Audi delivers a sporting wake-up call

The new TT Roadster is one of the most desirable cars we’ll see all year, says a fully alert Chris Knapman

Embarrassing as it is to admit, I actually fell asleep while writing one of these reviews the other day. I hasten to add that it was post-Sunday roast, but even so it was alarming that the words being typed weren’t more stimulating, even to their writer. No danger of that with today’s test, and not only because I am based at the Telegraph offices, where dozing at one’s desk is considered bad practice. I also have a compelling subject, in the shape of the new Audi TT Roadster, surely one of the most desirable cars we’ll see in 2015. When the original TT broke cover in the late Nineties, it was a sports car for people who didn’t care about sports cars. Which is to say that it looked sensational, but drove much like a VW Golf (which is basically what it was, albeit in a posh frock). This didn’t stop people buying it, but did mean it was consistently beaten by rivals when it came to that well-known sports car test of smiles-per-mile. In an attempt to rectify matters, Audi set about making the replacement TT of 2006 a touch more driver- focused, but still there remained a whiff of sensible family hatchback about it. Not until its third TT attempt, launched last year in coupé form, was the formula finally cracked, with an altogether feistier beast that In our latest video review Chris Knapman compares the new Ford Mondeo and VW Passat to see which is king of the company cars. Watch at: tgr.ph/1zpfGOf was faster, lighter and livelier than those that went before. All it lacked was a convertible version – until now. There was a time in history when removing a car’s roof was a sure way to introduce its driver not only to the cold, wet weather, but also a side helping of dashboard creaks, wobbly steering and terrible noise suppression. Not so the TT Roadster, although it should be noted that it is slightly heavier than its coupé sibling on account of the electronic mechanisms that operate the three-layer fabric hood, plus a bit of body bracing. That the roof can be lowered at speeds of up to 30mph is nothing to write home about these days, but the fact that it does so in just 10 seconds is pretty impressive. As is Audi’s inclusion on the options list of not just any old heated seats, but “super heated” items, which are capable of toasting one to their very core. Deploy the optional wind deflector, and barnet buffeting is kept to a minimum, leaving you to enjoy the rain pouring in overhead and the fug of exhaust fumes from the lorry in front. Bliss. For those still reluctant to admit that the whole point of a sports car is to have as much fun as possible, Audi once again offers the TT Roadster with a diesel engine. The smart money, however, goes on the 2.0-litre turbo petrol model, particularly if you can spare an extra £3,000 to upgrade from the standard front-wheel-drive set-up to Quattro all-wheel drive. This brings not only more traction to the equation, but also the ability to slide the rear end of the car when you exit corners, making you feel like the Stig, if only for a few fleeting moments before you crash into a ditch. So there you have it: a TT you can drift in the drizzle and a writer who didn’t drift off. A good day’s work, I’d say. Audi TT Roadster 2.0 TFSI Quattro Sport Price as tested: £35,005 Power: 227bhp 0-62mph: 5.6sec Average mpg: 42.2 Rating: