The process of writing a car review often feels like creating a “Mad Lib.” TTAC readers old enough to have taken a long road trip in the pre-GameBoy era may remember Mad Libs; they are little booklets with blanks for nouns, verbs, proper names and so on. One person comes up with the nouns and verbs, another person writes them into the blanks, and hilarity ensues. Car and Driver appears to be almost entirely written by Mad Lib nowadays, but those oh-so-seductive English big-format car rags aren’t above doing a little fill-in-the-blank action themselves. One of the most common English tropes is the “(proper noun) package (verb)s this car.” Eager to demonstrate their Princess-and-the-pea powers of discrimination, EVO or CAR will solemnly swear that, although the BMW 514d xDrive six-speed estate wagon with M Package is an unspeakably horrible car, the addition of the Dynamic Badge Coloring option group “completely transforms the on-road experience.” A variation on the theme: the recommendation of a Byzantine equipment choice, with the solemn assurance that only this particular example fails to offend the reviewer’s selective palate. “The Cayman is only truly enjoyed as a 2.7 litre non-PASM car with sport springs, 18″ wheels, adaptive seats, embossed floormats, and short-throw shifter.”

With this in mind, then, I’m almost embarrassed to explain why I’m only going to assign three stars to the Audi A6 3.0T Quattro. Car and Driver, Mad-Libbing their way through another low-speed Hocking Hills crawl retold to readers as an impossible series of derring-do accomplishments, gave this Audi the top spot above the 535i, Jag XF, Infiniti M45, and Mercedes-Benz E350. It wasn’t this A6 3.0T, however. C/D’s test car had the “Prestige” equipment level, Sport package, and rang the register to the tune of $59K. Ours was a “Premium Plus” with standard suspension, more than six grand cheaper.

What do you get with “Premium Plus”? Well, you get a button on the console that says “Navigation.” Press it, and you’ll be told that “Navigation system is not installed.” Hmm. The screen between the tach and speedometer, which displays a full selection of colorful information in the “Prestige,” is recast as a Space Invaders-style monochrome readout more fitting to a base-model Rabbit. There’s no backup camera, no high-end sound system, and the car is started with the turn of a switchblade key. A Ford Taurus Limited is considerably better-equipped, and it’s twenty grand cheaper.

Some of that price difference is eloquently explained in the driving experience. I ran the car around Nelson Ledges Road Course for a day. I was well pleased at the Audi A6 3.0T Quattro’s absolutely trustworthy handling, even on the all-season tires fitted to our tester. It’s possible to do some very stupid things, like trail-braking the “Kink” at 110 mph to point the big trapezoid grille at the inside curb, without upsetting the Audi’s fundamental nose-heavy composure. The brakes are acceptable. Even if they aren’t quite up to the challenge of repeatedly stopping the car from triple-digit speeds, they’re better than what you’d find on the equivalent Bimmer.

The supercharged V6, denoted by the “3.0T” badge on the trunk and the nifty little faux-carbon-fiber “Supercharged” insignia on each fender, is merely okay. On the road, it feels characterless. The powerplant never quite as strong as Audi’s rambunctious direct-injection V8, which it’s meant to replace. Over the course of ten laps of Nelson Ledges, heat-soak makes its presence known. Each successive exit onto the front straight feels softer. If you’re in the market for an A6, or for the S5 coupe, do yourself a favor. Get the V8 while you still can. It’s infinitely superior to this blown six, in sound, power, feel and feedback.

Alternately, you might consider saving up another ten grand past the price of an A6 4.2 and picking up a base A8. The difference between the A6 and A8 isn’t readily apparent on paper, so I’ll try to explain it here. The A6 is a very good “regular car,” while the A8 is a German D-class sedan. There is an extra layer of liquid-feeling insulation in every one of the A8’s controls, from the steering wheel to the shifter.

The A6 is shaken by bumps which fail to trouble the larger car. The A6 is quiet; the A8 is relaxing. The A6 tracks down the freeway very well, but the A8 feels as if it could follow the dotted-white line by itself. Open and close the door on both cars, and you will know immediately which one you prefer.

To make the A6 the victor of their mid-size sedan test, C/D had to ratchet-up the “Gotta Have It” score. It’s ironic. The Audi mid-sizer fails to exude any sense of “Gotta Have It” whatsoever. It’s a pleasant, handsome, somewhat anodyne automobile, nearly completely devoid of passion. With a V8 and the Prestige equipment, it has a powerful sort of techno-presence. As a mid-liner V6, let’s just say that “the (noun) fails to stir the (noun).”

At its debut as a concept car in 1995 and finally a production reality, the Audi TT was one of the most dramatic cars to come out in the mid-to-late 1990s. Its organic and symmetrically styled front and rear profiles contrasted with slab-sided flanks to create a look unlike anything Audi had ever done before. Meanwhile, the TT's handsomely executed interior left no discernible traces of the car's rather humble VW Golf roots.

Named after the Tourist Trophy motorsports event held on the Isle of Man (in which a predecessor of the Audi brand competed), the Audi TT is not quite a sports car, not quite a sport coupe or roadster. In essence, the front- or all-wheel-drive TT is a two-seat GT. True, the coupe has a pair of seats in the back, but they are best left for little kids or used as an upholstered package shelf. The TT has the low-slung look and feel of a sports car, but its dynamic personality is closer to that of a luxury sport coupe.

Regardless of year and trim level, the TT is respectably fast, but with some first-generation versions weighing more than 3,600 pounds and suspension tuning that prioritizes touring comfort over all-out cornering prowess, it won't be the first choice for hard-core enthusiasts. Those zealots seeking a harder-edged driving experience would be better served by more finely focused sports cars. The greater majority of consumers, however, who desire a sporty coupe or roadster with energetic performance and a heavy accent on style, should be more than happy with the Audi TT. The current Audi TT was redesigned for the 2008 model year and represents the second generation. Although slightly larger, the second-generation TT doesn't stray too far from the timeless lines of its predecessor. The general look is the same, though character lines are crisper and the nose adopts Audi's now signature single-frame grille. Although longer and wider than the first TT, the latest version is lighter (by nearly 200 pounds in the case of the roadster) thanks to increased use of aluminum in the body structure. It also offers a more powerful four-cylinder engine.

Two trim levels -- a 2.0T (200-horsepower turbocharged four with front-wheel drive) and 3.2 Quattro (250-hp V6 with all-wheel drive) -- are offered in a choice of hatchback coupe and roadster body styles. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual and a six-speed S tronic twin-clutch sequential transmission that offers the ease of an automatic combined with the quick response of a manual. (Formerly, the S tronic was known as the Direct Shift Gearbox, or DSG.)

On the road, the 2.0T feels more agile through a set of curves, as it has less weight on the front tires, while the 3.2 Quattro delivers more punch on straightaways along with a more aggressive engine and exhaust sound. The 2.0T is actually the more athletic of the two, as its quick-revving four-cylinder engine, whooshing turbocharger and light-effort, nimble steering combine to deliver a strong sporting impression.

One of the TT's most notable assets is its superbly crafted interior, which entices with a look that is sleek and modern. Another is its sculpted exterior design. The TT also offers an impeccable sequential-shift manual transmission, and great hatchback utility when purchased in the coupe iteration. Its primary downside concerns the fact that its handling is less precise than that offered by some of its rear-drive competitors. Introduced for the 2000 model year and initially available solely as a hatchback coupe, the first TT was powered by Audi's peppy 1.8-liter, 180-hp turbocharged inline-4. Buyers could choose either front- or all-wheel drive (Audi's Quattro system). A five-speed manual was standard, while a six-speed manual was optional. Along with its low-slung, avant-garde styling, the TT boasted an equally unique interior that featured polished aluminum accents, impeccable fit and finish and, unfortunately, a few ergonomic glitches such as a CD changer mounted behind the driver seat and counterintuitive climate controls.

After a highly publicized recall to fix the twitchy handling characteristics of early TTs, a roadster and a 225-hp Quattro version debuted the following year. In 2003, an automatic transmission (with six speeds) became available. But the biggest news for this generation came in 2004, when the 250-hp 3.2-liter V6 and Audi's superb six-speed automanual gearbox became available. The latter, dubbed DSG, provided rapid yet jolt-free manual-style gearchanges that put a Ferrari's F1 transmission to shame. The Audi TT stood pat through 2006, the last year of this generation.

Potential buyers should know that, although potentially fast in a straight line, this TT was never considered a true sports car due to its potentially heavy curb weight and softly sprung suspension. Still, the TT should satisfy those who prize comfort, style and all-weather capability in their sport coupe or roadster.