Eastern Audi TT club does the Charleston for '07 fest

Of the thousands of car brands ever made, few attain devoted followings. Modern-day models have it even tougher because they haven't withstood the test of time. An exception: the Audi TT. To enthusiasts, it's an instant classic.

The smallish, speedy and classy-looking sports car, first built in 1998 and available as a couple or roadster, has three North American clubs. Audi TT East, which meets once a year along the Eastern Seaboard for a long weekend of driving and sightseeing, chose Charleston for its 2007 event Sept. 6-9 at the Francis Marion Hotel. About 55 drivers took part this year. While sponsored by the eastern TT club, the fest is open to an extent to other makes and to motorists from other parts of the country. This year, a few non-TT Audis, a Porsche, even a Corvette, took part. And drivers motored from as far away as Oregon.

"We are a loyal group," said Hans Isler, this year's event organizer. "I think it's the aesthetics, the vehicle itself, just the brand loyalty."

The club, which has sister outfits in the Midwest and West, is in its eighth year. "Originally, it was a group of folks who would get together (periodically)," said Isler of Fairfield, Conn. He said the club is more structured now.

Isler, who has 130,000 miles on his Audi TT, said the model looks sharp on its own, often drawing attention from onlookers. But since the TT still is somewhat rare, it stands out most when lined up, as on last Saturday afternoon.

Some of the roadsters and coupes were bumper to bumper up on King Street returning to the hotel from a day visit to Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum and Fort Sumter. "We stop traffic with six or seven of us," he said.

The club on its Charleston visit couldn't secure a large space for an autocross, as in past years, where the public can see all the cars, which Isler said was a disappointment.

For instance, the Audi group met last year in Stowe, Vt., and was able to use a school parking lot.

But Isler said he and the fellow club members liked the Lowcountry and the places they visited, such as Kiawah Island, a Wadmalaw Island winery and downtown Charleston.

For more information on Audi TT East, visit www.tt-east.org.