Beetles have served me well since 1972, but now I have semi-retired, joined a bicycle club and want a sportier car. Being able to transfer a bicycle easily and safely is important, and I am not fond of putting the bike on the rooftop. I visited the Audi factory in Germany and have a keychain with a mini version of a TT, a.k.a. my retirement car. However, I am concerned about adding a hitch and a bike platform, as the shape of the TT does not lend itself to carrying a bicycle. Suggestions? Christina, St. Catharines, Ont.
Richardson: It’s a big deal to see where your car is put together. It strengthens the bond. It’s one reason I bought a Harley-Davidson and not a Honda, because I’ve been to all the Harley plants but not the Honda motorcycle plant. There’s an idea: Christina should follow all the other retirees and get herself a Harley.
Leeder: Aren’t you listening, Mark? Christina already has a bike (and one that will actually let her get some exercise while she’s on it). I love that you want a TT, Christina. Nothing like a juiced-up, jacked-up big brother of a Beetle to cruise into retirement. But unless you’re willing to go for a roof rack, you might have to trade in two wheels to buy these particular four.
Richardson: There’s an official Audi bicycle rack for the hardtop TT, but it fits on the roof (part no. 8T0071128, and it needs the roof bars, too). The problem for any rack carried on the rear is the extendible tail wing, which rises automatically from the trunk line to help stabilize the car – it gets in the way. There are some aftermarket racks that fit the previous generation TT (Hollywood Racks makes the best), but there’s nothing yet developed for the new TT. Nor does Hidden Hitch offer any kind of hitch underneath for attaching a rack. The older TT is a good buy, but if you want a new one, you can’t have a rear bicycle rack – at least, not yet. Time for a rethink, I’m afraid.
Leeder: A rethink doesn’t have to mean straying far. Christina, go take Audi’s sporty S3 for a test drive. I drove this last spring in Germany and it has all the attitude and feel of a sporty coupe, but with four doors. With 292 horsepower, it beats the TT’s 220. It’ll hold the rack you want and save you money – it’s about $1,500 less than the TT.
Richardson: Nonsense, Jessica. Christina isn’t looking for horsepower – she wants sportier handling and style. The S3 would have wasted power and it looks like every other small sedan. I’d still recommend a used TT, to see if it’s really the car you imagine it to be. But if you want something new, sporty, stylish and with a small footprint, the only other alternatives are the Mini Cooper S (almost half the price, but not so reliable) or the Fiat 500 Abarth (also less than $30,000). Or the all-electric BMW i3.
It’s the same price as a TT and it has an electric range of around 180 km and a gas “extender” range of another 100 km at every fill-up, so you’ll never be stranded. It’s quicker off the line and around the curves than anything else of its size, and it looks the bees’ knees. Now there’s a statement. Go give it a test drive.
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