Audi TT

[Pete Kraus <Pete_Kraus@EMORY.ORG>]

Just received an elaborate, artsy 20-page sales catalog (show catalog?)
printed in German and English on the Audi TT coupe.  Both the catalog
and the car are dramatic, to say the least.  The  idiosyncratic styling 
manages to be simultaneously retro and avant-garde.  To me it's
intriguing and immensely appealing.  But I'm not entirely convinced
prospective buyers will share my view.  With the likes of BMW,
Mercedes-Benz and Porsche introducing technically competent but
more mainstream designs, I can't help wondering (and hoping) there's
room for Audi in this segment of the marketplace.

Specs for the TT include the 150hp 1.8 liter turbo engine, 5-speed
manual transmission and, of course, AWD.  0-100km (approximately
0-62mph) acceleration is listed at 8.0 seconds, top speed at 140mph. 
Vehicle weight is 2694lbs.  This sounds roughly competitive with a
4-cylinder BMW Z3 (which may be speed-limited in the U.S.), but the
Z3 doesn't display anything approaching the attention to detail lavished
on the TT, nor does it enjoy the estimable benefits of AWD.   Also, the
TT is at least nominally a 2+2.

What do others on the list who are acquainted with the TT think of its 
styling?  Of its likelihood of success?  Audi's pricing policy certainly
may be a determining factor.  Does anyone know how much they go
for?

I still have the elaborate German language A3 catalog I offered to swap
a while back.  If anyone is interested, please contact me directly.  And
thanks to jazman for his episodic thriller on Audi's '86 Commemorative
Design series.  Great stuff!

Pete
Pete_Kraus@emory.org
Stone Mountain, GA
'85 4KSQ 
'89 Ford F250 4x4 diesel
'95 Z28