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BMW vs. Audi AGAIN.

This time it’s the 2009 Audi TTS vs. the 2009 BMW 135i. The fact that the 135i didn’t win is a shocker. That it received a thorough thrashing, at the hands of Audi’s TTS, is a news event unto itself. Going into this test, the 135i was the odds-on favorite to take the top spot. After all, a smooth, twin-turbocharged inline-6 packing 300 bhp mated to a slick 6-speed manual driving the rear wheels of a lively short-wheelbase coupe should be the ingredients for some serious driving excitement. Plus, the Audi TT has always been more of a sports tourer than a sports car, and we figured the TTS would be more of the same.

Techno-geeks will very much enjoy playing with Audi’s latest generation of MMI. It’s an improvement thanks to the joystick-like action of the main knob that allows computer mouse-like cursor control. But which interior is better? Let’s face it, both the Audi and BMW provide great environments for driving fast. The difference is that the BMW is classic, while the Audi emanates technology and flair. It’s a personal choice.

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For all the cool, hip and youthful excitement these two cars exude, we didn’t find true driving nirvana in either one. The TTS was the hands-down winner, but the 135i has many strong points as well. We couldn’t help feeling that if BMW stiffened up the 135i’s suspension a bit, it would be right there with the Audi. While the BMW seems simple, yet powerful, in its design and execution, the Audi is much more complex and fully optimized, if not quite as involving.