Audi's TT Doubles the Pleasure

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The TT also now has a feature that Audi calls "Launch Control" (I kid you not). You turn off the electronic stability control (by pushing a button on the center console), shift the transmission into the sport mode with your left foot firmly on the brake, then hold the accelerator down with your right foot for at least one second while the engine revs up to 3,200 revolutions per minute.

The effect when you take your foot off the brake is very similar to revving the engine and popping the clutch in a car with a stick shift: The front tires squeal and the TT takes off like a mini-rocket. My 0-to-60 times in the 2.0T Roadster dropped to a consistent 5.9 seconds when I used Launch Control, which is only one tenth of a second slower than the more expensive (but 300 pounds heavier) 3.2 Quattro TT with the six-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive.

The S tronic automatic has a double clutch system in which two independent clutches replace the torque converter found in most automatic transmissions. So the TT accelerates with no noticeable pause when it shifts gears. Yet the exhaust note sounds like there's a professional driver doing the shifting, even when you just let the transmission do the shifting. The engine pops and crackles and has a satisfying growl as you put the TT through its paces.

The Roadster's cabin remains relatively calm and quiet, even with the top down at highway speed. That's largely because of a windscreen that you can raise up behind the rear seats at the push of a button. Another cool feature is the automatic spoiler on the rear deck. It deploys as soon as you top 75 mph and goes down when your speed drops back down below 50 mph. It really does seem to make the car hug the road a bit tighter at high speeds.

I have mixed reactions to the TT's interior. It's well laid out and has some cool features that emphasize the car's sportiness, such as the macho-looking aluminum "dead pedal" (you brace your left foot against it during hard driving) and the flat-bottomed steering wheel.

But legroom is fairly limited and I suspect that tall drivers will feel cramped. I also could have done without the synthetic suede inserts in my test car's upholstery, which seemed likely to pick up dirt and wear poorly. I'd prefer all-leather upholstery, though that costs an extra $1,250. I also wish Audi's designers would find some way of making the TT's tiny sun visors a little bigger. When you're driving into the sun, they're almost useless.

It's lucky the TT Roadster's trunk is relatively big, because storage space in the main compartment is in short supply. There are small bins in the bottoms of each door, as well as a small, lockable storage compartment between the seats on the back wall of the passenger compartment. But space in the glove box is limited, and shrinks to almost nothing when the optional CD changer is stowed there.

Buy It Or Bag It?

If you're going to buy a TT, my strong advice is to save money by going with the 2.0T. The 3.2T with the more powerful engine adds almost nothing when it comes to performance and is significantly less fuel-efficient.

True, the 3.2T comes with more standard equipment, but if you add the $3,050 Premium Package to the 2.0T the two models are comparably equipped and you still save about $5,000. (The package includes the power folding top, a three-spoke sport steering wheel with paddle shifters, a six-CD changer, heated and power seats, rain-sensing wipers, and an auto-dimming interior mirror.)

The main competing models to consider in the same price range are the BMW Z4 and the Mercedes-Benz SLK280 from DaimlerChrysler (DCX) (see BusinessWeek.com, 4/10/07, "BMW's Z4 Gets Its Props"). The '08 TT has been selling for an average of $45,366, according to the Power Information Network, while the Z4 has been going for $43,216 and the SLK280 for $46,366.

However, if you stick with the 2.0T version of the Audi, you can end up paying less than the average, even including the premium package. And the TT is better looking than the BMW and, at least with an automatic transmission, is more fun to drive than either the BMW or Mercedes.

If you're on a tight budget, consider the Nissan (NSANY) 350Z, which has been selling for an average of $33,272, according to PIN (see BusinessWeek.com, 7/19/06, "Z as in Zoom"). And if you're still tempted by the more expensive Audi 3.2T, consider the mid-engine Porsche Boxster instead. It sells for an average of $51,879, but its superior rear-wheel-drive handling characteristics are worth the extra money.

For more on the 2008 Audi TT Roadster, see BusinessWeek's slide show.

Thane Peterson reviews cars for BusinessWeek.com.