Audi TT
On sale 16th September 2006

Are you a career woman? Have you just woken up to the fact that you haven’t actually seen a decent looking single bloke for ages? And even then he was eyeing up some twenty something? Don’t fret, all is not lost. Presumably all those long hours have rewarded you with a healthy savings account, attractive independence and intelligent conversation. So now you just need to make those few remaining good looking singletons see you. And what better way to attract, than to be seen driving in a fantastic looking coupe? The new Audi TT went on sale on 16th September.

This is definitely a car for the classy bird. Drive this and you’ll look as if you’re loaded. The new TT is longer, wider and slightly taller than its predecessor and it has a totally new exterior design. The big news about this car is that it is 69% aluminium which makes it 75kg lighter and therefore faster.

The interior is plain but uses extremely good quality leather and alcantara upholstery and lots of aluminium trim. Front sports seats are figure hugging and there is a 3 spoke flat bottom leather trimmed sports steering wheel which is also unique. The audio system is MP3 compatible and there is a 140 watt Concert II audio system with a 5 channel amplifier. So if at first you are not seen, at least you can be heard!

The new TT is 50% more rigid than the old coupe, so it has more precise steering and cornering. You can also read up on its new optional features which will definitely impress any would be suitor. The new Audi is the only car in its class to offer ‘Magnetic Ride’. No, it’s not a seductive magnetism! This futuristic system automatically alters the suspension according to the road surface. A stiffer suspension can also be selected manually for a sportier ride. Costing £1100, it is also available on the Ferrari 999, so good associations there and the driving enthusiast will instantly be influenced.

There are other innovative systems on this coupe which greatly appeal, even if you’re not quite sure how they work. For instance there are many braking safety systems and assisted steering at lower speeds which make the TT extremely easy to manoeuvre so you can even park to make an impression.

The optional S tronic dual clutch gearbox combines the benefits of a conventional 6 speed manual gearbox with the qualities of a modern automatic and it gives better fuel consumption and performance than the manual gearbox.

Although I found plenty of room for the driver and front passenger, space in the rear is cramped, but then why would you want a third person playing gooseberry?

There are initially two engines available, the award winning 2 litre and a 3.2 litre quattro. Four wheel drive is standard with the larger engine providing excellent road holding.

The UK is the biggest market for the Audi TT with 2,500 orders already received and 55% favouring the 2 litre. Unfortunately you might have to put your pulling power on hold for a while because the Audi TT is completely sold out until March 2007!

The good new is that a roadster is following on behind, which will be a lot more attractive to women buyers. Available in the spring next year, the open top will give you a lot more visibility, so probably worth waiting for. For company car drivers, the Audi TT has a residual value better than a Porsche and pence per mile it is really affordable. Audi expects to sell 6000 coupes in a full year and 3000 roadsters.

So dip into that healthy savings account, use your attractive independence and tackle your local Audi dealer, impress with your intelligent conversation of course and then just wait for the wolf whistles!

By Sue Cooke