I love sports cars - Audi TT a newbies point of view
I've always had great respect for fast production cars. The minute I see them in my rear mirror - I move aside, if I see one signalling to cut in - I give way. Just so I that I can oogle at its rear and listen to it roar if it ever zooms off into the horizon.
In fact the last time I gave way to a rare Chrysler Crossfire just to oogle at it, the cheeky bugger raised the spoiler up and down a few times like it was saying bye-bye then suddenly just zoomed off into the horizon. Man was I ecstatic to see and hear it zoom off like that. I'm easy to please that way.
Anyway this time I was tasked with arranging a wedding car for a close friend. After a few inquiries, another close friend said he could introduce me to an owner who had a pretty neat pearl white VW Beetle original with full red leather interior. Cool! So I arranged to have 8 white spunky Myvis to be the convoy cars and that was that.
Until I heard what the grooms best men were driving : Alfa Romeo 156, Toyota Harrier, Audi A4, Audi A5 coupe, Audi A6.... :vroam:
I scrapped the Beetle idea and sourced for a more appropriate car. Another close friend recommend his friend who had this Audi TT (see top picture). Looked great, pretty stock and I thought "Ha! Easy. Automatic and easy to handle. Perfect!"
Boy was I in for a surprise. I didn't expect the 2.0 L I4 FSI Turbo powerplant to be so incredibly torquey and what a car! Pity it didn't have the Audi's active "Magnetic Ride" suspension but the stock fully independant multilink suspension is no slouch! Road handling was fantastic without being bone jarring and body roll is so minimal keeping a cup of water in the car would be pointless (Initial-D reference for the uninitiated).
(I'm obviously a newbie at this car reviewing thing because I was so obssessed with driving the car I completely forgot about taking pictures.
Unfortunately I only took two pictures.)
Steering was light when driving slow, but as the speed increased so did the steering weight. Very interesting system! The rear spoiler popped up with a flair at 120km/h advertising to the whole world that I was speeding. Sound proofing was a bit lacking at the 'higher' speeds as wind noise was very apparent but at lower speeds you tend to drive too fast - 80km/h feels like 40km/h in this car because it's so quiet! No exhaust noise, no road noise, nothing. I don't recall ever driving any slower than 90km/h because it just didn't feel fast and it doesn't help that the meters are all in MPH.
Seats hugged me like a big polar bear and was so incredibly comfortable, and full leather throughout the car gave it that much more class. Every dial, knob and switch was within arms length (or was controllable by the steering remote) felt solid, clicky and chunky. Nice.
The most interesting about driving a sports car is how everyone else seems to treat you. Literally everyone gives you way and everyone lets you cut in. Haha! Does this mean if I drive a sports car in future I can be a road hog and everyone would be ok with it?
My only complaint was the aircon. The recirculation button is always off by default so all the external air gets pumped into the car, you have to remember to press that switch everytime you fire up the car otherwise be prepared to breathe exhaust fumes from the car in front of you.
Glamour, class, torque, power and everyone gives way to you on the road.
Gawd I love sports cars.
I've always had great respect for fast production cars. The minute I see them in my rear mirror - I move aside, if I see one signalling to cut in - I give way. Just so I that I can oogle at its rear and listen to it roar if it ever zooms off into the horizon.
In fact the last time I gave way to a rare Chrysler Crossfire just to oogle at it, the cheeky bugger raised the spoiler up and down a few times like it was saying bye-bye then suddenly just zoomed off into the horizon. Man was I ecstatic to see and hear it zoom off like that. I'm easy to please that way.
Anyway this time I was tasked with arranging a wedding car for a close friend. After a few inquiries, another close friend said he could introduce me to an owner who had a pretty neat pearl white VW Beetle original with full red leather interior. Cool! So I arranged to have 8 white spunky Myvis to be the convoy cars and that was that.
Until I heard what the grooms best men were driving : Alfa Romeo 156, Toyota Harrier, Audi A4, Audi A5 coupe, Audi A6.... :vroam:
I scrapped the Beetle idea and sourced for a more appropriate car. Another close friend recommend his friend who had this Audi TT (see top picture). Looked great, pretty stock and I thought "Ha! Easy. Automatic and easy to handle. Perfect!"
Boy was I in for a surprise. I didn't expect the 2.0 L I4 FSI Turbo powerplant to be so incredibly torquey and what a car! Pity it didn't have the Audi's active "Magnetic Ride" suspension but the stock fully independant multilink suspension is no slouch! Road handling was fantastic without being bone jarring and body roll is so minimal keeping a cup of water in the car would be pointless (Initial-D reference for the uninitiated).
(I'm obviously a newbie at this car reviewing thing because I was so obssessed with driving the car I completely forgot about taking pictures.
Unfortunately I only took two pictures.)Steering was light when driving slow, but as the speed increased so did the steering weight. Very interesting system! The rear spoiler popped up with a flair at 120km/h advertising to the whole world that I was speeding. Sound proofing was a bit lacking at the 'higher' speeds as wind noise was very apparent but at lower speeds you tend to drive too fast - 80km/h feels like 40km/h in this car because it's so quiet! No exhaust noise, no road noise, nothing. I don't recall ever driving any slower than 90km/h because it just didn't feel fast and it doesn't help that the meters are all in MPH.
Seats hugged me like a big polar bear and was so incredibly comfortable, and full leather throughout the car gave it that much more class. Every dial, knob and switch was within arms length (or was controllable by the steering remote) felt solid, clicky and chunky. Nice.
The most interesting about driving a sports car is how everyone else seems to treat you. Literally everyone gives you way and everyone lets you cut in. Haha! Does this mean if I drive a sports car in future I can be a road hog and everyone would be ok with it?
My only complaint was the aircon. The recirculation button is always off by default so all the external air gets pumped into the car, you have to remember to press that switch everytime you fire up the car otherwise be prepared to breathe exhaust fumes from the car in front of you.
Glamour, class, torque, power and everyone gives way to you on the road.
Gawd I love sports cars.
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