Take 2 for the Audi TT

Remember the Mark 1 Audi TT? In 1998, the sports car world was in a renaissance of sorts. The market had tired of the overpriced, overcomplicated sports cars like the Nissan 300ZX and Mitsubishi 300GT. Instead, newer, retro inspired, "entry-level" sports cars from Europe were beginning to capture this lucrative market with the likes of the BMW Z3, Porsche Boxster, and Mercedes-Benz SLK. And Audi, good ol’ stylish Audi, was not one to get left behind by this paradigm shift in motoring excellence.

In due course, the Bauhaus-inspired TT was unveiled, followed shortly by its cabrio version. And a hit it would become, because while at the extreme edges of its performance envelope it was softer than a Porsche Boxster S or BMW M roadster, the look simply couldn’t be beat. And in a world where style is everything (how many people actually race their cars on real roads, right?), buyers voted with their wallets for the Audi.

Unveiled this month by PGA Cars, the new Audi-TT Coupe flaunts even sexier sheetmetal in a fastback profile that’s an artful blend of convex and concave curves, sharp creases and broad shouldered fenders. It’s not a purposeful function-follows-form look like the BMW Z4 Coupe or the visceral appeal of a Ferrari, but it’s timeless, confident, and very Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Functionally, it’s also a friendlier car to be in as it has grown 137mm. longer and 78mm. wider, yielding an increase of 75mm of interior space to benefit rear passengers.

A new platform also boasts of a stiffer and lighter chassis, made of 69% aluminum and 31% high-strength steel. Thanks to this platform, Audi assures that the car has even better driving dynamics with a minimal overall weight gain; the front-drive TT weighs just 1,260 kilos. The Philippine-market TT comes with a 2-liter turbocharged, fuel stratified injection inline-4 rated at 200 HP and 280 Newton-meters of torque. Coupled with adjustable timing for the intake valves and an electronic drive-by-wire system, Audi claims an estimated 15% improvement in fuel economy from a comparable 2-liter engine with indirect port fuel injection (Audi claims the TT consumes just 13 kilometers per liter in combined city and highway driving).

But who really cares about such pedestrian concerns as fuel economy when you’re playing in this league, right? The well-heeled buyer will be more appreciative of the TT’s gorgeous interior, featuring a flat-bottomed, race car-inspired steering wheel, Nappa leather and/or Alcantara upholstery, RECARO sports seats, and a dashboard design that continues Audi’s tradition of simplified elegance and rich-feeling textures. Two people can actually fit in the back, but unless they’re kids and you’re not playing in the NBA, sitting back there won’t be much fun.

Standard goodies already include multiple front and side airbags, ESP stability control, ABS-EBD with emergency brake assist, and possibly 6 million pogi points. Like your options? You can get the optional S-Tronic dual clutch gearbox, which is basically a manual transmission with an automated twin clutch system. So equipped, you can change gears via the shift lever, or by pulling on paddles behind the steering wheel, no clutch pedal required. Need more bling? Order the flashy 19-inch wheels. More power? Spring for the 3.2-liter 4-cam 24-valve V6 with 250 HP and 320 Newton-meters of torque and you get Audi’s famed Quattro all-wheel drive as well. Now in its second generation, Audi’s encore looks to prove that the TT is sweeter the second time around.