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What's special about it?
Car companies love to save their new convertibles for the L.A. auto show, so the world debut of the 2008 Audi TT roadster (in dealerships next summer) fits right in. Following on the heels of the 2008 Audi TT coupe introduced earlier this year, the TT roadster adds a slick-looking soft top to Audi's uniquely styled two-seater.
With so many other manufacturers going with retractable hardtops for their convertibles, Audi made sure to state its case for sticking with a traditional design. Its main argument: weight. By sticking with a less complex and lighter top mechanism, Audi's engineers were able to keep weight gain to a minimum while maintaining the TT roadster's low center of gravity.
Space was another consideration as the soft top takes up less luggage space when folded. Standard models get a manual-folding top with a single-latch release mechanism while top-of-the-line versions use a power-operated top. It opens and closes in 12 seconds and will work at speeds up to 30 mph.
To compensate for the loss of the roof, Audi's engineers reinforced key elements of the TT's aluminum and steel structure. The bulkhead behind the seats which houses the pop-up roll bars is made of steel while the roadster's unique extruded aluminum side sills have multiple reinforcement ribs. Additional upgrades include steel tubing around the windshield and reinforced A-pillars. The result, according to Audi, is a TT roadster with twice the torsional strength of its predecessor, which in English means it's much stiffer.
Like the coupe, the TT roadster will offer a choice of two engines and two transmissions. Standard models will be equipped with Audi's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. It sends 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels via a standard six-speed manual gearbox or an optional six-speed dual clutch setup. Upgrade to the TT 3.2 V6 and you'll get 250 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque fed to all four wheels by a standard Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Although a six-speed manual is the standard gearbox, Audi claims a faster 0-to-60 time of 5.9 seconds with the optional S tronic dual clutch gearbox.
What's Edmunds' take?
A hardtop might have made it look a little better, but the TT, which has always been a little portly for its size, needs all the help it can get to stay slim. Sometimes old school is the best school. — Ed Hellwig
What's special about it?
Car companies love to save their new convertibles for the L.A. auto show, so the world debut of the 2008 Audi TT roadster (in dealerships next summer) fits right in. Following on the heels of the 2008 Audi TT coupe introduced earlier this year, the TT roadster adds a slick-looking soft top to Audi's uniquely styled two-seater.
With so many other manufacturers going with retractable hardtops for their convertibles, Audi made sure to state its case for sticking with a traditional design. Its main argument: weight. By sticking with a less complex and lighter top mechanism, Audi's engineers were able to keep weight gain to a minimum while maintaining the TT roadster's low center of gravity.
Space was another consideration as the soft top takes up less luggage space when folded. Standard models get a manual-folding top with a single-latch release mechanism while top-of-the-line versions use a power-operated top. It opens and closes in 12 seconds and will work at speeds up to 30 mph.
To compensate for the loss of the roof, Audi's engineers reinforced key elements of the TT's aluminum and steel structure. The bulkhead behind the seats which houses the pop-up roll bars is made of steel while the roadster's unique extruded aluminum side sills have multiple reinforcement ribs. Additional upgrades include steel tubing around the windshield and reinforced A-pillars. The result, according to Audi, is a TT roadster with twice the torsional strength of its predecessor, which in English means it's much stiffer.
Like the coupe, the TT roadster will offer a choice of two engines and two transmissions. Standard models will be equipped with Audi's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. It sends 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels via a standard six-speed manual gearbox or an optional six-speed dual clutch setup. Upgrade to the TT 3.2 V6 and you'll get 250 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque fed to all four wheels by a standard Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Although a six-speed manual is the standard gearbox, Audi claims a faster 0-to-60 time of 5.9 seconds with the optional S tronic dual clutch gearbox.
What's Edmunds' take?
A hardtop might have made it look a little better, but the TT, which has always been a little portly for its size, needs all the help it can get to stay slim. Sometimes old school is the best school. — Ed Hellwig
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