Road Trip: 2009 Audi TTS

Who knew a 2009 Audi TTS would be the perfect car for a road trip to Palm Springs? But when this totally flamboyant neon orange sports car drove down Palm Canyon Drive, heads turned and fingers pointed…A LOT!

So, why is the Audi TTS such a sexy beast and did Audi really give its all-new TTS model some much-needed supercharging?

Road Tripping to Palm Springs Restaurant Week

I set out on my road trip to sample restaurants participating in Palm Springs Restaurant Week on a bright spring day in Southern California. (My fave PS restos? Le Vallauris, Johnny Costas, Matchbox, The Tropicale, Circa 59 at The Riviera Resort & Spa.)

I’ve road tested a few Audi TT’s in my time and I had labeled them all “putt-putt” cars with fun-to-drive engines, but not much more in sports car performance, especially since the Audi TT is meant to compete against the Nissan 350Z, BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK350, Porsche Cayman and Porsche Boxster.

Weaving through traffic on the freeway, powering over high hills near Moreno Valley and hitting the windy straightaways to Palm Springs, I discovered Audi’s new TTS version really does compete with its other mid-prized sports car brethren.

Why? Because the 2009 Audi TTS has a thrilling 2.0 liter turbo 265 hp direct injection, which Audi claims goes 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds. And all of the other driving dynamics on the TTS are excellent too – even exhiliarting! Yes, sports car fans, the 2009 Audi TTS really delivers as a hot sports car with super fun-to-drive handling, tight suspension and responsive braking.

And just looking at the 2009 Audi TTS either in your driveway or in your rear view mirror also gives a thrill. The exterior has just gotten better with the 2009 Audi TTS. The front grille is meaner, the side lines are sexier, the windows are more cat-eye sleek, the haunches are curvier and the back side is even more round and definitely desirous.

The interior, which in my case was a brash yet elegant two toned burnt orange and matte black, is minimalism at its best. All is well in the world when you are inside the 2009 Audi TTS with its saddle-stitched leather dashboard, cozy leather seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and stick shift. What masculine decadence!

When I drove my super flamboyant neon orange 2009 Audi TTS into Palm Springs’ ultra modern Hotel Zoso, I knew the car and the destination had come together harmoniously. The hip Hotel Zoso, which sits right in the middle of the see-and-be-seen downtown district, showed off the TTS’ hot factor to the nines. Thank for the memories, Audi!

2009 Audi TTS Trims and Features

The 2009 Audi TTS has a base MSRP price of about $45,000. Standard features include TTS-unique body treatments such as the grille, bumpers, rocker panels and exterior mirrors. The TTS package also comes with Xenon headlights, 18-inch wheels, black-painted TTS brake calipers, Silk Nappa leather seats and dual chrome exhaust pipes.

2009 Audi TTS Safety

So far, the 2009 Audi TTS has not yet been rated by the National Highway Transportation Administration.

Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif.