Audi TT
While the UK's property prices and fuel costs are the highest they've ever been, some things are actually getting cheaper. It's now possible to fly to Spain for less than £50, own a DVD player for a mere £30 - or buy an Audi TT for less than the cost of the equivalent Toyota Celica.
There's no denying the value for money offered by this latest TT - especially considering the car's superb depreciation record. But the TT 180 FWD isn't as good to drive as quattro-equipped models. What's more, with the Tiptronic gearbox, it isn't as impressive as the manual versions in terms of what you get for your cash.
While the UK's property prices and fuel costs are the highest they've ever been, some things are actually getting cheaper. It's now possible to fly to Spain for less than £50, own a DVD player for a mere £30 - or buy an Audi TT for less than the cost of the equivalent Toyota Celica.
The Celica T Sport 190 will set you back £21,145; the new entry-level TT is £420 cheaper. At £20,725, the front-wheel-drive 180 Coup� is the least expensive variant of Audi's sports car ever - and despite the pared pricing, it's not a stripped-out base model.
It comes with climate control, part-leather seats, 16-inch alloys, a decent CD system and a hide-bound steering wheel as standard. What the newcomer does lack is the more expensive TTs' quattro four-wheel drive, so it doesn't feel quite as dynamic on the road.
The Audi still has competent handling, but without 4WD the traction control is too ready to take over if the car is cornered vigorously - it lacks the direct feel of some sporty rivals, but as a grand tourer it's in its element.
And it's no slouch, either. The sprint from 0-62mph takes 7.8 seconds, and the Audi hits a top speed of 142mph, so it's still every inch a performance car. Standard models get a five-speed manual gearbox, but the TT we drove came with the optional Tiptronic transmission at a very pricey £1,400. It's the first time such a set-up has been offered in the Audi, and if you like the flexibility of an automatic gearbox with steering wheel-mounted manual controls, it works well, offering six different ratios and virtually seamless changes both up and down the box.
But in automatic form, the TT loses its cost advantage, and it's the manual version that's bound to be the bigger seller. At this price, it's simply too good to ignore. It falls into a class where many rivals lack the kudos and the reputation for style that the Audi marque conveys - and for many buyers that will be enough to tempt them away from sportier but less exclusive models.
Given the strong residuals experienced by the rest of the TT range, plus 32mpg economy, it also offers affordable running costs. So this latest addition to the range could open TT owner-ship up to a whole new market - assuming buyers can run to it without messing up the mortgage payments...
