Audi's Tt Coupe De Grace

The Age

Wednesday December 29, 2004

Andrew Heasley

IT'S ARGUABLY the model with which Audi should have launched its TT coupe range: a V6-engined, all-wheel-drive version with a trick paddle-activated gearbox.

Officially, it's called the TT Coupe 3.2 quattro and sits at the top of the TT tree on price and specification.

For $95,600, the model gets a tweaked version of the VW Golf R32's V6 engine, making 184 kW at 63000 rpm and a healthy 320 Nm of torque.

The power is fed to all four wheels via the six-speed direct-shift gearbox. While it ostensibly behaves like an automatic (with D for drive, P for park, etc), drivers can change gears via paddles mounted on the steering wheel. A sports mode keeps engine revs around the sweet 4000 rpm mark for instant response.

Keeping the motion in check are strong brakes adapted from the performance Audi RS4.

The exterior gets some minor spoiler revisions and different 18-inch alloy wheels. The cabin is trimmed with soft-touch leather with touches of alloy-coloured trim.

On the road, the 3.2 quattro is a fabulous drive. The engine spins willingly and feels like it has ample reserves of thrust.

Perhaps its crowning glory is the revised suspension, which delivers decent compliance for comfort and firmness.

What's not to like? The standard satellite navigation display is a monotone screen the size of a matchbox and the back seat is too small to take friends any sort of distance.

-- Andrew Heasley