You may have already seen this, but check out this review of the TT. Interesting comments re fwd v. quattro. Should make that decision easy. Lots of other great reviews, M5, Carrera 4 etc.<p>http://www.racecar.co.uk/roadtest/contents.html<br>

 

I'm glad to see they were as unimpressed with the handling of FWD version as I was (confirming my decision) and excited to read that they were conversely so impressed with the Quattro model. "Late 80's FWD chassis" feel hits the nail on the head. Good if you want to spend the least amount of money and still get all the style, though.<p>Making the 225Q wait feel only more prolonged...

 

I'm very impressed with the handling of the FWD version. I've driven twisty roads at high speeds, and the car sticks like glue. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, my opinion is that your comments are akin to stating that a Ferrari handles like a Yugo. Certainly, the vast majority of automotive magazine writers and newspaper reviewers have driven the FWD version and been most impressed.<p>Your degradation of the FWD and characterizaton of it as being all style and no performance is unfair, untrue, and insulting to FWD TT owners.

 

the problem is, there are a *lot* of machiens out there that handle super-well - i've driven a few, and the TT is completely on par with the best of them.<p>now, i've not driven the Q, yet, but i imagine that it must be better (4 wheels vs. 2 wheels - DUH) <p>but, sheesh, like brad says - it sticks like GLUE.<p>it has a (my) body-to-car connection that i've frankly never quite experienced for the dollar, and as it slowly breaks in, it feels *so* much an extension of me.<p>that's truly what matters.<p>gs.

 

RWD cars do tend to steer with a more unadultered feel than FWD. Forcing the fronts to steer and provide power is demanding....and it leads to compromises. There is a reason why all top sports cars are either RWD or AWD.<p><br>

 

Well, you know it's just my opinion. I don't mean to be insulting, but I'm always pretty straightforward stating my honest opinions in these matters, and I know that sometimes can bother people. <p>I didn't say it was "all style and no performance," and I especially don't think I said ANYTHING akin to your characterization of a Ferrari handling like a Yugo-- I just thought that the FWD was not particularly wonderful chassis-wise, and the overall feel of driving the car was not remarkable, compared to, say, a Volkswagen Corrado-- which is exactly what a late 80's FWD platform felt like. It seemed like a GOOD car (as was the Corrado) and the style is exceptional, but I didn't walk away thinking it was a GREAT-driving car. So I have to be honest with you here, and I intend no offense, but some of the heaping praise on the board here about the allegedly awe-inspiring handling of the 180FWD model seems just a trifle overstated. The fact that the road test at racecar.co.uk reached similar conclusions reassured me that I probably was not jumping to the wrong conclusion, hence my original comment in this thread.<p>Also, "grip" is not akin to great handling, it is more a tribute to modern tire design. A great chassis is about feel and feedback and how well and reassuringly the car approaches (and even exceeds) its limits and can be placed on the intended line. As one journalist once put it, approximately, it's funny how rear wheel spin feels lush and exciting, while front wheel spin and torque steer just feels cheap. Now, on my brief test drive I didn't get to even flirt with the car's limits, but the simple act of pulling out of the dealership driveway into traffic with moderate power applied on dry pavement should not IMO be sending the steering wheel into a FWD dance-- but that's exactly what happened. That is not the mark of a car cooperating with its driver and bringing man and machine into oneness. First impressions can mean a lot, and that was a bad one.<p>I'm a fairly skilled driver, I'd say, and I've owned around 10 different cars and driven maybe hundreds of others, drove my former NSX on a few race tracks including Bridgehampton and Lime Rock, and I also ride sportbikes on the track and the street (currently I ride a Yamaha R1,) so it's not like I just fell off the Hyundai car carrier. We're all entitled to our opinions, as you said, and I sure wish I could afford to drive a 180 for a year and then trade it on a 225Q because I still think it's an extremely neat and lovely car, but as it is I have to wait for my one TT. If it makes you feel any better, the waiting is not at all pleasant.<p>Happy driving,<p>-Bob