Tonight (22nd June) the UK TV Programme "Driven" reviewed the 225HP TT Quattro Coupe and compared it to the Mercedes SLK Kompressor and the TVR Chimera 4.0 litre V8. For those of you not familiar with the TVR it is a British built low volume 2 seater RWD convertable with quite a following here in good old blighty. All cars were a similar price, around 30,000 GBP.<p>I personally expected the TVR to come out on top as it falls in to the traditional sports car mould i.e. large normally aspirated V8, built by a specialist manufacturer with their own race series (TVR Tuscan challenge). However, this was not the case.<p>The review consisted of three basic sections:<p>1. Desirability - they parked all three cars on Brighton seafront and asked a group of holiday makers to pick the car they most liked the look of. It was a close run thing but the TT pipped the TVR by 3 or 4 more votes.<p>2. Handling - basically they did a standard test driving around in concentric circles (which I didn't think would be a valid test until I spoke to SLK and TVR owners who agreed with the findings). This is were the SLK looked VERY silly. As soon as any ammount of power was applied the car understeered so badly it virtually went straight on. The TVR faired much better with initial understeer changing to significant oversteer. The TT performed very well with a little initial understeer changing through a large neutral period to a little oversteer. In the words of the presenter "Mid way between the two extremes" (SLK and TVR).<p>3. Objective "specialness" i.e. which car made you feel you were getting something special for your money. Again the TT was agreed to be the best of the bunch.<p>So there you have it - they really liked the TT a lot. As for me I now have to be more patient than ever and wait for my roadster.<p>Hope this has been informative.<p>Regards,<br>Paul.

 

Excellent, Paul! This is the first piece of news on "this year's 225", and it sounds good. It's also consistent with my own recent spin in the (almost identical) S3, so I think we can soon be confident that Audi has managed to sort it out. <p>"Yes, I think '99 is gonna be a good year!" (Pete Townsend/me)

 

Hi Marius!<p>One thing I should have added (though it won't affect you) is that UK production is sold out until wait for it - 2001! As I'm on the waiting list and expect to get my roadster in September or shortly after, the word "smug" springs to mind <p>Happy TT'ing<br>Paul.

 

Hi,<p>which September do you mean?<br>If it´s 1999: Forget it. Official delivery just starts at the 10th of october, and the first few bunches will move straight into the showrooms. I think there won´t be seen much Roadsters on the streets in 1999, and nearly all of those will be in the hands of german buyers.<p><br>Michael

 

Lets see what happens eh?<p>BTW I think I get the first roadster in the UK<p>Paul.

 

Even though they said it was a 225, those with keen eyes would have noticed the single pipe aka 180. Great review though, and another great show by the Driven team (Top Gear Sucks).

 

NT

 

nt