Used 2018 Audi TT

The 2018 Audi TT is a counterpunch to sporty coupes and convertibles like the BMW Z4, Infiniti Q60 and Porsche Cayman and Boxster. Like virtually everything Audi makes, the 2018 TT seamlessly blends its performance, style and luxury, never favoring one aspect of its personality over the other. Under the hood is a superb 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, putting out 220 horsepower in the TT, 292 in the TTS, or a scorching 400 in the TT RS. Add in Audi’s excellent quattro all-wheel-drive system and high-tech features like the so-cool “virtual cockpit,” and you have a car that encapsulates 21st-century driving. It’s brilliant fun at its limits, but it’s also practical, with generous front-seat room and plenty of cargo space in coupe models, too.

Audi says it committed to making a pure sports car for this 3rd-generation TT, even going so far as to call it a “baby brother” to the vaunted Audi R8 exotic. That, to be honest, is a stretch, but there’s no doubt that the 2018 Audi TT and 2018 TTS have the performance and handling chops to take on its rivals from Porsche and BMW. The way the Audi quattro all-wheel-drive system sends the 220 horsepower from the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine to the ground is like adding gravity, keeping the car pinned in hairpin turns and high-speed sweepers. There’s no lack of power; the TT coupe gets to 60 mph in about 5.3 seconds, and the TTS gets there in s 4.6. Yet, despite all this sports-car talk, the TT and TTS remain surprisingly livable in quiet and relaxed driving. The new, super performance TT RS, however, does bring Audi’s coupe closer in spirit to the R8. Its unique turbocharged 5-cylinder is like nothing else out there, in both performance and even the sounds it makes. In a word, it’s intoxicating. This is a serious performance machine, obliterating the 60 mph barrier in just 3.6 seconds on its way up to 174 mph if you opt for the Dynamics plus power. As is the story with the TT in general, the RS’ straight-line performance merely complements its talent in the cornering department.

The air vents in the 2018 Audi TT cabin don’t just aim the air. The elegant design incorporates the controls as well, showing the climate readout in the vent dial, and using the housing to control adjust temperature, seat heat and more. That kind of simplicity and elegance permeates the TT’s cabin, whether it’s the vents, the Virtual Cockpit, or the excellent ergonomics and comfortable front seats. It’s an excellent experience for the driver and front passenger, but the coupe’s rear seats aren’t really fit for people. Better to fold and forget them. We wish the TT’s sun visors offered more adjustments.

The 1st-generation TT boasted an “upside-down bathtub” shape, most of which is gone on the newest version, with the rounded wheel arches and central exhaust the only vestiges of that iconic styling. However, the TT coupe and convertible are still distinctive cars. The hatch on the coupe models blends neatly into the tail, while the roadster’s fabric roof opens and closes in 10 seconds, at speeds up to 31 mph. The squat and muscular shape of its immediate predecessor remains, but with taut lines, a trapezoidal grille, and full LED headlights adding distinctive touches. TTS models can be distinguished by their quad tailpipe outlets, while the new TT RS replaces those with a pair of large oval finishers. The TT RS also distinguishes itself with a fixed rear wing spoiler and available OLED (organic light-emitting diode) rear taillights, a first for a production-series car.

VIRTUAL COCKPIT
This is a must-have feature on a new Audi. It replaces the physical gauges with a 12.3-inch digital display running at 60 frames per second, powered by an NVIDIA quad-core computer processor. The upshot is that you get a flicker-free experience, with multiple levels of information available right in front of you.

QUATTRO
Audi didn’t invent all-wheel drive, but its quattro system is so intrinsic to the brand’s DNA that you could be forgiven for thinking it had. Proven on rally cars around the world, the system not only improves grip on slick roads, but on dry roads as well.

Newly standard on the 2018 TT and TTS are parking sensors, which combine with the standard rearview camera to make backing up a snap. Also standard are power-folding and automatically dimming heated exterior mirrors, the Virtual Cockpit, MMI touch-based infotainment system, and a 9-speaker/155-watt AM/FM/CD/HD Radio with two USB inputs and Bluetooth connectivity. There’s automatic climate control and full LED headlights. Leather upholstery comes standard, as do the 12-way power-adjustable heated front seats. Roadsters come with an electric wind blocker along with its power-operated top, while the higher-performing 2018 Audi TTS comes with adjustable suspension, larger wheels and tires, and TTS-specific styling. In addition to its high-performance engine and other hardware, the Audi TT RS features magnetic ride control, Nappa leather seats, 19-inch wheels, and RS-specific interior and exterior aesthetics.

Along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker 680-watt Bang & Olufsen audio system is available for the 2018 Audi TT and TTS. It’s all part of the Technology package, which also adds navigation, Audi Connect 4G LTE service with Wi-Fi, and a side-assist blind-spot monitoring system. An S-line competition package adds glossy interior accents, aluminum doorsills and inlays, red brake calipers, suspension upgrades, and unique seats and leather. The TTS Coupe offers Nappa leather-trimmed seats with contrast diamond stitching and three color options, including an eye-catching Calendula Yellow. One way to get even more performance out of the new 2018 Audi TT RS is to opt for the front carbon-ceramic brakes, which are 8 pounds lighter than the standard rotors and better at resisting fade in track use.

The 2018 Audi TT and TTS come with different versions of the same 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. In the TT it puts out 220 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, rushing the TT Coupe from a standstill to 60 mph in only 5.3 seconds, with plenty in reserve. The Audi TTS uses a high-output version of that engine that puts out 292 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, enough to blast the TTS from 0-60 in just 4.6 seconds. The new TT RS coupe is even more extreme. It produces an even 400 horsepower from Audi’s unique 5-cylinder engine, and can do 0-60 mph in just 3.6 seconds. Regardless of model, the TT comes standard with quattro all-wheel drive and Audi drive select for different drive modes ranging from relaxed to sporty. The Audi TT and TTS use an excellent 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, while the TT RS has a 7-speed dual-clutch. Fuel economy is also decent, with the TT getting an EPA-estimated 30 mpg.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (TT coupe & roadster)
220 horsepower @ 4,500 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/30 mpg

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (TTS coupe)
292 horsepower @ 4,500 rpm
280 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/27 mpg

2.5-liter turbocharged inline-5 (TT RS coupe)
400 horsepower @ 5,850-7,000 rpm
354 lb-ft of torque @ 1,700-5,850 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/29 mpg