Comments on: Saab vs Audi TT

By: Baby Driver

Baby Driver — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 18:39:04 +0000

Hi Everyone! I loved the test drive. I love the look. I’m just wondering if some small drawbacks I saw mentioned at http://www.audittroadsters.com will bug me over the longer haul. Any thoughts?

By: Arild

Arild — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 00:10:37 +0000

A couple of years ago I got to drive an Audi TT 180hp Quattro. My friend had it on loan for a weekend and we switched cars a few hours. He drove my 9-3SS Hirsch 195hp and I drove the Audi TT. All I remember from the experience is that the Audis performance was good, but not as good as my Saab, and that the rattles in the Audi drove me crazy! The interior was looking nice, but seemed poorly built. Returning to my Saab felt good. A place where I could relax.

ps: My friend still raves about my Saab’s performance :p

By: Swade

Swade — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 18:12:47 +0000

Jon, you hit the nail on the head.

“Re the interior, extensive Audi research showed that if an interior was of high quality buyers assumed the rest of the car (i.e. the bits you can’t see like the engine etc) was of a high quality too.”

It’s such an important part of the whole car-ownership experience. As noted by Kaz and Zippy, the interiors on the Audis are top notch and they’re winning a lot of hearts and minds because of it.

See the car from the outside – OK. There’s the hook. Sit in it – great! Hooked even more.

The drive ain’t so great due to some vagueness, but you’re so happy being inside it that it doesn’t matter so much.

By: zippy

zippy — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 17:38:40 +0000

Swade, you sure do get to drive some cool cars that Viggen of yours is hot, hot, hot!! I have driven a 9-3SS back to back with an A4 and can tell you that the Saab outhandles the A4 bigtime. The Audi had this weird bouncy ride even on the smoothest of roads whereas the Saab was firmy planted on the road and dont even get me on the handling as that Re-axs (sic?) rear suspension (note to GM do NOT get rid of this rear suspension – ever!!!!) makes the Saab feel like it on rails. It handles like my brothers Mini Cooper, in fact. Coming off the freeway offramp I had my foot on the gas all the time and that baby just stuck to the road like glue – the Audi was just not that involving to me!

The only place the Audi won hands down was the quality of the interior – there is nothing this side of a Rolls Royce that matches Audi quality and thats what Saab needs a dose of to be the perfect car.

I have yet to drive a BMW 3 series and I expect that thing to be, well, beyond excellent.

Swade, I saw the new TT at our local motor show last week – DROOL!!

By: Ted Y

Ted Y — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:51:27 +0000

Got me thinking about Daf. Good thing Saab didn’t merge with Volvo in the 70s. Probably would have been the end of Saab, like it was with Daf. Nice history at Hemmings:
http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/daf/2005-images/DAF-Club-History-of-DAF.pdf

By: Ted Y

Ted Y — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:45:21 +0000

The Dutch did make cars, at least till 1975 when Volvo bought Daf auto.
http://www.ritzsite.demon.nl/DAF/DAF_cars_intro.htm

They still make trucks though.

By: 1985 Gripen

1985 Gripen — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:30:34 +0000

Jakob: I just saw a news report a couple weeks ago that stated some new study found that the Dutch are the tallest people in the world. I would’ve thought Scandinavians too, as all the Swedes I’ve ever met are really tall!

So you’d think that Scandinavian cars would be designed for taller people to fit in. The Dutch don’t make any cars, do they?

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:51:43 +0000

I have never been a fan of Audi, they leave me a bit cold. I have read the press on the new A5 and with the changes they have made to the chassis they admit the previous offerings from Audi just did not handle.

The A5 is a coupe version of the next A4 so look it up (i have only seen it in print so far) if you want to see the exterior / interior of the next A4 will look like. Always interesting to see what the competition is up too.

Re the interior, extensive Audi research showed that if an interior was of high quality buyers assumed the rest of the car (i.e. the bits you can’t see like the engine etc) was of a high quality too.

By: Kaz

Kaz — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 09:34:57 +0000

I should add that if I was to buy any roadster 2nd hand for a bit of weekend fun, it would have to be the Vauxhall VX220 Turbo, one of the best handling cars I have ever driven, and that turbo has a kick in it that shames many supercars

By: Jakob

Jakob — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 09:11:34 +0000

I love the look of the TT.When I first saw it I wanted one.
I have had a ride in one from a friend but I do not fit behind the wheel, my legs are too long!
That has been the case of every roadster I have tried, even the Boxter(my favorite):(
Hopefully if here is a new sonnet it will fit people with long legs unlike the Pontiac Solstice. Being scandinavian myself I know there are lots of tall people there.

Before I had my 9-5 I had a 2000 New Beetle and that is as close as I can get to a small roadster,and that car was a blast to drive (so is the 9-5! and it is much smoother and quicker) and as an Architect it was a “Bauhaus on Wheels”.
It had lots of room up front but almost none in the back, so when we got our daughter it was off to the Saab dealer!