2011 Audi TTS is Performance and Comfort in a Small Package

If it’s high performance and a large helping of German engineering you’re after, check out the 2011 Audi TTS.

This sporty little model is smooth, has a well-constructed interior and rocks a gutsy turbocharged engine.

The TTS, and its sister TT vehicle, comes as a two-seat roadster or four-seat coupe.

The TTS engine is a 265-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 258 pounds-feet of torque. The transmission is a six-speed automatic dual clutch that has paddle shifters.

The TTS also has Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system standard, allowing for great responsiveness and superb handling.

With this kind of power, the fuel economy numbers for the TTS are notable, garnering EPA ratings of 21 mpg city, 29 highway.

Audi has made some changes to the TTS’s exterior, including new bumpers and a larger front intake.

Other new features are the bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights, quad rear exhaust pipes and rear diffuser.

Audi says these changes present a more aggressive posture for the TTS, in a nod to its performance-tuned suspension and hearty engine.

The TTS has standard five-spoke, 18-inch rims, but 19-inchers are available as an option.

For its roadster, Audi has continued to avoid employing a convertible hard top. But its lightweight, fully automatic soft top consumes not much space when it’s folded, collapsing gracefully into the body contours. The top snaps down flat enough that there is no need for a tonneau cover. By touching the center console button, the top can be opened or closed in 12 seconds.

The soft top’s matting holds off wind noise from outside the vehicle when it is up. But even when the top is down, an electric, movable wind deflector decreases the wind impact for passengers.

The cabin is quite spacious for driver and passenger, with lots of head and leg room. And the leather seats are exceptionally comfortable.

This package of German engineering and performance is priced at just $51,800.

With its bold styling, sportiness and other capabilities, the TTS also provides very pleasant transportation, which can’t always be said of other cars of this size. So whether you’re using it as a weekend fun-mobile or an everyday driver, the TTS suits nicely.