Nigel loves the Audi TT for being a timeless teaser
Your foot gently depresses the accelerator, the turbocharger spools and the car gets going. But you realise that it wants to be driven in anyway but gentle and the outcomes are anything but depressing. The experience is in fact an anti-depressant. The increase in throttle input is accompanied by flirtatious exhaust acoustics and a farting pop with each upshift. Use of the stereo is obsolete as motion is translated into emotion.
The original Mk1 TT was designed by a dream team that gave us the Volkswagen New Beetle and the aim was to create a simplistic, geometric, clean industrial look that would last for years. In the cabin, the TT wowed the world with the clever combination of leather, aluminium and stainless steel. The TT was originally the sort of car that appealed to those with a taste for aesthetics. First released in 1998 as a Coupe, an open-top version which we know as the Roadster was added into Audi's fleet a year later.
As the years went by, Audi sharpened both the looks and performance capabilities of the TT. The second generation Mk2 saw the birth of an angrier tarmac punishing variant, the TT RS - developed by Audi's high-performance subsidiary, quattro GmbH. What was once a cutesy two-door looker was slowly drawing the attention of motoring enthusiasts.
Today, the Mk3 TT continues to impress. Under its hood lies a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that is packed with 227 strong horses and 380Nm of torque. Little needs to be said about the design of this able corner carver - a blend of modern refinement and classic curves that retain the original TT's best bits. There is never a dull moment in the car and envious eyes on the street drives home the fact that the TT is still a timeless piece of art.
Although it may not have the history and heritage of the Jeep Wrangler and Volkswagen Golf GTI, the TT has all the qualities that make it a piece of automotive art, one that may very well be a future classic. And just like art, it speaks to you, seduces you and tempts you to take it home. Associate Editor Julian will agree that he too is enraptured by this curse of curves that is the Audi TT.
When it comes to timeless cars, Julian believes you either go big or you go home
When it comes to timeless and classless cars, it's no secret that style inspiration lies within the heart of a Jeep Wrangler. In a rather passionate culture of do-anything-go-anywhere attitude, there is the Land Rover Defender, but it's ultimately the Wrangler that pushes the envelope of timelessness to its limits. The pursuit of aesthetic perfection is a way for the Jeep off-roader to express its individualistic character, whether it's on the tarmac or in the jungle.
First announced to the world in 1986, the Wrangler was created not only fill the space left by the discontinuation of the Jeep CJ, it was also made to satisfy the needs of off-road fans by proving just how capable this car really is to its competitors.
It looks the part, drives the part and it sure as hell hasn't lost its roots of being a warlord on or off the road.
I won't deny that Nigel is right - the Audi TT has certainly got me smitten with its sexy curves. But when it comes down to the crunch, and more relevantly when it comes to timeless cars, you either go big or you go home. After all, you only get to live once. Why go for a small timeless machine when you can get yourself a mean machismo machine that has survived time that's long enough to earn itself a spot as a timeless car?
Regan reckons GTI should stand for Gran 'Timeless' Injection
Hot hatches have always been the choice of the discerning driver. Daily runabouts but able to showcase a thing or two on a twisty road at times, hot hatches are almost all things to all men and women.
Launched in 1976, the first generation Golf GTI set a standard for dynamic performance, which was more precise than any other compact car of its era. More importantly, it made automotive sportiness more attainable than ever before.
The seventh generation of the car definitely looks sharper than its predecessors but the contemporary new body style preserves some of the design aspects that make it distinctly Golf GTI, like the red pinstripe around the car and the fact that it's still a hatchback.
Jump in and the familiar story continues. Think masculine lines in dark hues with aluminium finishes and signature red stitching details, which have become synonymous with the Golf GTI.
Despite all of its sportiness, the Golf GTI is the perfect all-rounder. Nothing says that more than its spaciousness and versatility, whether you're simply driving to work or just letting your hair down after. Everything is simply right about the car - a safe and taut chassis, a spacious and versatile interior, the energetic yet fuel efficient TSI engine and a styling that is as unmistakable as it is timeless.
Over seven generations, Volkswagen has built on this solid legacy. The latest Golf GTI gives a nod to its predecessors while embodying that constant drive for innovation, performance and all-round thrill that has made the GTI such an icon.
