2010 Audi Tt Roadster
Can you really put a price tag on something that not only makes you feel good about yourself but can also make you feel young at heart again? No, I am not talking about Botox or breast implants here. I am talking about a car that is so sexy and fun to drive that it brings joy to your heart and makes you better looking just by sitting in it. The car I am referring to is the 2010 Audi TT convertible.
Just to be clear, my test vehicle is a 2008 Audi TT Premium 2.0 T roadster with only 7,000 miles on it that was loaned to me by a little old man from Laguna Niguel, California. I also call this man “dad.” While prying the keys from his hands can sometimes be like taking a pecan pie away from Kirstie Alley, this is a vehicle which offers a driving experience you will never forget.
The only things that are noticeably different with the 2010 TT roadsters are that they have a new chrome shift lever for the six-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive is now standard across the range. But with the TT’s gorgeous interior and exterior styling and superior driving dynamics still on offer, Audi really didn’t have any need to mess with perfection.
My father’s TT has suffered no mechanical defects in two years of ownership barring one false alarm from the tire pressure warning system. He immediately drove it down to the kindly service staff at Audi Mission Viejo and they fixed the problem all the while soothing his frazzled nerves by wowing him with their high tech coffee maker and assortment of snacks. His only out of pocket expense has been to get the oil changed every six months as his mileage is so low.
When I brought my father to the Mission Viejo Audi where he bought the car I intended to show him some replacement options for his Acura TL such as the A4 and A6. I never thought he would fall so head over heels in love with the sleek black roadster on the showroom floor. But apparently there is such a thing as a ¾-life crisis (as I like to call it) because he bought the car that day and truly is his prized toy.
So what is it about the Audi TT roadster that makes this ragtop so special? Well, in the following road test I will map out for you exactly why this should be the car of your dreams. Because I sure know it’s my dad’s.
Exterior, Interior and Build Quality
While many have lauded the first generation TT for introducing a new class of Bauhaus-style automotive design, I find that the exterior of the second generation TT roadster appears far more sensual and cohesive that the original. If public opinion is anything to go by (my father gets complements from jealous soccer moms in SUVs all the time), then the 2010 Audi TT roadster is nothing short of a home run.
As you would expect from Audi, the interior is a true tactile delight with a flat bottom steering wheel that is so exquisitely designed it belongs in an art museum. Materials are all first rate and the black leather/alcantara sport seats in this test roadster really help dress up the interior. Chrome ringed circular air vents and metal grab handles at the base of the dash add plenty of visual interest to an already delightful interior.
As is the norm with Audi nowadays build quality is truly impeccable. Just take one look at the interior of a 2010 Mercedes SLK, Porsche Boxster or BMW Z4 and you will see that the TT roadster is head and shoulders above its alleged competition when it comes to style and design. Comparing them is kind of like comparing Jon Gosselin to George Clooney. They are simply in different leagues.
Driving Experience
The first thing you notice when embarking on a drive in the Audi TT convertible with the top down is the pleasingly raspy crackle of the exhaust note as you accelerate. It happens whenever the DSG automatic changes gear and is a useful noise since you really can’t feel the double clutch gearbox switching gears as it happens in milliseconds.
While 200 horsepower and 207 pound feet of torque might not sound like a lot, the 2010 Audi TT is much quicker than those numbers would suggest. Trust me, you feel shortchanged on power by this quick revving and surprisingly fuel efficient motor. EPA fuel economy ratings are 21 city/29 highway.
But the 2010 Audi TT roadster has even more tricks up its sleeve than just the impressive engine and transmission. The steering rack is easily one of the best found in any Audi and offers a progressive level of feel at all speeds. The suspension is supple and absorbs bumps nicely on long drives but keeps body roll to a minimum when taking corners at high speed. Not that I would ever do that in your car dad. (Note: I am totally lying. The Audi TT roadster begs to be driven fast on winding roads like any great sports car should.)
The Convertible Top
Although super-complicated folding metal hardtops seem to be all the rage, you have to respect Audi for resisting the trend. The convertible soft-top in my father’s TT is triple layered so it is as quiet inside at freeway speeds as every folding metal hardtop I have ever driven.
But there is one huge difference between the TT roadster and all those folding metal hardtop convertibles. The TT roadster offers a trunk that can fit two medium sized suitcases whether the top is up or down. Folding metal hardtop convertibles have zero trunk space with the top down making them terrible road trip cars. Who wants to take a road trip in a convertible with the top up?
This one fact makes the TT roadster the perfect weekend getaway car for any couple as has been proven by the number of trips my parents have taken in their 2008 model to Palm Springs. And trust me, they never pack light.
2010 Model Pricing, Options and Features
The 2010 Audi TT roadster Premium model starts out at $40,800 but comes standard with the six-speed DSG automatic, the 2.0 liter turbocharged motor, Quattro all-wheel drive, ten way power driver/passenger seats, power windows and door locks, a power soft top and much more.
There are eight different leather interior options including “magma red” which appears to be a color that only a streetwalker or someone like Pamela Anderson could pull off. The rest of the leather options are perfectly color matched and of the highest quality. Audi really leads the industry when it comes to not only the feel of its leather trim but also the coloring (well, with that one exception).
Pick the up-level Premium Plus or Prestige models and you get in dash navigation, Bose audio, Sirius satellite radio, xenon headlamps and much more. Audi tries to keep things simple by lumping most of its features into the trim levels and then TT customers only have to choose things like exterior and interior color as well as the style of alloy wheels.
Once More with Feeling
The 2010 Audi TT roadster is without question the best two seat roadster on sale today thanks to its peerless blend of driving enjoyment, sexy exterior styling, elegant interior design, fuel efficiency and surprising amount of utility. So, if you are feeling a mid or ¾ life crisis coming upon you then why not treat yourself to a 2010 Audi TT roadster. After all, you only live once.
2010 Audi TT 2.0T Quattro Roadster
Base Price: $40,800
Engine: 2.0 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder with 200 horsepower/207 lb. feet of torque
Economy: 21 city/29 highway
Transmission: 6-speed DSG Double Clutch Automatic
0-60: 5.9 seconds
Top Speed: 130 Miles per Hour
The Way It Makes You Feel: Priceless
