Audi TT Roadster
Theres a recurring theme abroad that Audi dont know how to make sports cars. Its been going a while and the R8 supercar should finally have powered a few nails into its coffin. While these mutterings have doubtless capped sales of the RS models to the advantage of the crew from down the road in Munich, cars like the Audi TT Roadster, somewhat intriguingly, may have benefited. Sawing the top off a pure-bred sports car usually ruins it.
Decapitating something a little less focused is, by contrast, decidedly excusable.
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And therein lies the problem for the latest Roadster. Audi has made no secret of its intentions to hone the current TT into something that can bloody the nose of cars like the Porsche Cayman, the BMW Z4 Coupe and the Nissan 350Z and the hard-topped version gets within fingertip distance of matching these purebreds on a twisty road. As an ownership proposition, its arguably the best of the bunch. Therefore in theory, the Roadster version, with its lesser chassis rigidity, extra weight and added complexity, takes the TTs edge and dulls it by several degrees.
So whats the point? Vorsprung durch technik is as apt an answer as any. Compared to the old TT Roadster, the latest models chassis is 100 per cent more resistant to torsional deflection and a very low kerb weight of 1,295kg for the 2.0TFSI model compares very favourably to the coupes figure. Compare that weight to the 1,564kg of the Nissan 350Z Convertible and youll see why Audi arent too flustered about accusations that drop tops are usually a little on the lardy side.
''More of the same only better. Simple.''
The chassis of the TT Roadster isnt enormously different in fundamental layout to something like a Volkswagen Golf but whereas the Golf uses steel for its suspension components, the TT uses expensive and lighter aluminium. Whats more, Audi have pioneered a method of using aluminium and steel components in tandem with each other, overcoming the electrolytic corrosion issues that have plagued other manufacturers who have tinkered with this approach. Some 69 per cent of the body is aluminium with the other 31 per cent steel, which means that the 2.0-litre turbo model is 60kg lighter than the old 1.
8-litre six-speed car. The S-tronic twin clutch gearbox option (the gearbox formerly known as DSG) adds 20kg to that figure while the 3.2-litre car tips the scales at 1,445kg. The hood is a traditional fabric affair, one of the key reasons why the weight penalty has been kept to a mere 35kg over the Coupe.
Electrohydraulically operated, it uses a steel and aluminium framework to pare further grammes from its bulk. Were it not for an additional layer of soundproofing, it would be even lighter. Its easy to see where weight could be saved. Instead of the heated glass rear window Audi could have used a vinyl item and rather than opting for a powered mesh wind deflector they could have opted for a pull-up screen.
This being Audi, however, they didnt and you wont begrudge the extra few kilos these features add when driving the car. A clever Z-fold system means that the rigid forward section of the roof folds down on top of the remainder, eliminating the need for a tonneau so often the inelegant engineering solution on convertible cars. Whats more, the roof operates in a mere 12 seconds and can be operated at speeds of up to 30mph. While the guy who bought a convertible with a metal folding hard top roof is amazing passers by with its origami tricks, hes not only missed the lights but will also get the stink eye from his lady after a snap shower made her blouse go see-through.
The TT Roadster requires no manual clipping or latching to the header rail either. Just fire and forget. Like the coupe, the Roadster is offered with a pair of engines and drive layouts: 2.0-litre turbo front wheel drive or 3.2-litre V6 with quattro all-wheel drive. The 197bhp 2.
0-litre turbo TT posts a sprint to 60mph in 6.7 seconds (6.5 with S-tronic twin-clutch sequential gearbox) before running on to a top speed of 149mph. The 3.
2-litre car makes 60 in 6.0 seconds (5.8 with S-tronic) and hits an electronic limiter at 155mph. Thats a whole new plane of performance for the TT and also represents a more sensible product mix.
It was slightly bizarre that the old TT quattro Sport with 237bhp was, due to its lighter weight, quicker and more capable than the flagship 247bhp 3.2-litre car. At least now theres a product hierarchy thats easy to grasp. One of the reasons why the TT promises so much comes from its dampers.
Bear with me here, because I appreciate that dampers may not seem the most eye-catching part of the TTs specification sheet but theyre well worth a mention. Press a button on the gearlever and a voltage is applied to tiny magnetic particles swimming in the damper oil, changing their polarity and, in turn, either firming up or softening the damper in milliseconds. The cabin of the TT also has high standards to live up to. Even today, the old TTs cabin feels anything but old.
Yes, all-round visibility is woeful but that fascia still feels smart and the much-copied aluminium finishes and buttress bars remain slick pieces of detailing. The latest car reprises the old models look and feel, with the chrome-ringed speedo and rev counter housed in their own cowl and the round air vents, but also adds a few contemporary design touches such as the flat-bottomed steering wheel, the angled centre console and a sportier seating position. The uninformed may well debate about whether Audi does indeed know how to make a sports car. The debate on whether they can make a desirable roadster, however, is firmly over.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Audi TT Roadster
PRICES: from £26,940 [2.0] / from £31,635 [3.2] on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 17-18
CO2 EMISSIONS: 184-248g/km
PERFORMANCE: [3.2] 0-60mph 6s / Max Speed 155mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [3.2] combined) 29.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS / stability control
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4178/1842/1352
