Classic & Sports Car - December 2015 UK

THEALTERNATIVES

There’sawide choiceof TT models,so under-

standthemand decidewhichsuitsyou best

beforegoingout to look.As with any well-built

modern,problemsarefewand,becauseoftight

productiontolerances,if thereare any faultsall

exampleswill sufferthem.Bewarecheapcars;

go for one that’s beenwell lookedafter – it will

save you thousandsin the long run.

Our verdict

FOR

•GreatBauhauslooks

•Strongenthusiastfollowing

•Excellentperformanceand handling

•Goodpartsand specialistback-up

AGAINST

•Interioris abit plasticky

•Somehavebeen crudelymodified

•Complexity meansnon-routinejobs are costly

•‘Bargains’ mighthavepatchyservicehistory

This3.2 V6 is generallytidy and unmarked.It

has a full history, the latestof six stampsbeing

fromarecentvisit to DF Newbury.The Decem-

ber 2009one at 42,000 miles carries a notethat

the DSGand Haldexwereincluded,but this

mighthavebeendoneagainbecauseit’s part of

the 20k/40k oil/oil and filterserviceintervals.

Its alloysare unscuffed,shodwith DunlopSP

frontand MichelinSportPilotsrear, abouthalf

worn.There’s no spare,thoughthe can of gloop

is unused;someof the toolsare missing.The

hoodis dustyin placesbut wouldscrubup.

The motoris cleanand tidy with pink coolant

to level.There’s surfacerust startingon one end

of the strut brace, and the window cover for the

chassisnumberon the scuttleis a littlecrumbly.

It’s generallygoodinside,but the seat suedeis

goinga bit ‘fluffy’– moreso on the driver’s side

• and thereare the usualsmallscratcheson the
  aluminiumtrimsof the doorpulls.The electric
  roof,windowsand winddeflectorworkperfectly.
  It fires instantly, pullsstrongly, plus the DSG
  functionswelland responsivelyin all three
  modes– fully automatic,slapstickmanualshifts
  or paddlechanges,holdingthe revs longerin the
  Sportsetting.The brakesare powerfuland pull
  up straight; the temperature sits steady at 70ºC.
  There’s only one key, but the MoTruns until
  August 2016 – the currentone showingadviso-
  ries for a coupleof frontsuspensionrubbers.

One to buy£6395

Ye ar ofmanufacture 2005 Recordedmileage

74,179VendorCoral Cars, Newbury;tel: 01635

433660 ForExcellenthistory;drives superbly

AgainstMinorcosmetics;not thecheapest

Bodyworkexcellent;undertraysmint;exhaustgood,too

Interioris smart,bara few scratchesandbobblingsuede

V6justserviced:noleaksbutfreshoilis a tadover-filled

BUYER’SGUIDE

202 Classic&SportsCarDecember 2015

ALFAGTV/SPIDER
Slightlyoutclassedby
theTTindrivability,
theAlfarival(also1.8
‘four’to3.2V6)oozed
character,soundedgreatandhousedafabulous
engine.Ifheartruleshead,youmightgoforthis.
Sold/nobuilt1993-’04/80,747Mpg23-36
0-60mph9.2-6.3 secsTopspeed130-158mph
Price new£19,715-26,340(’01)Now£1-5000

PORSCHEBOXSTER
Amore accomplished
sportscar,butit’seasy
togetcaughtoutwith
amoneypitinthisprice
range. Intoxicatingflat-sixsound,plusit’ssuperb
todrive; Sreclaimedtheperformancecrown, too.
Sold/nobuilt1996-’04/164,874Mpg25-37
0-60mph6.5-5.7 secsTopspeed139-165mph
Price new£31,450-38,330(’01)Now£3-11,000

TIMELINE
1995 TTConceptCoupéunveiledatFrankfurt
ShowandRoadsteratTokyoShow
1998 SepTTCoupé2+2launched,as180PS(16in
wheels,five-speed’box)or225PS(17s,6-speed)
1999 TTRoadsterintroduced
2000 MarRecalltofitESP,upratedfront
suspensionarmsandrearspoilerSepsix-speed
gearboxstandardisedonall180sand225s
2001 NovS-Line225Coupé:redorsilver,leather
seats,18inalloys,loweredsuspension
2002 Jan18inrimsandloweredsuspensiononall
180sand225sNovCoupéquattro3.2V6added:
DirectShiftGearbox,biggerbrakes,different
frontbumperandrearvalance,largerrearspoiler
2003 AprRoadster150(front-wheeldrive,five-
speed,morebootspace)andRoadsterquattro
3.2releasedDec3.2availableasmanual
2004 Newfront-drive180,optionalTiptronic’box
2005 MarCoupéquattroSport:49kglighter,
240PS(236bhp)Sep150PSengineupto163PS,
180PSto190PS;225PSoptionsphasedout
2006 AprTTMk1replaced

FACTFILE
Sold/numberbuilt1998-’06/275,339(184,041
Coupé)Constructionsteelmonocoque
Engineiron-block,alloy-headdohc20v1781cc
‘four’, BoschMotronicandKKKK04turbo,orall-
alloydohc24v3189ccV6withBoschMotronic;
148bhp@5700rpm-246bhp@6300rpm;
155lbft@1750rpm-236lbft@2800rpm
Transmissionfive-/six-speedmanualorDSG
semi-automatic,Haldexfour-wheeldrive
Suspension:frontMacPhersonstrutsrear
doublewishbones,coilsprings;telescopic
dampers,anti-rollbarf/rSteeringpower-assisted
rackandpinion,2.8turnslock-to-lock
Brakes312mmventilateddiscsfront,226mm
rear(V6334/365mm),withservoandanti-lock
Length13ft3in(4041mm)Width6ft1in
(1856mm)Height4ft5in(1345mm)
Wheelbase7ft11^1 / 2 in(2429mm)
Weight2816-3505lb(1280-1590kg)
0-60mph8.6-5.7secsTopspeed133-155mph
Mpg23-35Price new£24,050-29,000(2001)

INSURANCE
£838.90,foraLondoner,30,fullno-claims/clean
licenceonagaraged2000Coupéas2ndcar,value
£5k,5000ltdmiles.Lancaster: 01480 484848.

Thefeaturedearly1.8is

forsaleat AutoInnCars,

Luton:call 07982 835769;

seewww.autoinncar.co.uk