MattRG

Spoiler alert and if you don't want to read very much: it was fantastic and I loved it! For everyone else, more thoughts below.

My local Audi dealership (Audi Marietta - shout out to them for a really good experience today!) got a 2018 traded in. Black with black optics and fully loaded with absolutely everything including the Dynamic Plus pkg with the fixed sports suspension (which I was a little worried about and would not order on my own car but turned out to be better than I expected) and I scheduled a test drive earlier in the week. When I arrived I of course went through the whole explanation of what I was looking for (the best sports car for the money for my situation) and why I wanted to check out the TTRS. The salesperson listened accordingly but still had to go get the manager to explain to me that they do not give test drives on new TTRS cars (how do people make decisions without a test drive? maybe that is why this one got traded in after only 6k miles?) but on this gently used one they would allow me a short test loop since they wanted me to have a good experience. So again I am thinking I am glad I jumped on the chance to drive a pre-owned car!

I will try to keep this somewhat brief, both for your sake and mine, but what really stood out to me was what a good job Audi has done at turning the TT into a legitimate sports car and also what a great dual personality the TTRS has. I've been thinking about the experience for most of the day since I returned home and I am really struggling to come up with much in the way of negatives. Maybe the price is a little high if you look at it from the perspective of just an MQB derivative? But then again looking at the performance numbers and the cars that the TTRS will hang with (or pass) the price starts to look downright reasonable.

High horsepower and low weight will always be a fantastic combination and that is one secret to the TTRS's success. It is one of the main draws for me to the car as I am a current MX-5 Miata driver and I value small, lightweight, intimate cars that are agile and have quick reflexes. The TTRS has that aspect and although my initial worry, before the test drive, was that the TTRS would feel filtered or diluted in terms of the driving experience as compared to what I am used to it turned out not to be the case at all. There's actual feedback through the steering wheel and through the chassis and coupled with the engine and exhaust noise (oh that noise! I could write a love letter to that noise!) I got a real, legitimate and enthralling sports car experience. So that's the first part of this great recipe. High horsepower and low weight and all of the benefits that go along with it (some of those other benefits - brakes and tires last longer as well as less wear and tear on the chassis over time!).

The second part, and I don't have to explain this to anyone who has heard one or been in one, is that motor and the sound it makes. And believe me, I have listed to tons of exhaust clips online but none of them are nearly as good as being there, in person, either inside the car or standing outside while it drives by. After having driven the TTRS in a "somewhat" spirited manner (96mph while merging onto the interstate, when did that happen??) I can say with authority that if I owned one I would be reproducing that sound as often and as loudly as possible. It is now ingrained in my brain and playing it back in my memory stimulates my pleasure centers most strongly. What a fantastic noise!

And then there's the way the car launches and just shoves you back into the seat. And the speed at which it revs out to 7k rpm and the "chuff" it makes when you change gears while really "on" it. it is a special powertrain and for me, completely lives up to the hype (actually, it is even better than I thought, which is saying something) and Audi should be really, really proud of it.

Finally, there's that dual nature I spoke of in the beginning of this post. Below 4k rpm things are fairly quiet and civilized. There's plenty of room in the hatchback, especially with the seats folded down (I have always adored the hatchback design for this reason - done right it is both practical and good looking). The interior is spartan but also extremely high-quality and upscale in terms of fit and finish and materials used. The seats are great and so is the tech. I could easily take my wife and I on vacation in the TTRS and she would be comfortable enough and be able to pack enough "stuff" to keep her happy while I would be happy behind the wheel. The TTRS is perhaps the ideal "sports car daily" in terms of things I find to be important. Other folks may disagree, of course, but for me it is the strongest overall package that I have yet come across. Oh, and I also like the fact that the gas mileage can be rather good, if you want it to be. It isn't my highest priority in a sports car but I don't completely disregard it either.

On the tech side, I was really pleased with the way the MMI handled my music. I purposely loaded my USB stick with several different file types in several different folders before the test drive just to see how it would handle it. It was seamless and all of the music showed up in the MMI in the same place with the proper album art included. Bonus points to Audi for being able to handle FLAC files (not all automaker do this) as well as the standard .mp3 and .aac stuff.

At this point I am seriously considering going the route of ordering my own TTRS. The sales team at Marietta Audi said they would be happy to take my special order but that order fulfillment might take 6 months at this point. I appreciated their time (and the salesperson was very knowledgeable and thorough, especially in helping me to navigate the MMI features) and their offer of a special order. I have heard of other dealerships who don't want or discourage those and even if it takes awhile, for the TTRS, I would be happy to wait. In my mind, it is a very special car and after my test drive and I am extremely positive about it.

milo337

MattRG

Oh nice! Where did you get yours from? I'm not quite ready for mine yet as we have just paid off our mortgage and are in the process of building a detached garage. Still, I know allocations on the TTRS are slim and I want to be ready when the right car becomes available.

ourlee

Matt, i come from a modded nc2, that i miss very much. my regular TT is under going constant improvements and although a very different car than my miata, im finding it so much fun to drive. clawing out of corners and flying up hills and twists is fantastic fun. i have a 100k warranty, no way im selling this car for many years. hope you get one.

sladams1

I drove that one the day it arrived from Audi (It was a corp car used at shows and such, have the window sticker somewhere that shows it being delivered directly to corp). I am taking delivery ANY moment now (yep at about 8:20pm on a Saturday evening. Liked the Audi Marietta guys, but found a dealer I LOVE event better who is doing home delivery with paperwork and everything, can't get better than that. P.M. me if you have any questions on that! Mine is Daytona Gray with everything except Dynamics (and spoiler delete.) Sounds like we may have enough TTRS guys local to ATL to do a TTRS meet-up or such! Tail of the Dragon anyone?

MattRG

Wow sounds like you are having a great experience. I wondered where that black car came from so thanks for letting me know. Who did you get your car from, if you don't mind me asking? And feel free to PM me if you would prefer. I think my preferred spec would probably be just like yours; Daytona Gray with black optics and all the options except Dynamic Plus.

The guys at the dealership told me they have a car on order (and I believe it will be their final 2018 car) that is basically the same spec as what I want but is Glacier White. It doesn't have a VIN yet so it hasn't shipped from overseas although they expect it within a month or so.

sladams1

PM'd @MattRG

Vegas-roadster

As noted in another thread in this forum, orders for all versions of 2018 TT were closed earlier than usual, believed to be caused by a modest body refresh for 2019. There are 60+ TTRS sitting on lots across the US according to cars.com and cars.com obviously do not have all of them since some dealers do not post there. TT sales are so poor (an average of less than 1 a month for all US dealers) that dealers keep a very small inventory, if any. 60+ TTRS sitting on lots is a glut but, on the other hand, dealers know they will not be getting any more for quite a while except for orders in process. So your sales folks are correct that it will be a long time for a custom order because you can't order ANY TT now. Allocations for the TTRS are no longer rare. While this order freeze will create a small temporary backlog, anyone who wants a TTRS can get one if you shop multiple dealers because production capacity exceeds demand.

I also noted in another thread that cars.com lists an unusually large number of used 2018 TTRS for sale nationally. I don't know why that is but the number is several times larger than the used inventory of 2018 base TT and TTS COMBINED, and obviously there were far fewer TTRS sold than TT + TTS in 2018.

milo337

sladams1

I was about to pull the trigger on this one @milo337, but DPP was the show stopper for me. Would have loved everything but the fixed suspension, but that is just me, I'm an old fart that "needs" the Comfort setting of Magnaride. When I talked to them, they said it was already sold to one of their employees... seemed a little odd, but glad YOU got it! If you are ever in the Avalon area, we should connect and get a couple pics of the two GRAY's together!