Audi TT Roadster 2.0 TFSI S

With a snarl and a bark, the new Audi TT Roadster 2.0 TFSI S line sounded just the way I hoped it would when I set off for my test drive around the twisty roads of rural Northamptonshire recently.
I was lent the 2.0 TFSI S line Quattro 230 PS with a slick six-speed manual gearbox, cloaked in white with a contrasting black hood, and finished off with black Alcantara and leather sport seats – I could easily have kept this car.

But on my journalist’s wage, there’s no chance of owning a new TT Roadster, because this car costs £34,650 on the road. To make matters worse for me, my press car came loaded with options including: 19” five-twin-spoke design alloy wheels (£450); MMI Navigation Plus (£1,495); Auto-dimming rear-view mirror with light and rain sensor package (£110); Storage and luggage package (£175)… the list goes on. Suffice it to say, the total cost for my test model was £40,315.

Getting the roof down on the 2015 Audi TT Roadster takes just ten seconds. You only need to hold a switch placed near the electronic handbrake and motor along under 30mph. Once driving, with the wind in your hair, the TT is quiet enough to hold a conversation with your passenger.

What’s really noticeable behind the wheel is the TT’s new virtual cockpit. This is based around a large LCD display that fills the instrument binnacle and replaces the traditional analogue dials. You can choose between two display modes: in the classic view, the speedometer and rev counter are in the foreground; in ‘infotainment’ style the virtual instruments are smaller. The space that becomes free as a result provides plentiful room for other functions, such as the very clear navigation map.

The engine is muscular, even from low revs, and pushes out power in an excitingly linear manner. A zero to 62mph time of 6.2sec and a 155mph top end equals an utterly invigorating drive.

Ride comfort is bang on for a sports car, and the steering, which uses electric power assistance, is precise and satisfyingly weighted. Reassuringly, the brakes scrub off momentum in an instant too.

So, if you fancy a handsome premium brand sports car that delivers easy, top down motoring fun – and can tear up the tarmac with just a blip of the throttle – then the new Audi TT Roadster is for you.

Price: £34,650

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