Redesigned in 2008 and based on the same platform as the Volkswagen Golf, the TT is in its second-generation--but we haven't yet tested one. While other prestige roadsters, namely the BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK, are moving to turbocharged four-cylinder engines, the TT has been that way for years. Its 2.0-liter, 211-hp turbocharged four-cylinder is the same engine that we've enjoyed in the VW GTI and Jetta GLI. However, unlike those cars, the TT comes only with a dual-clutch automated manual transmission. You can't get a clutch pedal in a TT unless you go for the rare, full-tilt TT RS with its five-cylinder turbo. That probably reflects buying patterns, but seems something of a shame.
All TTs have Audi's "quattro" all-wheel-drive system. You'd think that makes them great cars in the snow, but TTs also have standard summer performance tires. You'll need to opt for the available all-seasons--or use winter tires--if you live where it snows.
Finding our TT roadster wasn't easy, especially given that there aren't many sitting around dealer's lots. It didn't help that most of them are black on black. (We prefer to test--and photograph--bright-colored cars that will look snappy in the magazine and online.) Our TT was located at and shipped from a Chicago-area dealer to our local dealer, who had to swap out a rare-as-hens-teeth Audi Q5 2.0T allotment to get it. (Audi has been running rather lean on supply as of late.) When this happens, bargaining becomes moot.
Read More: http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2012/03/just-in-2012-audi-tt-roadster.html
