra with paddles every day of the week - but I wondered whether the manual might have given me the thrills I desire.

I jump out of the S tronic-equipped TT and climb into another one with three pedals. It’s immediately clear that Audi’s worked wonders with this gearbox. The clutch is a joy to use, with its imperceptible biting point. Just smoothly lift your left foot for flawless changes every time. The stick itself offers quick and precise cog changes - the whole package is just wonderful.

That said, I’m still left a little ambivalent towards this new Audi TT. Everything about it works brilliantly, from the engine’s rapidly linear power delivery, to the confidence-inspiring quattro all-wheel drive system, to whichever gearbox takes your fancy. But it’s all a bit too capable. There’s such little fuss about the way it covers ground that the thrill-seeking side of your brain might be left wanting.

If you’re tempted to raid your savings for one, you will certainly not be disappointed. The Coupe Sport models we tested cost £32,750 for the quattro S tronic, or £29,860 for the front-wheel drive manual. There’s also a £29,770 front-wheel drive diesel, which would be mighty appealing as a company car.

If you want something stylish and easy to use during the week that’ll let you go a bit mad at the weekends, there are few better cars - especially if you live somewhere that gets challenging weather conditions. But if you like your cars raw and demanding, steer clear.

So has Audi finally done enough to shake that old hairdresser reputation? In a word: yes. It might not be the most involving drive in the world, but the new TT is a fantastically capable car that’ll chuck you across the landscape without even breaking a sweat.

For those with a more sadistic side, however, there is hope in the TTS. The 2.0 four-pot has been tuned to provide 306bhp and 280lb ft of torque. With a 0-62mph time of just 4.7 seconds, it’ll be faster than a base 911 Carrera for nearly half the price. UK deliveries begin in March 2015, and we’ll be sure to get behind the wheel to see if all that extra oomph makes for a more raucous ride…