The famous wit Oscar Wilde coined the saying “Art for Art’s sake.” However, every now and then, something appears that not only is a work of art in its own right but also has a practical function. One of these was the original bottle for Chanel Number Five, and the other is the Audi TT.

While the Chanel No. 5 bottle had its (appropriately enough) fifteen minutes of fame when used by Andy Warhol, the Audi TT has an entire new art movement inspired by its design. From Dubai to Sydney, art exhibitions and awards have been launched to celebrate the beauty of the Audi TT, which recently took the motoring world by storm when it scooped the 2007 World Car of the Year design award, where the judging panel praised its flared wheel arches, silhouette and signature single frame grille.

So what does the Audi TT look like? The latest incarnation of the Audi TT has moved on from the pure Bauhaus inspired symmetry which looked the same front and back, and now has a more directional and dynamic look. The curves of the Audi TT owe perhaps slightly more to the Art Deco movement than Art Nouveau, but the result is very, very pleasing to the eye. The interior, however, is definitely Art Deco inspired.

Chanel No. 5 would be nothing without the perfume inside. And it wasn’t looks alone that saw the Audi TT voted Germany’s most popular car. Both the 2.0 and 3.2 versions of the Audi TT roadster are built to impress and enjoy. The four cylinders of the Audi TT 2.0 TFSI give a bold 147 kW of power at 5100-6000 rpm and 280 Nm of torque over a very wide range of revolutions – 1800-5000 rpm. There is an uprated 2.0 TFSI verion that delivers a very refined and responsive 200 kW. The V6 engine beneath the stylish bonnet of the 3.2 Quattro, however, yields a dynamic 320 Nm of torque, albeit over a narrower range of revs (2500-3000 rpm) and a strong 184 kW of 6300. Some may quibble that the power of the Audi TT is a little on the low side, but if you remember back to high school physics, you should remember that power is derived from force, which in turn is derived from mass, and the Audi TT, being a coupe, is not a heavy car, so even though the 2.0 can accelerate from 0-100 km/hr in 6.5 seconds (and the Audi TT 3.2 can do it in 5.9 seconds), the power required for this feat is not as massive as it would be for a sedan or wagon. The top speed of the Audi TT 3.2 has been limited to 250 km/hr, and even the standard 2.0 is just behind this at 237 km/hr. The 200 kW version is a real flyer. With a 250 km/h limited top speed, and a 0-100 km/h dash of only 5.2 seconds (S TFSI quattro) you don’t hang around slow traffic for long. The handling and cornering of an Audi TT are excellent – but what do you expect when the designers obviously had curves and corners in their minds?

The beautiful looks of the Audi TT also manage to incorporate many safety features, with Audi’s Space Frame and side impact protection concealed within the body. Audi Backguard and dual front and side airbags are further safety features of the Audi TT, while the electronic stabilisation program incorporates traction control, EDL, EBD, ABS and brake assist, allowing the Audi TT to stop quickly (according to one reviewer, the Audi TT may stop a shade too quickly and fling unsecured items in the rear seat forward, so be careful when placing your briefcase on the back seat).

Within the Art Deco styled interior of the Audi TT, both driver and passenger comfort is assured with the heating and lumbar support provided by the leather covered sports seats (Valetta leather as standard for the Audi TT 2.0; Fine Nappa leather for the 3.2). A new generation CD/MP3 sound system provides background music for your drive (and the optional upgrades have to be heard/seen to be believed).

You can only share the experience with one lucky passenger, but then there are other pleasures in life that are best shared between only two? Keep in mind that the Audi TT has a wide variety of models to choose from: You can enjoy a roadster version and even a cabriolet, so make sure you look at them all before settling on your choice.

We can’t all afford an original by Van Gogh or Rembrandt. But if you want a masterpiece at a fraction of the price and that does more than simply hang on the wall, the Audi TT is a superb choice.

The current model series includes the:

• Audi TT 2.0 TFSI
• Audi TT Roadster 2.0 TFSI
• Audi TT 3.2 V6 Quattro
• Audi TT Roadster V6 quattro
• Audi TT S TFSI quattro
• Audi TT A TFSI quattro Roadster
• Audi TT Cabrio

For any more information on the Audi TT, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Audi dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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