2015 Audi TT S roadster review, test drive

With the roof tucked away, wind in your hair and 306bhp under your right foot, you ought to feel special. When the car looks as good as the third-generation TT roadster, and you are driving on scenic roads such as the one I am on in Mallorca, Spain, things can’t really get much better. 

The Audi TT was always a car about style and presence, and the new car has just added to the oomph factor. Instantly recognisable from the very first glance, the car has short overhangs and a taut-looking nose. It has unmistakable TT styling cues, with the familiar rounded wheelarches, curved windscreen pillars, bold shoulder line and sloping tailgate.The TT roadster loses the virtually unusable rear seats of the coupé, instead using the space for the folded fabric top, which opens and closes in a scant 10 seconds. The familiar four rings have been shifted onto the bonnet lip like in the R8, and the grille looks even more pronounced than on the old car. Other elements like the sharp headlights with daytime-running lamps and dynamic turn indicators just add to the overall appeal.

Based on the popular MQB platform, as other VW group cars like the Skoda Octavia and the VW Jetta, the Audi TT roadster is mostly made up of aluminium. This helps keep the weight down to 1,470kg, which is just 35kg more than the coupé variant. Even with the top lowered, the trunk retains a capacity of 280litres. The interior is protected from excessive buffeting by the wind deflector, which means you will find yourself lowering the top a lot, even in harsh weather.