2004 Audi TT Review
Quicker and sportier, with new V6.
(Continued)
Walkaround
We were struck by the styling of the Audi TT when it was first introduced as a 2000 model. It was daring for its purity and simplicity of form, and that remains true today, though designers have been allowed far more creativity in the past few year. The designers of the TT were inspired by the original bathtub" Porsche and the famed Auto Union Grand Prix cars of the 1930s. In short, it looks terrific. The engine is mounted in front and drives the front wheels (or all four wheels), but it almost looks like a mid-engine sports car like the Porsche Boxster.
The new V6 model is distinguished by several new front and rear styling licks including lamps, grilles, and exhaust systems in addition to the rear deck badging. Specifically, the 3.2 features an exclusive front apron with side gills and enlarged inlets for engine cooling. A modified and enlarged rear spoiler and a honeycomb diffuser help reduce rear-end lift at high speeds."
Interior Features
The beautifully laid out and red-illuminated instrument panel and dashboard area in the Audi TT are models of modern industrial design, easy to read, easy to use and understand. Ergonomics has always been a strong suit with modern Audi products. The TT interior is about twice as adventurous as a typical Audi sedan interior, though, with a glamorous center stack, more decoration around the instrument bezels and air vents, and a generally livelier presentation of all the usual information.
The bucket seats are small, but what there is is a good, solid seat with enough adjustment latitude to fit even tall drivers like me (6 feet, 4 inches). The quality of materials, their fit and their finish are unassailable, and there is an interior option for the seats and trim called Baseball Optic stitching that is very sexy, especially in orange or black.
There is room for two average-sized adults in the TT, and that's about all there is. There is a tiny bit of storage available in the door pockets and glovebox, and a tiny stash behind each of the bucket seats, but this is a deliberately cozy interior whether you're driving the coupe or the roadster.
The trunk holds only 7.8 cubic feet of luggage or cargo, just about enough for a weekend getaway (unless there's a black tie function Saturday night). The side windows are very short compared to most cars, even most sports cars, so you have to watch your head on the way in and on the way out or you'll knock yourself in the noggin.
• For more information such as specs, prices, and photos of the 2004 Audi TT, click here: 2004 Audi TT.
