2008 Audi TT Roadster Exterior Review
Exterior - What the Auto Press Says
The 2008 Audi TT Roadster receives accolades for its distinct trend-setting design and innovative convertible soft top. "The new TT is evolutionary in appearance and character, but it also shouts progress in terms of packaging and presentation," says Automobile Magazine.
"It's hard to imagine that the basic shape of an overturned bathtub with some flashy aluminum bits on the inside could have such an impact on automotive design," says Edmunds. "But that is indeed the case with the Audi TT. One of the most original-looking vehicles to come out in the past 10 years, the TT has rightfully earned its place as a Germanic icon." Most critics assert that the 2008 TT cleverly maintains it's retro-styling, but adds a dash of modernity and refinement to the mix. "The '08 has hints of the old styling - the sculpted, rounded sides and hood, for instance -- but it's less quirky looking," says BusinessWeek. Kelley Blue Book agrees, noting that there are now "crisper lines and the brand's trapezoidal grille sending out a decidedly more contemporary vibe."
Of the roadster's self-storing manually retractable soft top, Automobile Magazine writes: "The Roadster's top is well insulated, and lowers in only twelve seconds at speeds of up to 25 mph at the push of a button." While Car and Driver hails it as a "model of simplicity," Edmunds explains: "The Z-fold top incorporates a rigid plastic panel, and when the top folds down flush with the rear bodywork, this piece functions as a hard tonneau cover." This built-in tonneau cover leaves many critics impressed. In fact, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel calls it "a clever bit of design."
Also standard on every TT Roadster is a manual/automatic rear spoiler -- which, according to Automobile Magazine, "extends automatically when the car reaches 75 mph and retracts again below 50 mph; it also can be raised and lowered manually."
