KEY POINTS:
Is there any pseudo-sporting car on the planet less macho than an Audi TT? Well, there's at least one: the TT roadster, which takes something that's already far too easy to dismiss as a mere fashion exercise and makes it even more of a "look at me" express.
Poor old TT. Nearly a decade of standing as a design icon has saddled it with a very unfortunate image. It's Audi's own doing of course, given that they decided on such an avant garde Bauhaus body shape to start with, but the trendy looks have always overshadowed the fact that the TT is actually pretty decent to drive.
Especially the new second-generation version, which has taken big step away from the Volkswagen Golf-based underpinnings of the old car, towards more credible sports-car status. The TT platform now uses a "hybrid" mix of aluminium and steel that's unlike anything else in the Volkswagen Group lineup; as a result it's strong, light and dynamically pleasing.
That high-tech Audi Space Frame (ASF) construction pays dividends for the drop-top roadster version. Losing the lid means this car is 58 per cent aluminium instead of the coupe's 69 per cent, but the end result is a car that is almost as fast, despite the extra body strengthening required for a convertible. Our 2.0-litre turbo TT rockets to 100km/h in a remarkable 6.5 seconds, just 0.1 seconds slower than the equivalent TT coupe.
Audi has even resisted the temptation for soft-top profiteering. At $88,500, our 2.0T FSI test car asks an entirely reasonable $5000 premium over the equivalent TT coupe.
The roadster is a terrifically strong car to drive on bumpy roads. While some body flex is inevitable in an open-top car, you'd be hard-pressed to complain about the solidity of the TT on anything but the most seriously damaged surfaces.
However, the entry TT is still more of a Sunday cruiser than high-performance proposition. Sure, it's indecently quick in a straight line - but the grunty turbo-four (borrowed from the Volkswagen Golf GTi) only powers the front wheels, so on anything but a smooth, dry surface it's all too easy to suffer wheelspin and an alarming degree of torque steer, where the power of the engine wrenches the steering wheel this way and that.
The sporting potential is there in the chassis. But to fully exploit it you'd need the top TT V6 with quattro full-time four-wheel drive - although that costs $109,900. Ouch.
The S-Tronic transmission (aka Direct Shift Gearbox) provides bewilderingly fast gear changes thanks to an automated twin-clutch system that preselects ratios, but even in "manual" the system readily over-rides your ear selections and the robotised clutch can be difficult to manage in parking manoeuvres. But yes, Virginia, you can still have a manual-transmission TT, so you have the choice.
The TT's cabin is disturbingly well finished and boasts a number of delightful details, like the racing-style flat-bottomed steering wheel and chrome-ringed ventilation outlets. So, so lovely.
The hood is pretty clever, too. Audi wouldn't dream of giving the TT a big fat bum by adding a folding hard-top into the structure, so the new roadster has a very compact fabric roof. It's beautifully lined and does a magnificent job of insulating the cabin from the world outside when it's raised; when you lower it, a "Z-fold" system stacks the rigid front section of the roof on top of the cloth to form a cover, ensuring that the hood sits completely flush with the body and eliminating the need for a tonneau. Nice.
There are plenty of people who would probably refuse to drive a TT roadster without a paper bag over their head; indeed, I'm one of them. But that's our problem, not the car's. The soft-top TT is a beautiful thing, beautifully executed.
The Rivals: Challengers to the Audi TT Roadster
Alfa Romeo Spider
Price: $77,990
Powertrain: 136kW/230Nm 2.2-litre petrol four, 6-speed robotised manual, front-drive, 0-100km/h 8.8 seconds
Spider looks sensational and matches TT's comedy gearbox with a robotised-clutch transmission.
Mazda MX-5
Price: $49,990
Powertrain: 118kW/188Nm 2.0-litre petrol four, 6-speed automatic, rear-drive, 0-100km/h 8.5 seconds
Fashionable, but fit for the enthusiast as well: rear-drive MX-5 is even more iconic than TT and simply glorious to drive.
Saab 9-3 Vector Convertible
Price: $85,000
Powertrain: 154kW/300Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol four, 5-speed automatic, front-drive, 0-100km/h 9.5 seconds
Ancient 9-3 will be replaced soon, but cabrio still appeals. Average to drive, but great to look at and with the bonus of four seats.
