Audi TT Roadster

Cutting the roof off a car can introduce all sorts of unwanted traits, from scuttle shake and vague steering, through to a loss of boot space and water ingress. For their latest topless TT, Audi couldn’t let that happen, so have strengthened key elements of the chassis, windscreen and sills. Their promise is that the Roadster is every bit as agile and refined as the coupé which at its launch last year, got rave reviews.

Unfortunately, our test of the Roadster was carried out in horrendous conditions, with torrential rain turning the twisty roads slick, highlighting a flaw; releasing all 280 lb ft at once meant the limited traction offered by the front wheels struggled to keep everything under control. Instead it was a case of waiting for the electronics to overcome the wheel spin as you slipped across the road surface, before being catapulted towards the next corner.

Thanks to that huge wave of torque that arrives at 1,750rpm, it was difficult to drive smoothly in the conditions, but strong brakes, quick and weighty steering that gets more direct as speeds increase, and crisp action from the manual gearbox still made it plenty of fun to hustle around the twisty bits. The all-wheel-drive quattro that arrives later can’t come soon enough.

Good ride quality and compact dimensions make it as easy to drive as a Golf in everyday conditions, while clever sound piping from the engine bay to the cabin adds some surprisingly effective aural stimulation when you want to enjoy things a little more. The dreadful weather allowed us to thoroughly test the Roadster’s key feature the fabric roof. There’s no folding metal roof, like in its biggest rival, the Mercedes-Benz SLK, in the interests of keeping weight down and minimising any packaging issues, so you’re left with a triple-layer covering and a pair of motors weighing just 39kg in total. The roof operates with a quick press of a button near the electronic handbrake, getting the job done in just 10 seconds. An optional open-top driving pack includes head-level heating, an electrically operated wind deflector and heated sports seats, making life more comfortable.

That said, once the roof is closed, you would be hard pushed to tell the difference between the soft-top and the coupé, such is the level of isolation on offer. That allows you to pay more attention to the glorious interior. Ahead sits a ‘virtual cockpit’ that eschews the traditional dials for a 12.3-inch screen that brings every piece of information in to the driver’s eye line. As the satellite navigation, audio system and vehicle information is moved up front, the centre stack is left nearly empty, while the climate controls have been shifted to the centre of the circular air vents. The combination of high-tech wizardry and eminently sensible repositioning of controls leaves behind a beautifully uncluttered and minimalist design with top class fit and finish.

Every improvement, in terms of design, build, handling and economy means that the new TT Roadster is everything the Coupé is, but with the additional joy of roof-down motoring. It’s easy to live with, better to drive and cheaper to run than its rivals and, on those days the sun doesn’t shine, you’ll have simply the best driving environment this side of an Italian supercar to enjoy.