2000 Audi TT Coupe

It's been a long, tedious wait since the '95 Frankfurt Motor Show. That was where Audi's curvaceous concept car-the TT-first wowed the assembled crowds. The excitement was further fueled when a roadster version-the TT-S-lit up the Tokyo Motor Show, drawing even more attention to the car's artful lines and interior. From there, it was just a matter of time. Yet, one nagging question still was underlying all the TT hubbub: How much of the concept magic would be lost on the production version?

The wait is finally over and, as we learned at the TT's European launch in Gubbio, Italy, Audi has given us a remarkably faithful rendition of the head-turning show car.

The production TT is a beautifully designed vehicle that becomes more impressive the deeper you look. As if cueing off Audi's quad-circle logo, much of the styling revolves around a circular theme, imaginatively blending exterior and interior, and integrating lots of clever touches throughout.

The first version to reach our shores will be a front-drive 2+2 coupe, equipped with a turbocharged 1.8-liter 20-valve inline four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission. This turbo four is basically the same as the 150-horsepower engine in the A4, yet output has jumped to 180 in the TT, thanks to a larger turbo and intercooler, freer-breathing intake and exhaust manifolds, and some computer tweaking. While the engine's torque peaks at 173 pound-feet, its broad, flat power curve holds that figure from as low as 1950 rpm all the way to 4700. Combined with the light weight of the TT, this engine provides snappy performance that revs easily and delivers instant acceleration. Turbo lag is well controlled, most evident when starting from a dead stop. According to Audi, the car's 0-100-kph (0-62 mph) time is 7.4 seconds, which would put it a half-second up on the last 1.9-liter BMW Z3 we tested, but a half-second down on the supercharged 2.3-liter Mercedes-Benz SLK. Meanwhile, the FWD system is equipped with full-time traction control, and an all-wheel-drive Quattro model will be available in late summer.

Coming about a year later will be a 225-horsepower version of the same engine, getting its extra power from a still larger turbo with higher boost, along with a larger intake and lower compression ratio. This trick setup will include two intercoolers and a six-speed manual tranny, and shaves a full second off Audi's 0-100-kph results, slashing the time to 6.4 seconds.

As much fun as the TT is to look at, it's even more fun to drive. It has a light, nimble feel that made threading through the twisty roads of central Italy an out-and-out thrill. The fully independent suspension (with componentry adapted from the A3 platform) provided a comfortable level of compliance that didn't beat us up with race-car firmness. While the rack-and-pinion steering was pleasantly linear and accurate, it lacked the kind of solid on-center firmness we prefer. The quick-revving engine made even uphill passing a brief event, although a hint of torque steer was evident on the FWD model during hard acceleration. Overall, for at-the-limit handling, the Quattro version clearly held an edge, feeling more pinned down and confidence inspiring.