Car Review Of The 2004 Audi TT 3.2 Coupe and Convertible Sports Car
Base MSRP Range: $39,900 - $42,900
Base Invoice Range: $36,049 - $38,719
MSRP As Tested: Not Available
Versions: Coupe and Convertible
Vehicle Category: Sports Car
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: All-Wheel Drive
Engine As Tested: 3.2-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 24-valves, V-6 cylinder, 250-horsepower at 6,300rpm and 236 lb-ft torque at 3,200 rpm.
Transmission As Tested: Standard 6-Speed, Direct Shift Manual . Gearbox
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 22/27
Standard Safety Features: Driver and front passenger airbags, seat mounted head and chest side airbags, power-assisted disc brakes, ">Antilock Braking System (ABS)Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP).
Competition: BMW Z4, Nissan 250Z, Honda S2000, Chrysler Crossfire, Mercedes-BenzZ SLK, Porsche Boxster
Review
The Audi TT 3.2 convertible is a perfect car. So if you were hoping for a review full of criticism, this isn’t it. With the introduction of the 3.2 liter engine and the Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) 6-speed transmission - all of which we’ll explain momentarily - the TT 3.2 is the sports car Audi always promised us.
Audi introduced the TT concept car in 1995 establishing a design icon that could, and has, stood the test of time. The TT’s instantaneously, recognizable, rounded silhouette is to Audi design, what the 911 is to Porsche.
The original car was designed by Thomas Freeman, before he left for Chrysler. And Freeman worked under the watchful eye of J. Mays before he left for Ford. Freeman and Mays gave Audi a period of design superiority that made these men the most sought after automotive designers of the late Twentieth Century.
American car designers Freeman and Mays are both Design Center (Los Angeles area) graduates, along with Chris Bangle now BMW’s the head of design. Together these three creatives are shaping the look of a most cars being sold worldwide.
The Audi TT gets its name from the Gordon Bennett Cup races run at the turn of the Nineteenth Century on the Isle of Man off the coast of the U.K. These races were called the Tourist Trophy, hence the TT moniker. Auto Union, the forerunner to Audi, was a major competitor in these events. So was NSU, the motorcycle and car manufacturer Audi bought in 1969. NSU’s Prinz compact car was named the TT.
The first production Audi TT came to the U.S. in 1999, as a 2000 model year coupe. The original TT was powered by a 1.8-liter, turbocharged engine. The car looked great but did not deliver Audi’s promise of a true sports car. The car was under powered with the a version of VW Golf’s 1.8T engine. Without the Quattro all-wheel drive system and only a 180 horsepower engine, the original TT was a bit of a disappointment.
In 2001 Audi added a higher-pressure, turbo engine with 225-horsepower, Quattro, and a convertible version. The increase in horsepower and convertible top helped the TT to approach Audi’s desired product.
The introduction of the 3.2-liter, V-6 engine and the Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) Audi has hit the nail on the head.
Vehicle Exterior
The 2004 Audi TT 3.2 convertible is the first release of a product from their new styling system called the S Line. Audi’s S division no longer just produces their high-performance products, but also the S Line and RS version products. S Line is the name Audi has given to vehicle retrofits that mostly effect appearance, and not performance.
The S Line changes to the TT are minimal, but striking. The new front apron, with larger air-intakes, enlarged rear spoiler and honeycomb diffuser give the TT a less rounded look. With the top down, the TT 3.2 looks like a more traditional roadster, with chrome accents, elegant lines and color combinations, that barely hide it high-tech underpinnings.
It is drop dead gorgeous, especially in red with the natural leather interior. You’ve got to see it.
It is hard to imagine that Audi is planning a complete redesign of the TT for release in just a few years. It already seems to be a perfect and classic design.
Vehicle Interior
The interior has hardly changed. It has lots of brushed aluminum, circular accents. The seating surfaces are soft, Napa leather. The roll bars have the brushed aluminum finish with a glass window between them to control air turbulence in the car when the top is down.
There are cool details in this car’s interior that aren’t in the competition. There is a door over the stereo controls that looks great. The car can be ordered with baseball glove leather and stitching - this looks good but might be hard on your clothes. The look and feel of all the controls is quality and built to last. And it comes with a big aluminum dead pedal so you can anchor yourself when you whip it around mountain roads.
The most significant difference in the interior is the steering-wheel mounted gear-shift paddles. When you get in the car you will immediately notice the absence of the gear shift knob - this is a true manual transmission afterall. But it’s actually there, it just looks like the shifter for an automatic transmission as the hardware has been moved to the steering wheel.
Performance
The 3.2 liter, V6 engine delivers 250-horsepower with 236-lb,-ft. of torque - that’s about perfect for this little topless car. 25 more horsepower and no throttle lag compared to the 1.8T high-output turbo makes a huge difference.
The engine is smooth and its sound is that sexy purr only true sportscars have.
But what truly sets this car apart from the competition is the DSG transmission. There is no clutch, but you get all the performance of a traditional manual transmission with the convenience of an automatic. Shifting is effortless and done using a paddle on the right side of the steering wheel to shift up and another on the left to shift down. And no clutch pedal - oh I guess we said that already. The Audi TT now joins the ranks of the few sportscars that can be driven comfortably in stilettos along with the BMW Z4, Ferraris, Mazerattis, Aston Martin, and Toyota MR2 with manual gearboxes.
Audi has developed the best manual gearbox with paddle shifters of all the current makers. Theirs is not sequential as is BMW’s which has all the gears aligned along a single shaft with a single clutch - squeeze the paddle, which activates the clutch, the next gear is selected, the clutch is released and the gear engaged. The Audi DSG transmission instead uses two shafts and two clutches. The even gears are on one shaft and the odd ones on the other. When you select first gear, second gear is preselected and in position. When you squeeze the paddle the next gear is engaged, and the gear needed after that becomes selected. This makes for must faster shifting; the connection between driver and transmission is never disrupted.
When the paddle on the left is squeezed to down-shift the transmission’s computer automatically gives a the system a little gas to align the engine and wheel speeds. This avoids over-revving the engine. This used to be a complicated heal-toe maneuver for the driver - hitting the brake and gas at the same time while working the clutch peddle with your other foot. Audi’s resolution is a lot easier. Not only will you be a better driver, you’ll sound like one too.
So you want super-fast acceleration from a stoplight? The DSG transmission has a F1-style launch control feature. With the gas and brake pedals depressed simultaneously, the engine revs to 3,200 rpms. When you release the brake, the TT accelerates through the gears as fast as possible, taking you from zero miles per hour to speeding ticket in a heartbeat.
The twin-clutch design of the DSG gearbox is not new for Audi. It has been in use it in their racing programs since the mid-1980s. They have just now brought a production version to market, and it is only available in the TT 3.2.
Ride and Handling
As always the Texas Hill Country is a wonderful place to test cars; the scenery is gorgeous, the roads twisting and pristine, and the weather is often spectacular. The Audi TT 3.2 , with its top down, was the perfect car for that perfect day.
The ride is comfortable and luxurious for the passenger, and the driver gets just enough road feel for precise driving.
The Audi TT 3.2 roadster’s DSG gives the ability to always have the proper gear giving the wheels the right amount of power for cornering, passing, and fast acceleration. The second you think of the gear you need and hit the appropriate paddle, the DSG transmission instantaneously selects the gear you want. Passing is safer and more thrilling.
TT’s braking into, and accelerating out of curves is what every roadster lover dreams of. Accelerating is more fun, and safer, with instantaneous gear selection.
Safety
The 3.2 coupe and roadster come with a full array of standard safety features including next-generation dual front airbags, 3-point seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters. The TT is first-in-class with seat-mounted head and chest side airbags. Audi’s standard Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) works in conjunction with the Antilock Brakes, Traction Control and Electronic Brake Force Distribution which helps to reduce brake fade.
Built into the body of the car are two roll bars, which are the main components of the rollover protection system - and they look great when top is down too.
An anti-theft system is standard, and OnStar will be available for a fee shortly.
In Conclusion
Audi claims the vehicles competing with the TT 3.2 include the Nissan 350 Z, Chrysler Crossfire, Mercedes-Benz SLK, BMW Z4 roadster, Honda S2000 and Porsche Boxster. In our opinion the only vehicle in the set that really competes is the BMW Z4 roadster, for both looks and technology. But the DSG transmission really sets the TT 3.2 apart from the competition.
The TT 3.2 roadster and coupe finally live up to Audi’s promise to build, for the first time, a true sportscar. They have certainly succeeded. The TT is gorgeous, the ride and handling are spectacular, and the DSG transmission unique and thrilling. You can’t go wrong with this car in your garage, unless of course, you leave it there.
Editors Ratings
Pros: Absolutely everything. 6 cylinder, normally aspirated engine with instantaneous throttle response. DSG transmission. Reasonably good trunk space for a sportscar. Modern Classic roadster styling. A great car to collect.
Cons: None, as long as you have the money for a fabulous toy like this.
Ratings (1-10)
- Style: 9
- Performance: 9
- Price: 8
- Handling: 9
- Ride: 9
- Comfort: 9
- Quality: 9
- *Overall: 8.8
More Data
Where Built: Germany.
Major Options: Bose premium sound system, Navigation System, Premium Package.
Seating: 2
Number of Rows: 1
Length in Inches: 159.1
Warranties: 4 years/50,000 limited warranty, 12 years/unlimited corrosion, 4 yearsmiles free roadside assistance, 4 years/50,000 miles free scheduled maintenance .
Weight in Pounds: 3,472.
Maximum Payload in Pounds: Not Available.
Maximum Gross Vehicle Weigh in Pounds: Not Available
Towing Capacity in Pounds: Not Available.
Gas Tank Capacity in Gallons: 16.3
Destination Charge: $720
