Review: For its 20th anniversary, the Audi TT receives a whiplash

The course of the Isle of Man TT covers 60.72 kilometers of the most varied tarmac and the most demanding of the world. On barren mountains, rains fall without warning and wildlife rushes to the other side of the road; in the cities, narrow streets wind between narrow buildings and stone jagged fences. The road is unpredictable, so it is better not to ride.

Enter the Audi TT, a nice little coupe that is essentially a slim Golf R with more options. This is not meant to be a compliment of the setback because the R is currently the hatchback to beat in terms of daily livability and pace. This year, the TT receives a minor facelift and, more importantly, an improved powertrain that speeds up the pace.

The TT brand is 20 years old this year, with the launch of the original coupe in September 1998. The car gets its name from the Tourist Trophy motorcycle races held annually on the Isle of Man, with one of the parent companies of Audi, DKW, winning a general victory in 1938.

For our test, a fifth of the mountain of course – about 12 kilometers – was closed to traffic for a high-speed race between the restaurant at Craig-ny-Baa and the hairpin bend down Ramsey.

"You have to think of it as clbadical music," says Richard Quayle, one of three local Manxmen to win a TT. "There is a rhythm and a rhythm in the course." [19659009Atabout145km/hinblindright-handedbrakingit'scomfortableenoughbehindtheTTwheeltomomentarilylingeronthebraveryofmotorcycleracerswhorunoverOntheonehandthebikescoverthisterrainmuchfasteratspeedsof300km/hormoreForanothertheydosowithouttheprotectionofasteelhullandAWDWhileanavalancheofseagullssuddenlyfloatsontheroadflashingthebrakelightsathoughtisclearlyilluminated:Cyclinghere?Youshouldbeacrazy

However, in a car at as unshakable as the TT, we just want to go faster. The magnetic suspension variable suspension absorbs ruts and bumps, and the combination of a turbocharged engine coupled and an AWD allows you to accelerate the post-apex. Turn-in is much sharper than what you expect from a four-wheel drive car, and Pirelli's standard equipment tires allow for a specified side of 1.0g or more.

Management is not alive with feedback, but offers sharp precision that is not normally badociated with Audi. In addition, it is variable in ratio, which means that it is less nervous and agitated at higher speeds but fast through the hairpins

Smooth-rump and sharp claws like a Manx cat, the TT scampers on the road imperturbable by seagulls, or sudden hollows. There are more exhilarating machines, those that pivot under you in a delicate ballet. The TT just grabs and sinks.

Despite a new engine that brings a slight power bump, the updated seven-speed gearbox is really the only major mechanical improvement for the TT. It's hard to criticize his quick responses, whether left to himself or moved manually with pallets.

With the unrestricted section made, a quick tour of the rest of the TT course is a great way to take a brief tour of the picturesque towns that dot the island. You see the odd Ferrari or Porsche, but most fast cars here are of the hot-hatchback variety: the Civic Type R, the Focus RS.

The TT 2 + 2 seater is not a real purpose sports car built in the mold of a Porsche Cayman or similar. It is essentially a well polished machine built on the bones of a hot hatchback car.

But for a frantic pace on a rough road, it's a sure companion that eliminates imperfections and spits out raw speed. On the Isle of Man, bikes operate on the bleeding edge, the broken seconds between life and death. In the TT, clawing on four wheels on a slippery bend with the tachometer overflowing in the red, the risk is gone, but the reward remains.

You'll love this car if … [19459021