The 2000 Audi TT

Base Price: $30,500
****(Great Looking Sports Car ) 

The Audi TT is one of the coolest looking vehicles on the road. There's nothing else quite like it. From a strict styling standpoint, it's awesome. But, remember, true sports cars like this give you few creature comforts.

Yea, I know, the TT is no family car. And for the market it serves, it's perfect! So few are being sold that you are guaranteed to be noticed when you drive one. You're also guaranteed to pay a premium, above the quite reasonable sticker price. But, what kind of premium do you place on being cool.

On the inside the Audi TT is "too tight", which kind of cramps the fun of driving a vehicle like this. They will soon come out with a roadsterversion (shown off at this year's auto show), which is a great idea, because even my four year old son couldn't fit comfortably in the back seat. That's why the vehicle comes with an air bag shut off switch.

Leaving out the small size, the interior is cool and cockpit like. The gauges are well laid out, and glow in that cool "Audi red" at night. Yes, the interior has a unique style that goes along with the TT's exterior. There are bars beside the seats, unique looking air vents, and seats that are like no other vehicles. Even the petals have a rivethead feel to them.

Some of this coolness compromises the convenience. For example, the cupholders are so unique, and so far back, that they are pretty much unusable. Hey, who cares, when you can feel cool as you drive down the Reutherbahn. But, be careful. This vehicle is so well put together, the speedometer will be well past eighty before you notice you're speeding. In fact, that police officer with a radar gun may be the first person who sees you speeding. It's hard to believe that this is only a four cylinder engine. The upside is good fuel economy for this type of car, 22 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway.

I was very surprised with the size of the TT's trunk, or hatch, or whatever you call it. It wasn't big, but it did have enough room for a suitcase or two--which is more than many comparable vehicles give you.

The TT also comes with those "way too cool" blue headlights, which are an option...but a very worthwhile one. They are very different, and very practical.

My biggest complaint about the TT is the poor sight lines. They really cut down on visibility, and give you too much of a blind spot, particularly to your left. That's especially scary when you're merging onto the freeway, and even a Ford Escort looks like a big SUV compared to the TT.

The TT Coupe began as a concept car at the 1995 Frankfurt Auto Show. The reaction was so positive that it was put into production, virtually unchanged. It debuted as a 1999 model. New for 2000 is Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system, which is an option. Front wheel drive isstandard.

The TT's design has been described as part VW Beetle/part Porsche. That's it's appeal. It's so unique. It's built on the same Volkswagen platform as the Beetle and the Golf, but looks nothing like either vehicle. It has the same engine as the A4 sedan. But it has more of a kick with the lighter TT body.

What does TT mean anyway? I had one person tell me it stood for "tavern to tavern." That's not true. The Audi TT was named for the legendary "Tourist Trophy" races run in Europe in the early part of the century.

Everywhere I went, people asked me what I thought of the TT. The standard answer became it was a great car to tool around in for a week, but long term, it could be tiring. If you have the money to buy this as a "weekend toy", you'll have a fun vehicle to drive. But, the Audi TT is certainly not your daily commuter.

Still the Audi TT is a thrill to look at and a thrill to drive. Let's put aside our need for a few creature comforts and give this daring vehicle four out of five stars.