Coupes vs. Drop Heads/Roadster/convertibles

["Peter Berrevoets" <peterb@mysysltd.com>]

>>Mike Arman wrote:

>>PS - saw a black TT "live" today - looks much better "in the flesh" than
in
>>any of the ads or pix I've seen. I wanna turbo-quattro-cabrio TT, no
coupes
>>for me, thanks.

>>MPA

I love driving around in the open - a la XKE - Cabriolet - Cobra -
<ducking>old Dodge 440 Challenger - SLK ...

However... I didn't mentioned the XK8 because I'm going to slaughter it
here.  The XK8 coupe is IMHO the most elegantly beautiful looking road car
mass produced today.  (I love the TT but elegant? beautiful?) The
convertible is right up there in  the looks department.  The difference in
handling and road feel is extreme - night / day - north / south - and so on.
The roadster had terrible cowl shake and unpredictable handling at the
limits.  The coupe was a pleasure (for a non-quattro) to drive.

Has anyone had (outside of the Z/M3 - Boxster - 911 group) a good experience
with the road holding and power handling capabilities of cabriolets vs.
coupes.  How do they compare? My opinion - can't knock a cabriolet for all
around fun - if you want real performance: coupe <period - no exceptions>.

On another note:

The Jan/Feb issue of Audi Driver showed the new V6 Biturbo with
cross-bolted - 4 bolt main bearings.  Serious power handling capability for
the bottom end of any engine.  This is the area that generally limits the
maximum power obtainable from and engine. If you can't keep the crank shaft
in the block, all the boost and 'unobtanium' elsewhere will be wasted. Give
me this engine in TT quattro coupe - the budget to have Herr Lehmann
'adjust' it, and I think you will have one of the quickest road cars ever
made.  Can the new quattro system handle the power that it looks like this
engine can potentially produce?  It looks like it's built ready to create a
new record for (pick your flavour) kw/cc or hp/cu.in. - (4 cycle engines
OK!)

So to paraphrase Mike Arman:

I wanna tweaked bi-turbo-quattro-coupe TT!!

Peter Berrevoets
1990 200TQ 10V
With new rear ventilated rotors (Avant) and calipers from a 91 V8!