It's official...more...

I saw it here first, and now every Audi dealer in LA is bitting the bullet and announcing that the 225hp is AT LEAST a year away. So I moved my deposit to a quattro 180hp. But I gotta say, I drove a '95 Carrera 4 today and it was awful nice. About fifteen thousand more than the TT... but it was really nice...really really really nice. And the next A4 is going to have the 180 hp engine as well so suddenly the 180 TT doesn't seem so special. Anyone else feeling confused and dazed?
John

John I.-

I have never read (in Car & Driver, Automobile, Motor Trend, or AutoWeek) nor heard (from my dealer--Rusnak in Pasadena, CA) that the 225bhp car would be here before January 2000, anyway. What / whom led you to believe that you would get the car sooner than that?

Just curious.

-John P.

I met Freeman Thomas at Bevery Hills Audi for their intro of the car...it was the same NM TT that was at Rusnak the next day. Sales people at both places were talking about October delivery, not in time for Monterey but close. Then the post here from Switzerland described the drive line problems and the date being pushed back. And today I went to BH Audi and they also reported that they were just being told that the arrivals would now NOT be in October, but next spring. I'll wait until I drive the 180 but it might just be too little too late when stacked up against the competition.

John,
A Carrera 4 is a somewhat different car from a TT, thus I am a little dazed and confused that you are "cross-shopping" these two cars. I really like both of these cars, but if want and can afford $15k more for the increased power and panache of the Porsche (not to mention insurance and operating costs), then do it. I doubt even a good driver in a 225hp TT could keep up with an average driver in a Carrera 4. However, if you like Audis (and new car warranties) but want more power (and can afford $42k+), then the 250 HP quattro S4 might be a canidate, which I beleive will be avialable about the same time as a TT quattro (Oct-99). The US has never really had an Audi "S" car before. ("S" is to Audi like "M" is to BMW, and "AMG" is to Mercedes). Europeans are a lucky bunch when it comes to cars. Some S4 pics: www.audi-s-cars.com/99S4/images/

As for the 225 HP TT, it has always been a spring 2000 model in all publications about the TT. I guess salesmen can get a little over zealous sometimes. Sorry you got misleading info.

By the way, I wouldn't believe too much about rumors regarding 225hp TT drive-train problems in pre-production cars. Audi is working VERY hard to regain market share in the US after the "unintended acceleration" media debacle from the late 80's, and they are VERY interested in maintaining their image of producing high quality automobiles. Besides, with an inclusive 50,000 mile warranty, reliability is an important design consideration. Bottom line, Audi simply will not release any new car with serious reliability problems, especially in the US market.

William, a '95 993 out here is only 3 to 5 more than the price of a 225 TT. The issue of maintenence costs also isn't bad because unlike Ferrari, Porsche has lowered the costs. As for the "image"...well that never was an issue with me, (years of Alfas cured that). For me, this is a stunning black/tan C4 that drives as new. But after haggling with the dealer last night, I'm back to the TT. Actually in the real twisty stuff the TT should have no trouble keeping up or even ahead of a Porsche...sort of like the Alfas and the Ferraris and Porsches in the Mille Miglia or Targa Floria...a light car w/ a hot little motor can humble many of the bigger engined machines. I guess I'll have to drive the 180 to make up my mind. Thanks...

Both the S4 and the S6 were available in the previous generation Audi.


-Stu Koch
99 2.8 qts

Hello Gentlemen,

Has AoA set the pricing on the TT's ? Will the the cost of a TT be 15K less a than Porsche? If that's the case, the TT seem to be a better buy than the Porche.

I must have been driving a mirage all these years...

DwayneC
94 S4

Well, yes, I believe a few older "S" Audi's were imported to the US (>1000 in total), but I have never seen one here in the US (or even read a review of a US version). I hope Audi will import 5000 or so 1999 S4's to the US if the demand is high enough. The Europeans still get the vast majorit of "S" cars. FYI: This month's "European Car" magazine reviews a 1999 S4 and laments the lack of availability of that car here in the US.

I have two friends with 93 S4s.....and two with 94 S4s....they are around...more frequently than you think....alot of them are in Boston, Denver, and California in general.

Steve S.
97 A4 2.8 Quattro