The New Audi TTS

Well, what do we have here?

What you see is the new Audi TTS (essentially, it’s the beefier version of the latest TT design).

And it packs some impressive stats:

A two-liter TFSI engine delivering 265 hp propels the TTS Coupe zero to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and, a governor-limited top speed of 250 km/h (155.34 mph).

Not bad, huh?

I know, there’s been a lot of criticism of Audi’s design direction for quite a while, and the TTS is further down that same path, so that won’t win it any friends. And I got to say, I’m not really on board with the way they’ve been going.

I applaud Audi for making the R8, and I think any car maker that wants my attention should be making an all out, top of the line, sports car like the R8 (at a minimum). But I gotta say, somehow, Audi has been designing cars that are simultaneously more bland and more ugly.

They really went down that whole fish-mouth grill route - something about trying to tie in with their Auto Union heritage (an impressive heritage, sure), and that sure set off the whole front end … and then the rest of the car … well, what, too much surface tension, not enough working of form versus void?

I dunno … but for all of the on road capabilities that newer Audis, and this new TTS, have, they sure seem to wrap them in a mediocre package.

I had a TT 3 years ago, I sold about a year after I bought it though. I much prefer the old body shape, the new one is much bulkier, I’d never buy one now.