by James Lewis Jr.
The all-new 2016 Audi TT comes in the styling version of a mini-R8 Supercar but alludes to a sharper/more tighter driving experience and is definitely a contender in the territory label of Sports Car. I had the pleasure of driving one in the Tango Red Metallic Exterior with Black Interior. The 2016 Audi TT is offered in two styling trims: Coupe and Roadster (Convertible). The awe-mazing focal point of cutting edge design of the cabin is the 12.3 Audi Virtual Cockpit Display where the infotainment controls and everything that is interface-related is moved directly in front of the driver which works with voice controls, an MMI Touch Scratch Pad in the center console and Steering Wheel Toggles. The ‘middle area’ is now a row of round vents that control the climate settings, along with LED ambient cabinet lighting which gives the car more of a modern race-car feel. The Equipment Standards are: Audi Advance Key ( which is a Keyless Entry/Keyless Start 2.0L TFSI 220hp/258lb ft I4 Engine ( meaning this car can go from 0 to 60mph in as little as 5.3 seconds—vroom vroom, with Cruise Control, along with the Quattro All-Wheel Drive System, 6-speed S Tronic (automatic and not manual) Transmission, 18” 5-double-spoke dynamic design, 245/40 Summer Tires, ESC (Electronic Stability Control), Disc Brakes that are ventilated in the front with solid rear discs, ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) with Brake Assist, an Adaptive Rear Spoiler (that includes manual operation feature), a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) and Spare Tire with Tool Kit and Jack. IT also has Remote Locking, an Alarm System, a HomeLink Garage-Door Opener, a Front and Rear Parking Sensor System and Audi Side Assist, Automatic Wipers and Headlights.
The Exterior of the car’s profile hasn’t changed much but it is a bit more chiseled. The R8 shows itself in the LED Matrix Headlights, new creasing to the hood and in the Single Frame Grille (it looks kind of trapezoidal), a powered spoiler that extends at speeds around 75mph and it retracts around 44mph, which isn’t going to make much of a difference while driving on the Highways in the US but it is still worth mentioning and it does gives you some bragging rights! Full LED Headlights (DRLs, Low/High Beams, Turn Signals, LED Taillights with Dynamic Turn Signals, Heated Exterior Mirrors.
The Interior’s contemporary styling of the cabin featured LED Ambient Lighting, a “virtual cockpit” gauge cluster that obviated the need for a separate center screen on the dashboard. It placed directly in front of the driver the ability to control the display screen to show everything from how effectively the car was being driven, the Drive Select System (Dynamic Mode = Sport Mode, i.e. RACE CAR, Individual Mode= Sedan Mode, i.e. STREET CAR) with the twist of a knob. A MMI Navigation Plus Package that adds a lot of COOL STUFF in addition to displaying clear, smooth-scrolling high-contrast colored maps a screen which also doubles as a Gauge Cluster, Heated 12-way Power Adjustable Front Sport Seats including Lumbar Adjustment, Alcantar Leather Seat 50/50 Split Folding Rear Seat, Audio Sound System with AM/FM/SAT/1CD audio with SD Card Reader, SIRIUS Satellite Radio (with three month complimentary subscription), 3 Spoke Leather Wrapped Multifunction Flat Bottom Steering Wheel with Shift Paddles, LED Interior Lighting (that you operate like touching your touch screen cell phones or laptops).
The Safety and Security Features are: Driver Advanced Single Stage Adaptive Frontal Airbags and Front Passenger Advanced 2-Stage Adaptive Frontal Airbag Supplemental Restraint System, Driver and Front Passenger Knee and Seat Mounted Thorax-Pelvis Side Airbags, SIDEGUARD Inflatable Curtain Airbags, Front 3-Point Safety Belts with Automatic Pre-Tensioning and Force Limiters, Rear 3-Point Safety Belts with Automatic Pre-Tensioning, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) in Rear Seats and an Anti-Theft Alarm System with and Ignition Immobilizer.
The Packages/Options includes items that are costumed built such as: The Exterior and Interior Colors, Technology, Wheel Package, Sport Seat Package and the Bang & Olufsen Sound System and a Front Filler Panel.
The cabin of the 2016 Audi TT is that of a Race Car Enthusiast dream as well as the drive! The 2.0T Coupe beat out the base (manual-transmission) of the Porsche Cayman by an awesome 0.3 seconds (here is where those aforementioned bragging rights come in).
So my Race Car Fans…if your spouse utterly forbids you to drive for either INDY or NASCAR; give yourself an ultimate treat and test drive the 2016 Audi TT Coupe quattro S Tronic today! As always Drive Smart and Drive Safe
Happy Holidays!
