Driving a VR6
When I was working regularly for the now-defunct magazine, Modern Classics, I helped organise a test for 2000s six-cylinder coupés. In it, there was a Nissan 350Z, a Porsche Cayman S and a BMW Z4 M Coupé. A varied trio of cars, given the fairly limited entry criteria, but at the time it never occurred to me, nor to anyone else involved in the test, to include the VR6-powered Audi TT 3.2. Then, one night, months after the story had been published, I woke with a jolt, thinking I had made such a blatant error by omitting the TT.
No reader had got in touch to say I’ d made a mistake, no publisher or advertiser either. Maybe they all knew that the TT would have been out of place amongst those more purpose-built drivers’ cars. The Audi is, after all, based on a Golf platform. I had to find out for myself. Eventually, I drove a six-cylinder firstgeneration( 8N) TT Roadster – and then a four-cylinder Coupé – which confirmed that I was accidentally right to keep it out of the feature.
The character of the 3.2 TT’ s engine was, by quite some margin, the most memorable thing about that car. Specifically, the noise. Without any prior knowledge of what was under the bonnet, I don’ t think I’ d have guessed the engine had six cylinders. It didn’ t have the smooth-as-double-cream feeling of a straightsix, but it was immediately lovable in a way that only the rarest V6s are. Rather than a six, I could have been convinced it was an inline five, such was the almost off-beat nature of its warble. Perhaps the four-ringed Audi logo on the steering wheel – and the images of Quattros dashing through forests that I associate with that emblem – skewed my judgement.
It was a good job the engine made such a captivating noise, because it didn’ t turn the TT into an especially sporty car. Torquey, yes, as much of the engine’ s shove comes in the mid-range. This was exaggerated by a throttle map that seemed to open the throttle fully with only a 20 % of pedal movement.
It wasn’ t a slow car, but the 3.2 didn’ t zing at high revs, so it simply didn’ t satisfy your sports car cravings. Its muscular, if not athletic, performance generated a more considered, more sophisticated driving manner. From memory, it felt no faster than the turbocharged 1.8 version, which was much more energetic if not as classy. But I didn’ t drive them back-to-back, and the 1.8 was a lighter Coupé not a Roadster, so it’ s far from a scientific comparison. However, it is telling that the most hardcore version of the 8N, the Audi TT Quattro Sport, didn’ t use a VR6 but the five-valve-per-cylinder turbo 1.8 inline four.
The VR6 perfectly matched the ordinary TT’ s persona, though. Its chassis and four-wheel-drive setup made it safe and secure, typically Audi – and a far cry from the reputations of the spoiler-less early TTs. Driving around on a wave of VR6 warble in a laid-back manner, appreciating the TT’ s truly exceptional design, never troubling the tyres or chassis, is its own sort of driving enjoyment. Just not one that’ s quite as joyful as
30 The Engine Rebuilder Issue 05